2. Andrew Goodwin
“Music videos ignore common narrative
as they are essentially advertisements. As
consumers, we make up our own
meaning of a song in our minds: a music
video can anchor meaning and gives the
record company/artist a method of
anchoring meaning.”
3. 5 selected principles
•Links between the lyrics and the visuals
•Links between music and visuals (complimentary, contradicting or
amplification)
•Voyeurism (direct gaze, other people looking at artists, insight into
artists life, screens and mirrors)
•Demands of the record label (representation of the artist)
•Performance based, narrative based or concept based music videos.
4. The lyrics and the visuals
Visuals can either contradict or demonstrate the lyrics
that are within a song. If the visuals contradict the
lyrics then this could be . On the other hand, when
they illustrate the lyrics the visuals become
complimentary and they amplify and enhance the
lyrics within a song. Niche artists may use a
contradicting relationship between the two in order to
create an impact. All music videos have a relationship
between their lyrics and their visuals, however, they all
have different purposes for a variety of impacts on the
audience.They all represent messages.
5. Links between the music and
the visuals
The visuals can too either compliment or go
against the music within a song. It may be
illustrative, amplifying or contradicting and they
may relate to the tempo and the cuts within a
music video.When there are high and low points
in a song the visuals will can either demonstrate
this or contradict this. For example, if a song
drops and becomes fast paced then the visuals
may be edited to cut faster and the pace of the
shots may decrease. Or the song could slow
down and the shots could become longer to
make the cuts less frequent.
6. Voyeurism
Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of
spying on people engaged in intimate
behaviours, such as undressing, sexual
activity, or other actions usually considered to be
of a private nature.The principal characteristic of
voyeurism is that the voyeur does not normally
relate directly with the subject of his/her
interest, who is often unaware of being
observed.Voyeurism may involve the making of
a secret photograph or video of the subject
during an intimate activity.
7. Demands of the record label
This would include using lots of close-
ups to portray the image of the artist
which will then relate to the record
label.The idea is to brand the artist
with their own image which fans can
then relate to.
8. Performance, narrative or
concept based
Performance – A performance from the artist.
Can involve lip singing.
Narrative – Often tells a story. Can be like a mini
film. It can promote a film. It can link to a
story. Beginning, middle and end.
Concept – A single idea or concept that is
unusual and obscure. It often keeps the
audience interested and watching.
