notes on Andrew Goodwin

1. AndrewGoodwin –Dancingin the distractionfactory(1992)
He noticedthere were 6crucial keyfeaturesina musicvideo
1. The visualslinktothe lyrics – tell the storyof a song
2. Genre characteristics – conformto the genre of the music, e.g. tone of video
3. Visualsmatchthe music– visual oftenmatchesthe beat.
4. The Star – record label needsclose upsof artistsregularly,demandof the label.
5. Intertextual references –songsfrom the film, televisionandothermusicvideos
6. Frequentlyreference tonotionof looking(screenswithinscreens,mirrors,stagesetc.)
voyeuristictreatmentof the LauraMulvey.
How to analyse amusicvideowith5 keyaspects.
Step1 – to lookat the musicitself.We musttake intoaccountthe structure of the song.
The voice of the song. Artistsvoice isextremelyuniqueandcaninformidentificationortrademarks
that workswell withthe starimage.
Goodwinpointsoutthe artistsmode of address.Songscanbe seenasstoriesandthe artists.The
storytellermakingamusicvideoatwo waydevice.
Step2 – Narrative andperformance.Songsfail togive usthe complete narrative;we onlygetagist
of the songsstory.Music videosshouldhave coherentrepeatability,wantingyouraudience towatch
the videooverandoveragain.The artistis actingas both narrator andparticipantshelpstoincrease
the authenticityhoweverthe lipsyncandothermimedactionsremainsthe heartof the music
videos.The audience needstobelieve it’sreal.
Step3 - Star Image –the star image isanothervital aspectof musicvideo.MetaNarrative (whichisa
bigstory that describesthe developmentof the starovertime) hasanimportantpartto playin the
musicvideoproductionprocess.Howisthe starpresented?
Step4 – Relationof visuals tothe song: These are three waysinwhichmusicvideosworkto
promote the song.Illustrate:musicvideoscanuse a setof imagestoillustrate the meaningof lyrics
and genre – thisis the mostcommon.Amplify:thisissimilartorepeatability.Meaningsandeffects
are manipulatedandconstantlyshownthroughthe videoanddrummedintoourvision.Disjuncture:
thisiswhere the meaningof the songis completelyignored
Step5 – Technical aspectsholdthe musicvideotogetherthroughthe use of camerawork,
movement,angle,mise-en-scene,editing,soundandspecial effects.Speed,camera movement,
editing,cuttingandpostproduction.Mise-en-scene,the settingof the musicvideosisvital,itneeds
to lookauthentic.Beats,musicvideosuse cutstogo withthe beats.