1. ANDREW GOODWIN (1992)
A media theorist who wrote a book called “Dancing in the Distraction Factory”
In this book he suggests that there are…
6 key features of a music video and that there are 5 ways to analyse a music video.
Goodwin’s6 featuresof music videos:
1- Music videodemonstrategenre characteristics.
2- There isa relationshipbetweenlyricsandvisuals.The lyricsare representedwithimages.
3- There isa relationshipbetweenmusicandvisuals.The tone andatmosphereof the visual
reflectthatof the music.
4- The demandsof the record label will include the needforlotsof close upsof the artist and
the artist maydevelopmotifswhichrecurtheirwork(avisual style).
5- There isfrequentlyreference tonotionof looking(screenswithinscreens,mirrors,stages
etc) and particularlyvoyeuristictreatmentof the femalebody.
6- There isoftenintertextual reference (tofilms,TV programmes,othermusicvideosetc).
2. 5 ways to analyse a music video
1. Thoughtsbeats – where you‘see’the sound
Step1. To lookat the musicitself.We musttake intoaccountthe structure of the song.
Step2. The voice of the song.Unique and can formidentification.
Step3. Artist’smode of address.Songscan be seenas storiesandthe artistthe storyteller,
makingthe musicvideoatwo communicationdevice –themtellingusastory andwe listen.
2. Narrative andPerformance
Songsfail to give usthe whole narrative –we get a gistof the meaningandwe add our own
meaningstoitand musicvideos shouldignore commonnarrative.Musicvideosshouldhave
coherentrepeatability.The artistactingbothas narrator and participanthelpstoincrease
the authenticityhoweverthe lipsyncandothermimedactionsremainsthe heartof the
musicvideos.
3. The star image
The star image isa vital aspect.Meta narrative whichisbigstorythat describesthe
developmentof the star overtime hasan importantpart to playinthe music video
productionprocess.Howisthe star represented?
4. Relationof visualstosong
There are three waysinwhichmusicvideosworktopromote a song:
Illustrate –use of a setof imagestoillustrate the meaningof lyricsandgenre
Amplify –meaningsandeffectsare manipulatedandconstantlyshownthroughthe
videoanddrummedintoourvision
Disjuncture –thisis where the meaningof the songiscompletelyignored
5. Technical aspectsof a musicvideo
Mise-en-scene,sound,cinematographyandeditingandbeats
