2. Andrew Goodwin suggests that there are 5 key aspects
of music videos which the audiences looks out for and
this is how they watch music videos.These are:
Thought beats
Narrative and Performance
The Star Image
Visual Relations
Technical Aspects
3. Thought Beats
This is better known as ‘seeing the sound in your head’
The first step is to look at the music itself. The audience takes
in to account the structure of the song (e.g. the chorus)
The second step is the voice of the song. The artists’ voice is
unique and can therefore form trademarks or identification.
Goodwin also points out the artists’ mode of address. The
songs can be seen as stories, and the artist is the storyteller,
which makes the music video a two way communication
device; with them telling the story and the audience listening.
4. Narrative + Performance
Another convention presented by Goodwin suggests that the
audience make up their own idea of what the message of the song
is through the basic understanding of what has happened in the
video.
Goodwin stated that all music videos should follow the same
standard in the narrative – narrative and performance scenes
should work well together to capture and maintain the interest of
the viewer.
Furthermore, he suggests that when the artist acts as the main
actor in the video, it therefore makes the video more believable for
audiences. Audiences want to believe the music video, therefore
this is why artists and bands are featured in their music videos, to
make it seem like what is happening to them in the video is
authentic. This is also why miming methods are so popular.
5. Star Image
The star image in a vital aspect of a music video.
An artists’ image or ‘star image’ develops and changes
over time and plays a key role in the production of their
music videos.
Each artist’s star image in unique and different and
therefore this allows each music video to be different.
6. Visual Relations
There are many different ways one could relate the lyrics or
meaning of the song to the music video. The key three ways
the two work together are:
When the visuals illustrate a key lyric of the song, which can
be seen in many different genres of music videos.
Another is when the meaning of the song is completely
ignored
And lastly, another way is when visuals are amplified and
meanings and effects are repeated constantly in order to
maintain the meanings with the audience.
7. Technical Aspects
Technical aspects are extremely important when discussing
music videos. Camera movements and angles, as well as
mise-en-scene, sound and editing are joined together and
used to flow with the music.
Cuts tend to coincide with a new beat in the song, or change
when a verse of chorus ends. This is done to maximize the
audiences’ entertainment, and interest, and then to maintain
this attention for the whole video.
Mise-en-scene needs to look professional and realistic in
order to interest the viewer.
Lighting and colour help to enhance the message and
narrative of the music video.
