Andrew Goodwin's Theory

1. ANDREW GOODWIN’S THEORY
ILLUSTRATION, AMPLIFICATION &
DISJUNCTION
Tia Jackson, A2, Media Studies

2. WHAT IS THE DIFFRENCE ILLUSTRATION &
AMPLIFICATION, DISJUNCTURE?
ILLUSTRATION:
• The easiest form to connect to the audience with, it’s a literal
meaning of the song’s lyrics in a visual form. This gives a strong
connection to the lyrics and the visual images in the music videos.
• ‘Kate Nash – Foundations’ music video is prefect at demonstrating
illustration, the use of images that tie in with the lyrics really show
how illustration can be used.
AMPLIFICATION:
• This means the music video uses both narrative and performance
this gives meaning to the lyrics and can show the reality of the
lyrics through the music video. Although lyrics can be powerful,
sometimes images can be more influence as images can represent
things going on in the audiences lives.
• ‘Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts’ video is very powerful although the lyrics
do not amplify the type of struggle that the music video shows,
which is why narrative and performance have been used to try and
to get the message across.
DISJUNCTURE:
• Intentionally ignoring the lyrics, context and genre that is used in,
therefore the music video creates a totally new meaning. When
disjuncture is used the music videos don’t make a lot of sense and
so a new meaning comes from an oral and visual version of the
song.
• ‘Wet – Don’t want to be your girl’ is a prime example of this as its
disorientated and makes no connection to the lyrics at all.

3. WHY HAVE THE ARTISTS PICKED ELEMENTS?
• Kate Nash may have picked a illustrative element to try and make a strong connection to the
audience, the use of the props; watches, socks and toothbrushes are really interesting way to show
the lyrics. They aren’t showing exactly what the lyrics are saying but they are showing visually
when you are seeing verbally, a interesting way to use the audiences senses.
• Many other artist that have use illustrative elements in their music videos may be trying to show a
performance and a narrative element in the video and to have illustrative would allow the artist to
do both, this can apply to the genre of ‘Indie Pop’
• Beyoncé's music video is extremely powerful and really amplifies an issue in American society,
although by just listening to the lyrics we understand as an audience that Beyoncé is touching on a
sensitive issue of body confidence and the flaws of the human body, but by watching the music
video we can see that it is even more powerful by actually showing Beyoncé as a model being sick
into a toilet before a competition.
• This use of amplification is used by both performance and narrative and shows the underline
massage of beauty. Yet one of the issues with amplification is that if the lyrics described the music
video like illustrative, then the song may not have done so well as the song may have been to
realistic or touched on some sensitive issues that the public wouldn't want to hear. This element
can connect to the genre of ‘R&B Pop’ as its brutal with reality which links to this genre.
• Finally, Wet’s music video is very abstract and makes no clear links to the lyrics at all, in total the
music video is all over the place and has no really sense of direction or focus, hence why she has
used the element of disjunction, ignoring the lyrics completely and creating a new meaning all
together.
• Sometimes artist do this to connect to the art of music and try to get a new meaning across to try
and open up the audiences eyes to the ways of looking at things and perhaps not being so narrow
minded, the genre that would use disjunction is ‘Hard Rock’ as its niche and artistic.

4. USING THEM IN MY FINAL PRODCUTION
• After looking at these three elements, I have came to the decision that I am most likely to use
both disjunction and illustration in my final production, I feel that both of these elements are
interesting and easy to connect to the audience with although can be used in an artistic way.
• To use illustration in my music video will give me an over all branch of the music video genre and
theme that I will be exploring, because it is easy to understand and is a sure way to connect to
the audience I will use this particular element in my music video.
• As well as looking into disjunction, the idea of having abstract elements within my music video
sounds artistic and will give debt to my music video. It also gives me more freedom to explore my
own ideas and what I want to do within the music video.
• I will be looking into artist and genres that I can use as a influence for my final production as well
keeping in mind Beyoncé ‘Pretty Hurts’ and Kate Nah ‘Foundations’.