1. AndrewGoodwin(1992)
- A mediatheoristwhowrote abookcalled Dancing inthe Distraction Factory.
- In thishe suggeststhatthere are:
6 Key featuresof a music video
5 waysto analysea musicvideo.
1. Music videosdemonstrate genre characteristics.
- Certainfeaturesare expectedoutavideodepending onthe genre of the music,forexample
a girl bands/artistsare expectedtohave dancersandclose upof the singers,whilstandIndie
bandare expectedtohave performance shotsof the bandandcut to a fastbeat.
2. There is a relationshipbetweenlyricsandvisuals. The lyricsare representedwithimages.
- Themes,Mise–En–Scene andeventsof the videomatchwithlyricsof the song,to helpto
portray the message of the song.
3. There is a relationshipbetweenmusicandthe visuals.The tone and the atmospheresof
the visual reflectsthat of the music.
- The cuts ad editsof the videoare insyncwiththe rhythm andbeat of the song matching
cuts or effectstospecificdrumbeatsornotes.
4. The demandsof the record label will include the needfor lots of close ups of the artist and
the artist may developmotifswhichrecur across theirwork (a visual style).
- Thisallowsthe recordlabel topromote a setimage for the band/ artist,whichwill help
target audiencesempathise withthe band/artist.
5. There is frequentlyreference tonotionof looking(screenswithinscreens,mirrors, stages
etc.) and particular voyeuristictreatment ofthe female body.
- The ‘male gaze’isoftenusedto attract a male audience. The male gaze isa focuson
presentingthingsthatappeal tomean.Thisoftenmeansavoyeuristicview of,and
objectification of women.The emphasis onlookingalsoincludesthe artistlookingdirectly
intothe camera helpingthe audience connectwiththe artist.
6. There are oftenintertextual reference (tofilms,tvprogrammes, other musicvideos etc.)
- Music videosreference otherformof media,mostcommonlyfilm,butcanalso be television
and othermusicvideos.
2. How to Analyse MusicVideos:
- AndrewGoodwinidentifies5key aspectsof musicvideos thatwe,the audience should look
out for;
1. Thought Beats – Where you‘see’the sound.
Step 1: Must lookforthe structure of the song.
Step 2: The voice of the song.
Step 3: Artistsmode of address.
Songscan be seenasstoriesandthe artist isthe storyteller,makingthe songa
communicationdevice –Themtellingusastory and we are listening.
2. Narrative and Performance.
- Songs FAIL to give usa complete narrative
- We onlytendto GET A GISTof the meaningof the songand thentendto make up our own
ideaof what isbeingtold – An negotiatedview of the text,
- Music videos shouldhave COHERENTREPEATABILITY. Narrative andperformance work
handin hand.Makes iteasierforthe audience towatch overandover withoutlosing
interest.
- The artist actingas both NARRATOR AND PARTICIPANThelpsto increase the authenticity
howeverthe lipsyncandothermimedactionsremainsthe heartof the musicvideos.
- The audience needto BELIEVE THIS IS REAL.
3. The Star Image
- The STAR IMAGE isanothervital aspectof musicvideos.
- Meta narrative (whichisa ‘bigstory’describesthe developmentof the starovertime) has
an importantpart to playinthe musicvideoproductionprocess.
- How isthe ‘star’ REPRESENTED?
4. Relationof Visualsto the Song
- There are three waysinwhichmusicvideosworktopromote a song;
Illustrate – Music videoscanuse a setof imagestoillustrate the meaningof lyricsandgenre,
thisismost common
Amplify– thisis similartorepeatability.Meaningsandeffectsare manipulatedand
constantlyshownthroughthe videoanddrummedintoourvision.
Disjuncture – Thisis where the meaningof the songiscompletelyignored.
5. Technical Aspects
- Technical aspectsholdthe musicvideotogetherthroughthe use of CAMERA WORK,
MOVEMENT, ANGLE,MISE-EN-SCENE,EDITING,SOUND AND SPECIAL EFFECTS.
- SPEED, CAMERA MOVEMENT,EDITING, CUTTING AND POST PRODUCTION are all formof
use of camera.
3. - LIGHTING and COLOUR helpsetmoodsandemphasise keymovementsof the songfor
dramaticeffect.
- MISE-EN-SCENE,the settingof musicvideosit vital,itneedstolook AUTHENTICto attain
professionalism.
- Beats– musicvideos USECUTS TO GO WITH THE BEAT or rhythmmakingthe videomore
entertaining.
