Andrew Goodwin identified five key aspects of music videos that audiences should pay attention to: the star image, narrative/performance, relation to the song's visuals, technical aspects, and "thought beats." He also noted that music videos are used to promote songs by illustrating, amplifying, or disjuncturing the song's meanings. Technical elements like lighting, editing, and camera work are important for holding the video together and emphasizing parts of the song. Music videos also aim to develop the star's image over time through techniques like close-ups and intertextual references.

1. By Larah Yearwood

2.  Andrew Goodwin has pointed out five key
aspects in music videos that the audience
should notice:
 The star image
 Narrative and performance
 Relation to visuals in the song
 Technical aspects of the music video
 Thought Beats

3.  Andrew Goodwin has identified key features that
distinguish music as a form. He reckons that:
 There is demand from the record company for
lots of close ups- especially of the main artist
 Music genres have their own music video style
 There is most likely to be intertextual references
to either films, tv or other music videos.
 There is likely to be voyerism especially with the
treatment of women.

4.  The star image is a virtual aspect of music
videos. There has been so much development
of the star image over time and it has such a
massive and important part to play in music
videos and the production process.

5.  Goodwin explains that music videos should ignore
common narrative as it is important in their role of
advertising. Songs usually fail to give us the complete
narrative and we only get a gist of the meaning of the
song. We then go on to make up our own idea of what’s
being told.
 The lip synching and miming are really the heart of the
music videos and the audience need to believe it’s real.
 When narrative and performance work hand in hand it
easier for the audience to watch over and over again
without losing interest. Music videos should have
coherent repeatability.

6.  There are three ways music videos work to
promote songs:
 ILLUSTRATE: music videos can use a set of
images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics and
genre.
 AMPLIFY: when meanings and effects are
manipulated and constantly shown through the
video and drummed into our vision
 DISJUNCTURE: this is where the meaning of
the song is ignored completely.

7.  Technical aspects are what hold the music video
together through the use of camera work, mise-
en-scene, editing and sound. Things like:
 Lighting and colour which helps set the mood
and to emphasise key moments of the song
 Speed, cutting, editing which all help to make the
video interesting
 Beats to which the music is cut to
 The setting of music video. It needs to look
professional.

8.  You need to look at the music itself first and take into
account the structure of the song. E.g. verse, pre-
chorus, chorus, etc.
 Next listen to the voice of the song. The voice can be
extremely unique and needs to blend well the genre of
music.
 Also, Goodwin points out the artists mode of address.
Songs can be seen as stories and the artist can be the
story teller/narrator. This makes the music video a two
way communication device. The artist telling us a story
and us listening.

9. This gif shows the pussycat dolls and are proving
Goodwin’s point about the close ups. The lead
singer the man focus whilst the rest are dancing
in the background. There are also examples of
voyerism as the women are dressed
provocatively to catch the attention of the viewer.
Another gif, this time on
Lady Gaga. This again
show voyerism as she
dressed for attraction and
is taking center stage.

10.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=My2FRPA3Gf8 –MILEY CYRUS:
WRECKING BALL.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-fA-
gBCkj0 –BRUNO MARS: LOCKED OUT OF
HEAVEN
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=K0K46C82v9o –PUSSYCAT DOLLS: WHEN
I GROW UP.