Andrew Goodwin identified 6 key features that are commonly found in music videos. These include demonstrating genre characteristics through performances, having a relationship between the lyrics and visuals, reflecting the tone of the music through visuals, including close-ups of the artist as demanded by record labels, references to looking through screens and mirrors, and intertextual references to other media. The document discusses using these 6 features as a guide for creating a music video.

1. Andrew Goodwin’s 6 Features of Music Videos
In His Book ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ Andrew Goodwin points out
characteristics and features that can be found in music videos. Looking at a
selection of music videos which can be recognised?
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in
metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented
with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere
of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of
the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a
visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens,
mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female
body.
6. There are often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music
videos etc).
After looking at Andrew Goodwin’s 6 features of music videos we are ensuring
that we try and follow these features as a group to achieve the best possible
result in our music video.