Andrew Goodwin Theory

1. (Dancing in
the
Distraction
Factory)
ANDREW GOODWIN’S
THEORY

2.  Andrew Goodwin says that music video structures are built
around song lyrics – not traditional narrative structures.
 The ‘singer’ is used in the video as both narrator and a
character.
 The ‘singer’ breaks the 4th wall by looking directly into the
camera to involve the viewer at home.
 Andrew Goodwin feels that traditional narrative analyses
(using ideas such as Todorov) don’t really apply to pop videos
(referring back to previous slide).
 There are a number of reasons for this but it isn’t because
pop videos are trying to be avant garde – it is just that they
approach narrative from a different angle to novels and films.
WHAT DOES ANDREW GOODWIN THINK
ABOUT STRUCTURE?

3.  There are reasons for the different narrative structures in
music videos, as follows:
 1. Pop Videos are built around songs – and often songs do not
pose traditional narrative structures (normality – problem-
resolution)
 2. The pop video uses the singer both as a narrator and as a
character.
 3. The singer often looks directly at the camera – this is an
extension of (music hall) performance and trying to involve
the viewer at home with the performance.
 Some videos are autonomous from the music they spring
from. The visualisation of a song may go beyond the original
meaning.
‘DANCING IN THE DISTRACTION FACTORY’
(1973)

4.  Is where the video tells the story of the lyric “pop don’t
preach” (Madonna) for example. Dance is often used to
express the feelings/mood in the song.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4
ILLUSTRATION
In Owl City’s fireflies, the song is illustrated through objects and the visualisation
seeps through the colorful objects around the room and as he starts to sing, the
‘fireflies’ begin to light up which can also be linked back to the idea of dance and
movement between objects, may it be human or another object.

5.  Occurs when the videos introduce new meanings that do not
contradict with the lyrics but add layers of meaning.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ488QrqGE4
AMPLIFICATION
In Kanye West’s ‘Homecoming’ uses performance and narrative throughout and in the
video it clearly shows Kanye’s home, however to add layers of meaning the motif of the
song is ‘homecoming’ whereby Kanye might feel estranged by his home despite being
present which links back to adding layers.

6.  This is where there is little connection between the lyric and
video or where the video contradicts the lyric. Michael
Jackson’s Man in the Mirror is an example of this. The song is
about self-realisation but the video is full of radical world
events.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PivWY9wn5ps
DISJUNCTURE
In Michael Jackson’s man in the mirror video, we don’t see a man reflecting his demeanour
or questioning the ‘content of his character’ but we do see a lot of world politics which
contradicts the media language that is trying to be used.