The document analyzes Beyoncé's music video for "Run the World" using Andrew Goodwin's theory of six characteristics found in music videos. These include relationships between the lyrics and visuals, between music and visuals, genre characteristics, visual motifs, notions of looking, and intertextuality. The analysis finds connections between the empowering lyrics and the visuals of women dominating men. It also discusses genre conventions like dance choreography and the mixing of narrative and performance.

1. +
Beyoncé –Run the world
Analysis
By Cynthia Musaka

2. +Andrew Goodwin’s theory.
 6 characteristics and features that are found in music videos.
 There is relationship between lyrics and visuals.
 There is a relationship between music and visuals.
 Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.
 The artist may develop motifs , which recur across their work
(visual style )
 Frequent reference to notion of looking , particularly voyeuristic
treatment of the female body.
 Intertextual reference

3. Relationship between lyrics and
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visuals . Endless power, with our love
we can devour
You'll do anything for me
Girls, we run this motha (yeah!)
Who run the world? Girls! [x4]

4. + Relationship between lyrics and
visuals .
 The title of the music video is ‘ run the world ( Girls )
and It's by RnB singer Beyoncé . There is definitely a
link between the lyrics and the visuals ; the song is
about women , taking over , rising up and standing
together. this is shown through out the video ; All the
dancers are female and they are seen as being quiet
aggressive towards the males, who are all dressed
in military clothing , which makes them seem
dominant and authoritative

5. + Relationship between music
and visuals .
The artist is incredibly in synch
with the music through her dance
choreography. The non diegetic
music , consists of drums and the
artist jerks and jolts her body to
the precise sound and the entire
angry and aggressive tone and
atmosphere of the visuals reflect
the music
The beat then slows down to
just one slow drum and it
changes location to what
seems like a dessert and all
she does is sway to the beat
and this reflects the lyics and
the mood the music is trying to
convey

6. + Genre characteristics
Run the world is a Hip
Hop music video and
consists of many
conventions for hip hop
i.e. there is a dance
choreography to
accompany the chorus
In most hip hop videos if they feature women ,
Another typical trend they
the women are usually seen as sexual
followed which is usually
objects and the men are usually portrayed to
present in the genre is the
be powerful and dominating . Even though
mixture of a narrative and
this music video is about female
performance based music
empowerment , they clothing and dance
video
routine still shows them as sexual objects

7. +
Visual style
The artist in the music video is
known for always having two
back dancers in her videos , and
this is one trait that we her
identify her . It’s iconic because
it’s used in most of her videos
and has created a recognisable
brand identity for her .
She is also known for dressing sexy and
tasteful as she is usually singing about female
empowerment and she reinforces this with her
clothing and on live performances she always
has an all female band

8. + Notion of looking
Notion of looking in music
videos , for example is where
they maybe , screens within
screens , mirrors , stages and
cameras. This video doesn’t
incorporate much of that , but
we get addressed through the
camera , as the artist directly
looks at the audience making
them feel involved. Also all the
dancers are positioned to form
a stage .
In most hip hop videos women are typical
seen to be sexual objects and this video
is no exception ; even though it
contradicts the message of the song.

9. +
Intertexuality.
I didn’t find any evidence of intertexuality but the
song is heavily sampled from another song called
pon de floor by artist Major lazer.
 The start of the music video starts of like a film with
non diegetic sound and different shots of location that
will be in the performance later on in the video.