This document provides an overview of Andrew Goodwin's theoretical framework for analyzing music videos. It identifies six key aspects: 1) The relationship between lyrics and visuals, 2) The relationship between music and visuals, 3) Demonstration of genre characteristics, 4) Close-ups and motifs of the artist, 5) Reference to voyeurism, and 6) Intertextual references. Each aspect is then further explained through examples and relationships to music videos.

1. Andrew Goodwin’s
Theoretical Framework
By Kate Reynolds

2. Andrew Goodwin identifies six
key aspects of music videos
• A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals.
• A relationship between the music and the visuals.
• The video demonstrates genre characteristics.
• There are close ups and motifs of the music artist.
• There is reference to voyeurism.
• There are intertextual references.

3. Relationship between the
lyrics and the visuals.
• First thing to analysis the music its self, look at the
structure of the song for e.g. chorus & verse
• Secondly, the voice of the song. The voice of the
song is very important and makes the music unique
and gives it a trademark, gives a song identification
which works well with the star image.
• Thirdly, Goodwin also points out the artists mode of
address. Songs are often seen as stories and the
artist is the storyteller, making the music video a
two communication device, The artist telling us a
story and the audience listening.

4. Relationship between the
music and the visuals
There are three main aspects of this:
• To Illustrate: This is were the visuals on the music video match the
lyrics. The music video uses a set of images to illustrate the meaning
of lyrics, genre and the story behind the song. This use to be very
common and used in most music videos.
• To Amplify: This is when the meanings of the song are added to by
the visuals. The visual aspects add an extra level of meaning.
• Disjuncture: This is where the meaning of the song is ignored
completely.

5. The video demonstrates
genre characteristics
• Every song is categorised into different music genres, each music genre has its
own characteristics which define the particular genre. For example, country
would have a string band and would be all about nature and vey minimalistic
whereas heavy metal would have a full set band randomly playing and dancing
where every the beats take them.
• In Pop music videos, there are many characteristics which define the image
which is trying to be achieved. For example, common mise en scene locations
are outside and nature as it conveys the innocence behind pop girls, another
location is a plain white background as this is dramatic and brings emphasis to
the artist and its story as pop song commonly have a very strong story behind
them! The costumes are normally bright colours to connote there feminine side,
or white to connote there innocence tone of there music. The music artists are
represented as stereotypically everyday teenagers the pop genre portrays that
“nobody’s” can become “somebody's” (anyone can become a pop star), this
helps inspire there audience and help promote there music.

6. Examples

7. Close ups and motifs of the
music artist.
• Demands on the record label include the need for many close ups of the
artists and artists may develop motifs which recur throughout their work.
They create a artists motif through what they think the artists will want
and what will inspire them and create a bigger fan base for there artists.
• A good example of this is Ed Sheeran. In his music videos there a lot of
close up which capture his style, he portrays the natural innocent
teenage lad who's gone from nothing to being a pop artist and his smile
conveys this which is why he especially has a lot of close ups. In terms
of performance and body language he’s all very natural and even though
the movement is staged they make it seem like its not to conveys his
everyday boy style.

8. Voyeurism
• There is frequent reference to the importance of how an artist looks.
There are frequent reference to the notion of looking (screens within
screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and partially voyeuristic treatment of the
female body, developed from Laura Mulneys theory of the male gaze.
In Rhiana music video of “stay” she seems to be objectified, with close
up shots of her exploiting her. However, the editing and the locations
in terms of miss en scene suggest the aim is to objectify herself and
could be seen as women empowering.

9. Intertextual references
• There are often intertextual reference to films, TV programs, products,
etc within music videos. For example, Red hot chilli Peppers
‘Californication’ references to video games, whereas Robbie Williams
‘You Know Me’ references to the Alice in Wonderland, through the
looking glass. Intertextual reference is useful as a wider audience
would have knowledge of the reference, therefore it could draw in a
more people therefore having a large audience, this is an example of
cultural capital. Also the commercial link in terms of synergy is
beneficial for both the record label and the audience.

10. Andrew Goodwin;s Theretical
Framework Applied To A
Music Video Of My Choice
Taylor Swift: Blank Space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg

11. Relationship between the
lyrics and the visuals.
Taylor swifts “Blank Space” is a narrative/performance based music video,
with the narrative being presented through the lyrics. The lyrics describe how
Taylor has a mad love cycle where she falls in love has a fabulous time and
then the man is unfaithful and she turns syko after she just finds another boy
to repeat it all with. The music video is popular as its portraying how
teenagers are forever having pointless relationship that go nowhere and just
upset them again but there young and stupid enough to do it all again.
The lyrics are reflected in the visuals, as it shows
her falling in love and turing crazy which the
lyrics are all about. There all about how she's not
right in the head and she knows it and this is
conveyed by her ruining his belongings and just
looking at the camera with direct address as if to
say ‘i cant help it’.

12. ‘Cos Ive got a blank space baby, and ill write your
name’ Taylor by this is meaning to how the last boy
is gone so theres a space she reads to fill, and as
she's saying it she starts to write his initials into a
tree in a heart which symbolises her writing his name
across her heart.
‘Omg, look at that face’ at the beginning when she admiring how
she's attracted a young handsome boy she talks about his
features, as she talks about his features it shows them so she
showing the audience what she means. for example here it
shows a close up to his face looking sexy as she says look at his
face.
‘Loves a game, wanna play’ throughout this music
video she's explaining how she's in a crazy cycle and
saying its like a game. Therefore she asking the new
boy if he wants to play, as she saying this she
reattaches her arm out as if to say come join in and
play the game with me.
‘yet the worst is year to come’ when Taylor says this she is
implying things are good so far but there are worst things to
come, As she says this it shows her looking over as he
texting another girl, therefore its warning you that its all
suddenly going to turn for the worst.

13. Relationship between the
music and the visuals
This music video illustrates, however more importantly amplifies the song. Although the audience
is being shown that narrative of Taylor and the boy crazy love story, but Taylor is talking about it
being a continuous cycle therefore adding a new layer that its not just about there love story its
about how it keeps happening exactly the same over and over again. Therefore adding a new
layer of the meaning of the story behind this song.
Here the costume and make up is conveying the
meaning of the song, the black dress shows her
dark inside and hows she trouble and has a ‘black
heart’ therefore warning us its not going to work
well from the beginning. Also the red lips, red
normally connotes danger and trouble which taylor
is in a love situation therefore setting us up for what
going to happen.
There is a massive contrast between the costume
and pros and the location. The costume again as
before is the colour black showing her blakc heart
and the red lipstick showing the danger, but the
white background is showing her innocence and
that deep down all she really wants is to be happy
in love. Also she's wearing a dress to show her
feminine side. There are so many different layers of
meanings in this visual scene.

14. The video demonstrates
genre characteristics
• Within a lot of pop genre music videos the lead singer is often placed into the narrative as the main
protagonist. This is shown in ‘blank space’ where Taylor is always lip syncing, this is to emphasis thats its
her story and its from her point of view there she's always using direct mode of address which is very
stereotypical for that genre. The pop audience love a sob story and love to feel that even pop artists have
struggles and they love to relate there own problems to different songs.
The mise en scene location of this shot
is very stereotypical for the pop genre.
Pop songs are all about the story
behind it therefore often use a plain
white background to emphasis and
draw attention to the main artist telling
there story. Also the white connotes the
innocent and purity of teen girls.
This location is also very stereotypical for pop
genres as they often use a lot of nature and it
conveys the innocent and natural beauty behind
the stereotypical teen pop girls.

15. Taylor’s direct mode of address is also very stereo typical as pop
genre is all about the artist telling the story to the audience, therefore
the direct mode of address emphasises that she's telling it to the
viewer and makes the viewer feel more emotionally attached and
engaged with the story. Also the close up camera work is very
stereotypical for the genre as it gives the artist purpose and conveys
the everyday teen girl. Also really shows the direct mode of address
which connects the audience to the song.
The storyline is also very stereotypical for the pop
genre. The story line is all about ‘love’ which is the
most common story line for a pop song. Pop girls love
a song with a story line they can relate to with a
situation in there life, therefore using love really works
as love is everything to a teen girl and there life
envoles around they falling in love and getting hurt.
Taylor's outfit is a very stereotypical element to the genres
mise en scene. The long dress connotes her feminine side
and almost portrays her in some sort of fairytale, which is
important as teen girls are obsessed with having the
perfect fairytale love story.

16. Close ups and motifs of the music
artist.
There are many close ups of Taylor as she is the main performer in this song. This brings that audience close
to the artist, and establishes the artists role as a protagonist within the video. These close up shots capture her
crazy side and emotion throughout the song, leading the audience to feel that same emotion as she is feeling.
As well as making the audience feel like she is telling her story just to her and it really emphasises the direct
mode address making the audience feel part of her story.
The motif for Taylor Swift is that she a sweet innocent stereotypical teenage girl who is very feminine
and poppy. she always connotes her bubbly personality and she's always portrayed as a genuine
person. She is known as always writing about love and her good and bad times in love, when people
think of Taylor Swift they think of love songs. This had built a strong motif for Taylor as if people want
to find a good love song to connect with they search her and listen to her songs. This song shows her
motif and it portrays her sweet innocent teen girl thats falle in love with her teenage heartthrob and
also the whole ‘love situation’ as the main story lone is all about her being betrayed by a boy and her
turning crazy and abusing him.

17. Voyeurism
Within this music video, there are frequent notion of looking in regards to the female chaacter. The
lyrics are interpreted to show that Taylor has women empowerment and doesn't let men push her
around, although at the beginning she is seen as be sexualised as a she lays her self out to attract
the male.
This is going against and showing women
empowerment. The men had messed the girl
around because stereotypical there in charge,
whereas taylor hasn't stood for it and got her
revenge by cutting his picture and burning his
clothes. This shows she not the stereotypical
sweet innocent teenage girl that normally men
just take advantage of.
Here shows the only bit where taylor is
being “sexually” used to attract a male. At
the beginning when she meets the lad
she is wearing a small Lacey dress and
thrusts herself down the stairs as if to
impress him and attractive with her
feminine body. This is a stereotypical
view that women use there body and
movement to attract the opposite sex.