This document discusses conventions and intertextuality in music videos. It identifies several key conventions, such as relationships between lyrics/music and visuals, genres having signature styles, close-ups of artists, and artists developing iconography. Intertextuality refers to references to other works, through parody, pastiche, referencing, or homage. Examples given are borrowing elements from other media like costumes or hairstyles. The document also discusses voyeurism, the male gaze, and debates around the sexualization of women in music videos.

1. Forms, Conventions & Intertextuality

2.  To develop understanding of the conventions
of music videos
 To know the different types of intertextuality
 To develop analytical skills in exploring the
music video genre

3.  Can you think of 5 conventions of music
video?
 Andrew Goodwin identifies a number of key
features which distinguishes the music video
as a form…

4.  A relationship between the lyrics and visuals
(illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics)
 A relationship between music and visuals
 Particular genres may have their own video style and
iconography
 A demand from the record company for lots of close-
ups of the main artist
 Artist develops their own star iconography in and out
of their videos
 Reference to voyeurism (screen within screen,
binoculars, cameras…)
 Intertextual references

5.  Shot movement, angle and distance all need
to be analysed
 Camera may move alongside the artist as
they walk but could also be used to create a
more dramatic feel to a stage performance

6.  Close-ups predominate partly because of the
size of the screen but also to create a sense of
intimacy

7.  Mainly fast cut montage making most images
impossible to grasp on first viewing
 Some may have a slower, gentler pace with
gentler transitions to establish mood, thus
appealing to a wider audience
 Editing can be used to position the audience
on the side of the artist within the story

8.  Watch this video…what do you notice about
editing?

9.  Many film directors started as music video
directors or also direct music videos
 Jonas Akurlund
 MichelGondry
 Spike Jonze
 John Landis
 Sofia Coppola
 Michael Bay
 BenWheatley

11.  Influences mainly from fashion, film and art
photography
 Specific catwalk references
 Now video games to appeal to a younger
demographic

12.  Parody
 Pastiche
 Referencing
 Homage

13.  Pastiche is the imitation of a text’s
features by another text.
 It could be in the same style or feature similar
motifs or even be a copy of the original.
 Sometimes a pastiche copies the style from a
period in time.

15.  Parody is pretty much the
same but is a comic
version of the original.
 Parody often exaggerates
features of the original.
 Anything that takes itself
too seriously is up for
parody.

17.  This is when particular elements of the video
borrow from other texts
 This could be a prop, costume, or hair style.

18.  This is when the video pays tribute to another
media text

20.  These four types of intertextuality do not
have to exist exclusive of one another
 A video can be a mix of any four

21.  Sigmund Freud
 Erotic pleasure
gained from looking
at a sexual object
who is unaware they
are being looked at
 Screen within
screens
 Webcams/CCTV/
Binoculars

22.  The Male Gaze
 Argues the main viewpoint
is male
 Women sexualised in the
media
 A powerful controlling
gaze at the female on
display
 She is passive

23.  Sexually provocative and in control of it
 Inviting sexual gaze
 Is the female flesh on display simply a cynical
exploitation of the female body to increase
(largely) male profit margins, or a life-
enhancing assertion of female self-
confidence and sexual independence?

34.  Analyse three music video examples from
three different genre
 Write up to 500 words for each
 Bullet points/table/annotation of print
screens