2. Andrew goodwin
According to Goodwin, there are five key aspects of music videos:
Genre conventions -
According to Goodwin, there are certain traits associated with a music genre. For example, in a rap/hip-hop music video, there are many
characteristics but mainly consist of: Large, expensive jewellery, flashy cars, mansions, and urban clothing to represent the genre. A lot of
rap videos, also feature women wearing skimpy clothing to further establish the genre.
Visuals match up with lyrics -
Goodwin suggests that visuals in music videos should match up with lyrics, as it makes the video more aesthetic and understandable. For
example, in Taylor Swift’s “You belong with me”, there is a clip of a teenage boy on the phone while the lyrics say “You’re on the phone with
your girlfriend.
Voyeurism -
Voyeurism is a way in which artists can sell a song, often using sex appeal. This term refers to the idea of looking at someone to gain
sexual pleasure. Women are often objectified, through the camerawork and editing.
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3. Andrew goodwin
Star representation -
Goodwin believes that star representation is a critical aspect of a music video. They can make the music video more appealing to
audiences and make it stand out and more unique. This can occur through costumes, movements and appearances. For example, Sia is a
famous singer that is known for her White wig that covers a majority of her face, this provided her with her “Brand image” and made her
easily recognizable, which also promoted sales.
Visuals match up with music -
Andrew Goodwin believes that it is essential that the visuals of a music video should match up with the music and the beat. For example,
in Nirvana’s “Smells like team spirit” the music is punk rock and this is obvious as in the video people are styled in punk rock clothing and
executing the dancing moves from that era, like the head banging. The lighting and mise-en-scene further prove this as it is dim, and every
one represents the punk rock period.
Intertextual references -
Music videos can sometimes make references to films, games, TV, and more. Doing, this can allow audiences to have a sense of
familiarity and recognition, which can create a more memorable and successful video. For example, in Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” the
opening scene, resembles an action movie creating tension and suspense, which can make audiences more interested to see what will
happen next.
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4. Stuart hall
Stuart Hall suggested that media texts contain multiple messages that are encoded by producers and decoded by audiences.
Hall suggested three different ways audiences decode these messages put forward by the producer:
Dominant reading:
The audience accepts and agrees with the messages put forward in the media text.
Negotiated reading:
The audience agrees with some part but rejects other points.
Oppositional reading:
The audience rejects the messages that are trying to be conveyed and does not agree with them.
For example, in my music video I will be including different codes that may be interpreted in different ways by the audiences that will watch
my video.
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5. Uses and gratifications - blumler and katz
The uses and gratification theory believes that the audience is free to interpret media texts as they wish to and can be affected by the
ones they choose. This theory also suggests that people watch music videos for entertainment purposes.
Entertainment: Audiences watch something because it is exciting and it entertains them.
Escapism: Audiences watch something because it allows them to escape from their everyday life and it transports them into the media
text they are interacting with.
Social interaction: Audiences watch something because it allows them to interact with the show. There are multiple ways in which
audiences can do this like apps or social media.
This relates to music videos as the audience chooses to watch music videos that make them feel gratification, like Pop or Hip-Hop.
Hypodermic Needle Theory
The basis of the hypodermic needle theory is that the audience is ‘injected’ with information that they are influenced by, the media then
acts like a drug and the audience is addicted to it.
This theory can apply to music videos, as actions are displayed in a music video that an audience member may imitate. For example, in
rock music videos, the audience may deem the characters influential and therefore mimic a possibly threatening action.
Music videos, especially those that include social movements allow people to be influenced by the media’s perception of a concept.
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6. Jean baudrillard
Baudrillard’s theory is that in the modern world, what something represents has become more important than what it actually is. For example, a logo of a
famous product comes to represent status and wealth, and may not bear any relation to the physical product itself.
Andrew Goodwin sums up various elements of postmodernism theory in music videos:
Blurs high art and low art.
Challenges grand narratives: There are incomplete narratives with no sense of resolution, which goes against the ideologies of society.
Intertextuality: They borrow from other texts, which gives a sense of familiarity and recognition.
Pastiche: use of a previous text as the basis for the whole music video.
Parody: Making fun of a previous text.
Homage: an imitation of another piece of work, and pays tributes to the source.
They manipulate time and space - flashbacks, incomplete narratives and often challenge grand narratives - there is not always a happy ending, a
dominant male, and success after working hard for a lifetime.
Hyperreal world - unaware of their real lives and surroundings. This refers to a point where reality and a simulation of reality become so similar that they
become indistinguishable, this is a way of living that people have become accustomed to.
Self-referentiality - making reference to themselves.
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