This document discusses different types of music videos and how to analyze them. There are three main types of music videos: performance videos that simply show the artist performing, narrative videos that tell a story to fit the song's lyrics and mood, and conceptual videos based around a single idea with little connection to the song. When analyzing a music video, key aspects to consider include how it demonstrates genre characteristics, relates its visuals to the lyrics and music, portrays the artist's image through close-ups and motifs, uses techniques like voyeurism, and includes intertextual references. Music videos can be analyzed by examining how the visuals relate to the song through illustration, amplification, or disjunction of its meaning.

1. AaronCogdell
Music Video Theory
 Performance –showsonlythe band/artistperforming –lip-sync
-The cheapestandeasiesttype of musicvideo,if youcanfinda suitable location.
-A large variety,montage of shotscan be usedto keepthe audience engagedandinterestedasjust -
-standardperformance canlookboring.
 Narrative
-A storyline tofitthe lyricsandmood of the song.
-Itneedstobe easyto followtokeepthe audienceentertainedandcaptivatedtowatchuntil the
end.
-If the song originatesfromafilm,thenclipsfromthe filmcanbe shownas the musicvideo.
 Conceptual
-Usuallybasedarounda single concept/idea
-Minimal/noconnectiontothe song/lyrics –completelyrandomusuallywithuse of special affects
-These aren’tverypopularastheyare not easyto relate to/entertaining/captivating
Andrew Goodwin
A mediatheoristwhowrote the book ‘Dancinginthe Distractionfactory’
In the book,he suggeststhatthere were:
6 keyfeaturesof amusic video
5 waysto analyse amusicvideo
1. Music videosdemonstrategenre characteristics
- Certainfeaturesare expecteddependantonthe genre (whatthe audience expects)
2. There isa relationshipbetweenthe lyricsandthe visuals.
- Themesandthe mise-en-scene andeventsinthe videomatchwiththe lyricsof the song.
Thishelpstoportray the message
3. There isa relationshipbetweenthe musicandvisuals.
- The cuts and editsinthe musicvideosyncwiththe rhythmand the beatof the song.

2. AaronCogdell
4. The demandsof the record label will include the needforlotsof close-upsof the artistwhich
createsmotifsthatrecur across theirwork.
- Thisallowsthe recordlabel topromote a setimage for the band/artist,whichwillhelp
target audiencesempathise withthe artist/band.
5. The frequentreference tothe notionof looking(screenswithinscreens,mirrors,stages).
Voyeuristictreatmentof the femalebody
- The male gaze isoftenusedtoattract the male audience
6. There are oftenintertextualreference (tofilms,tvprogrammes,othermusicvideos)
5 Waysto Analysea Music Video
 Thoughtbeats – seeingthe sound
-Lookat the music;we musttake intoaccount of the structure
-Has the artistgot a voice thatisextremelyunique thatcan formidentificationandtrademarksthat
workwiththe star image?
-Songscan be seenas stories,andthe artist/storytellermakesthe videoatwo-waycommunication
(theytell the storyandwe listen).
 Narrative andPerformance
-Musicvideoshave coherent repeatability.The narrative andperformance workhandinhandto
make it easierforthe audience towatchoverand overwithoutlosinginterest.
-The artistsoftenacts as narrator and participanttohelptoincrease the authenticity,yetthe lipsync
and othermimedactionsremainsthe heartof the video.
-The audience needtobelievethat it’sreal.
 The Star Image
How isthe star beingrepresented?Powerful,sluttyetc……
 Relationof visualstothe song
Illustrate –translatingthe lyricsintoa video –theymatch each other.
Amplify –Usingthe meanings/tones/themesthatare constantlyshownthroughthe videoandare
drummedintoourvision.

3. AaronCogdell
Disjunction –The meaning/theme of the songiscompletelyignoredandthe videoisrandomwithno
linkstothe lyrics.
 Technical Aspects –Mise onScene & Sound,EditingandCinematography
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