This document discusses three main types of music videos: performance videos that 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. It also summarizes Andrew Goodwin's analysis of six key features of music videos and five ways to analyze a music video, including examining the relationship between the music, lyrics and visuals, how the star is represented, and technical aspects like editing and cinematography.

1. AaronCogdell
Music Video Theory
3 typesof musicvideo:
 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
AndrewGoodwinisamediatheoristwhowrote 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,which willhelp
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 thatisextremely unique thatcanformidentificationandtrademarksthat
workwiththe star image?
-Songscan be seenas stories,andthe artist/storytellermakesthe videoatwo-waycommunication
(theytell the storyandwe listen).
 Narrative andPerformance
-Musicvideoshave coherentrepeatability.The narrative andperformance workhandinhandto
make it easierforthe audience towatchoverand overwithoutlosinginterest.
-The artistsoftenacts as narrator and participanttohelptoincrease the authenticity,yet the 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
-