There are three main types of music videos: performance videos that primarily show the artist performing the song, narrative videos that tell a story through footage with or without actors, and conceptual videos based around a single idea that often require more editing and effects. Most modern videos contain elements of all three types. Andrew Goodwin identified six key features of music videos in his book "Dancing in the Distraction", including demonstrating genre characteristics, relating lyrics and visuals, relating music and visuals, including close-ups of the artist, frequent references to looking, and intertextual references to other works. Goodwin later outlined five aspects to consider when analyzing music videos, such as relating visuals to the song structure, portraying the narrative

1. Types of music video
3 typesof music video
 Performance - Showonlythe bandor artistperformingthe song.Cheapestandeasiesttype
of videotomake.Large varietyof shotsin quicksuccessionorthe videomaybecome boring.
 Narrative – Mostlyshows footage thatshowsa storyline orsometimesseveral storylines
runningalongside eachother.Sometimeswithactorsorsometimeswithartists.Goodfor
suggestingthemestothe audiences.
 Conceptual – Basedarounda single conceptoridea.Theyare oftenhardertofilmwithmore
editingandspecial effectsandhence canbe more expensive
Most modernvideoscontainelementsof all 3 typesof musicvideo.Thisgivesitawiderrange of
appeal andideas
AndrewGoodwin(1992) - He wrote a bookcalled“Dancing in the distraction theory” whichsays
that there are 6 featuresof a musicvideo…
 Demonstrate genre characteristics – Certainfeaturesare expectedoutof avideodepending
on the genre of music.
 Relationshipbetweenlyricsand visuals – lyricsare representedbythe visualsusingmise-
en-scene tohelpportraythe message of the song.
 Relationshipbetweenthe musicand the visuals – the cuts and editsof the videoare insync
withthe rhythmand beatof the song.Sad musicshouldhave a sadvisuals.
 The demandsof the record label will include the needfor lots of close ups of the artist -
the artist maydevelopmotifswhichrecuracrosstheirwork(a visual style)
 Frequentreference tothe notionof looking – screenswithinscreens,mirrorsandstages
etc.and particularlyvoyeuristictreatmentof the female body
 Intertextual references –Music videosreference films,TV programmesandothermusic
videos
Goodwin’s5keyaspectsof musicvideos
1. Thought beats – ‘seeing’the sound
o Look at the musicitself,take intoaccountthe structure (versesandchorusesetc.)
o The voice of the artist– Itis unique andcan formidentification
o The artists mode of address – songscan be seenasstoriesandthe artiststhe
storyteller
2. Narrative and Performance
o Songs fail to give usthe complete narrative
o We onlygeta gist of the meaningof the song
o Music videoshave coherentrepeatability–repeatedchorusshouldhave repeated,
matchingvisuals
o Artistisacting as botha narrator and participant
o The audience needsto believe thisisreal
3. The Star Image
o How isthe ‘star’ represented?
o Pay attentionto style,clothingand persona

2. 4. Relationof visualsto the song
o Illustrate – musicvideoscanuse a set of imagesto illustrate the meaningof lyrics&
genre
o Amplify– Meaningsand effectsare manipulatedandconstantlyshownthroughthe
videoanddrummedintoourvision
o Disjuncture – The meaningof the song iscompletelyignored
5. Technical aspects
o Camerawork,movement,angle,mise-en-scene,editing,soundandspecial effects
o Speed,cameramovement,editing,cuttingandpostproductionare all formsof use
of camera
o Lightingandcolourhelpsetmoodsand emphasise keymovementsof the songfor
dramaticeffect.
o Mise-en-scene,the settingof musicvideosneedstolookauthenticto attain
professionalism
o Cut to the beat