This document provides guidance for analyzing a music video by focusing on representation and the use of media language. It highlights several theories on representation in media from Stuart Hall, Liesbet Van Zoonen, and Andrew Goodwin. Students are instructed to consider the representation of social groups in their chosen video, how representations are constructed through techniques like editing and camera work, the portrayal and reinforcement of stereotypes, as well as themes of objectification, voyeurism, and the relationship between music, visuals, and lyrics. The document also lists six key features of music videos identified by Andrew Goodwin and advises analyzing the video's overall style and emphasis on performance, narrative or concept.

1. Individual Music Video Analysis
• Re-read the following three slides on Stuart Hall’s,
Liesbet Van Zoonen’s and Andrew Goodwin. Make
sure you understand these theories – discuss with the
person next to you if necessary.
• Working individually analyse a music video of your
choice focussing on representation. Use headphones
please

2. Things to consider in your analysis:
1. Representation of people, places and events. (Social
groups – for example gender, ethnicity, age).
2. How have representations been constructed through
media language? Mise en scene,, editing, camera,
sound/music/lyrics, narrative, genre
3. Stereotypes (reinforced/subverted?)
4. Ideology (dominant ideology being reinforced/subverted)
– you may wish to review my Mahara journal and/or your
notes if concept of ideology is unclear
5. Objectification and “voyeurism”
6. Goodwin’s 6 features of music video
7. Style – Performance, Narrative, Conceptual, Combination

3. Stuart Hall
 Representations in texts are established through
media language.
 Media Representations are often reliant upon
stereotypes which reduce social groups to simplistic
characteristics or traits.
 These stereotypes reflect inequalities in power leading
to the subordination of certain social groups (e.g.
ethnic minorities, women.)

4. Liesbet Van Zoonen
 Gender is constructed through media language
and these constructions reflect cultural and
historical contexts.
 The ‘objectification ‘ of the female body is a key
construct of western culture.
 The visual and narrative codes used to represent
the male body differ, reflecting patriarchal
society

5. Andrew Goodwin, in Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992, Routledge), has identified the following
features of music videos:
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine
for boy/girl band).
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist
may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc.) and
particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc.).
It is also worth considering:
Whether the video is primarily performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based and how elements
of each are used in it.
Key features of music video