How have you used, developed or

challenged forms or conventions of real

media products?

By Stacey Cottage
Andrew Goodwin’s Theory of Music Videos
Goodwin’s theory consists of 5 components.
1. Lyrics & visuals (Illustrate, Amplify, Contradict)
2. Voyeurism (Sexualisation, Disjecta Membra,
Audience as Voyeur)
3. Star Image (Making it obvious who the star is)
4. Intertextual (Reference to other media texts)
5. Genre (Generic) Identity (Narrative, Performance,
Abstract)
In the next couple of slides I will be comparing real
media products (music videos) against my own to
see if my media product fits in with Goodwin’s
theory.

Starting with lyrics & visuals....

 Lyrics & Visuals; Illustrate
A still from my group’s music
A still from Jessie J’s Price Tag video

Both these videos illustrate specific sentences from the lyrics in a visual way. For example; the
first still from Jessie J’s video shows her ripping up a price tag, and the line which corresponds
with this gesture is ‘forget about the price tag’. In my music video we also used visuals in order to
express specific lyrics. An example of this is shown above in the still from my music video as
there is a person standing on his own and the line which goes with this is ‘I need a minute on my
own’.
 Voyeurism; Audience as voyeur
A still from Lady Gaga’s A still from my group’s music
Telephone music video video

Voyeurism is when the audience are watching something without being seen. This is
demonstrated here in both still through use of CCTV. By using CCTV it makes the audience
watch something they would not normally see without someone (i.e. A security guard)
watching them. Lady Gaga’s music video for Telephone uses CCTV quite frequently as does
my own music video for The Courteeners, Cross My Heart and Hope to Fly.
 Star Image; making it obvious who
the star is.
A still from The Courteeners Take A still from my group’s music
Over the World music video video

Both these videos demonstrate star image as it immediately obvious who is the main star of
not only the music video but possibly the band. This is done by using close ups and mid-shots
of the main person as this makes it obvious that this person is the lead and that all focus
should be on them. For example, the stills above show the main person from a mid-shot sitting
on their own making it obvious they are the main focus point.
 Intertextual; reference to other
media texts through the music video.
A still from The Courteeners Take A still from my group’s music
Over the World music video video

My music video makes reference to The Courteeners Take Over the World video as we use a
similar shot of the lead singer sitting on the bed singing. Other music videos such as Buddy
Holly by Weezer make reference to other media texts such as the TV sitcom Happy Days.
Left: A still from Weezer’s
Buddy Holly music video.
Right: A still from Happy
Days TV series.
Note the same setting in
both stills.
 Genre (Generic) Identity; Narrative
A still from Guns ‘n’ Roses A still from my group’s music
November Rain music video video

Narrative is used to tell a story in all types of media. In music videos narrative is not always
used, however in the two examples above they are. Guns ‘n’ Roses music video for their
song November rain uses narrative to tell the story of a wedding between Axl Rose and a
woman. My group’s music video uses narrative in line with the lyrics to tell a story of how the
singer wants to be alone but never gets a chance. This doesn’t necessarily go with the genre
of music for either types of music but it can leave the audience wanting more and possible
make them watch it over again because of the good use of narrative.
Genre (Generic) Identity; Performance
A still from Kings of Leon’s A still from my group’s music
Radioactive music video video

Another type of genre identity is performance. When using performance in music videos there are
usually close-ups of the main instrument. For example; in Kings of Leon’s music video for
Radioactive they have a close-up of a band member playing guitar but in my group’s music video
we have a close-up of the lead singer singing because vocals are the main instrument. Typically in
indie music videos there are close-ups of both the lead singer and lead guitarist but not many shots
of the other band members unless they are wide shots showing the whole band.