Andrew Goodwins Theory

Applied to Bruno Mars- Grenade

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristicsAndrew Goodwin states that that most music videos possess conventions to make the viewer realise that they are watching a music video, differentiating between a short film, or advertisement. In the music video Grenade, the major convention is lip syncing and also the use of an instrument, i.e. piano.

2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visualsThere are many shots present in which the lyrics correspond well to the camera shots in the music video, however the accurate props arent used, since they can lead to violent behaviour such as grenade, stick a bullet through my brain, which is gruesome imagery, therefore could be represented through lighting, such as the green lights in the tunnel, matching the green colour of a grenade, or the fast passing cars, representing danger.

3. There is a relationship between music and the visualsAt times where only music is playing without any lyrics, the slow paced music corresponds well with the shots, including the slow editing effects to help add continuity. The beat throughout the song is constant and slow, which results into blurred visuals and use of thunder, added non-diegetically, but to create a digetic affect, whilst showing shots of Bruno sitting down with heavy rain shown in the background.

4. The demands of the record label will include close up of the artistSimilar to any other music video, there are many shots of Bruno Mars as he performs this song, focusing on him as the main character, and walking with him through his journey, and watching what he goes through whilst he sings openly about it. The regular close-ups also create an understanding and recognition of the artist with the audience, through his facial features and expressionism.

5. The artist may develop iconography that recurs across their workI believe the iconography present in this music video is the piano, since it represents music, and related directly to the artist; however, since it occurs continuously, it may not be an icon, depending on how you define it. I believe it is an icon since its creating imagery for the hardships he is going through being a heavy weight object, pulled along through the town using a rope.

6. There is frequent reference to notion of lookingIn this particular video, Bruno does not look directly into the camera, purposely avoiding it, yet it is close to referring to the audience since it seems as if hes trying to address us as audiences, but he cant due to his heartbreak and troubles maybe.

7. There is often Intertextual referenceIntertextual reference would usually occur in a fast paced music video and in some cases slow songs too, but this music video does not own this characteristic as well as the other videos may. However one shot reminds me of a social realist film, which is a characteristic of intertextuality, where two different mediums of text come together, which in this case, could be film and music.