Andrew Goodwin

And his theory applied to music videos

Music videos ignore common narrative as they are essentially advertisements. As consumers, we make our own meaning of songs in our minds: a music video can anchor meaning and gives the record company/artist a method of anchoring meaning

Andrew Goodwin

How to analyse music videos

Andrew Goodwin identified 5 key aspects of music videos, which are used in every stereotypical video. These are:
Thought beats; seeing the sound Narrative and Performance The star image Relation of visuals to songs Technical aspects of music video

Thought beats seeing the sound in your head

First step: Look at the music itself we must take into account the structure of the song for example: chorus/verses. Second step: The voice of the song. The artists voice is extremely unique and can form identification or trademarks that work well with the star image. Roland Barthes theory of the Grain of voice can be related to this. He sees the singing voice as an expressive instrument and therefore able to make associations of its own. Third step: Goodwin also points out the artists mode of address. Songs can be seen as stories and the artist the storyteller, making the music video a two communication device, them telling us a story and us listening.

Narrative and Performance

songs fail to give us the complete narrative! We only tend to get a gist of the meaning of the song and then tend to make up our own idea of what is being told. Goodwin explains that music videos should ignore common narrative. It is important in their role of advertising. Music videos should coherent repeatability. Narrative and performance work hand in hand making it easier for the audience to watch over and over without loosing interest. The artist as both narrator and participant helps to increase the authenticity, however the lip sync and other mimed actions remains the heart of music videos. The audience need to believe its real.

Star Image The star image is another vital aspect of music

videos. Meta narrative, which is a big story that describes the development of the star over time, is an important part to play in the music video production process. Star image also creates a repetitive image for the star to use over every music video. These are commonly hard to break away from, for example: Paloma Faiths 50s style quiff, which features in every outfit she wears or contrastingly Jay-Zs gangster image, with gold chains, dark clothing etc. Not only does this reflect their image, it categorises them into the style of singing they have devoted themselves to.

Relation of Visuals to song How videos work to promote

a song Illustrate Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics and genre, this is the most common Amplify This is similar to repeatability. Meanings and effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the videos and drummed in our vision.

Disjuncture
This is where the meaning of the song is completely ignored

Technical Aspects
Technical aspects hold the music video together through the use of: camera work, movement, angle, mise-en-scene, editing, sound and special effects. Speed, Camera movement, editing, cutting and post production are all forms of the usage of camera. Lighting and colour are used to help set the mood and emphasise the key moments of the song for dramatic effect. When making the video the mise-en-scene is vital, it needs to look authentic to attain professionalism. Beats: Music videos use cuts to go with the beat of rhythm, making the video more entertaining.

1. A relationship between the visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics
This convention explains how Goodwin noticed a music videos visuals either had a complete similarity or direct contrast to the lyrics of the song.

2. A relationship between the music and the visuals again either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music
Goodwin identified that the visuals within a music video may be edited in time to the lyrics/change in pace of the song. He also stated that these visuals are commonly repeated within a chorus to emphasize the repetition in lyrics and beats.

3. Music genres have their own music video style and iconography
Goodwin recognised that most artist have a trend of repeating certain actions within their music videos in order to establish this as their trademark action and therefore making their songs recognisable due to it reoccurring often. This represents the style of the music the artist is representing and is a marketing strategy in order to be remembered in later years. Genre is also shown by location like, for example, songs with the indie genre are often filmed in an abandoned and lonely place to convey an individual in an isolated location.

4. There is likely to be voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of women and close ups of the main artist or vocalist
Goodwin identified that it is a common feature for the record labels to use close ups of the artist/vocalist in order to promote the sales in the single. This convention is used in order to show the artist throughout the video but it is most common with female artists as provocative angles are often used to sexualise the artist following Laura Mulveys Male Gaze Theory causing a fetishisation from the audience towards the artist.

5.Theres a demand on the part of the record company for lots of close ups of the main artist/vocalist
Goodwin recognised that many music videos included voyeuristic angles of women in order to entice a male audiences interest in the artist and also the lyrics to which the shots represent. This used to sexualise the artist and cause a fetishist connection for the male audience.

6. There is likely to be inter-textual references either to other music videos or to films and TV texts
Goodwin recognised that it was not uncommon to recognise either the visuals or lyrics of a song to be a direct reference to another media text. This is used to engage the audiences and provide them gratification if they recognise it.