Music Video

Conventions
The Theory

In 1992 Andrew Goodwin write a book called Dancing in Distraction Factory. In the book,
Andrew Goodwin identified that in music videos there is a strong relationship between visuals,
the song and the artist. To evidence this he identified the codes and conventions of the music
video.
There is always a relationship between the visuals of the video and the music performed by the
artist. This can be 1 of 3 (Literal=obvious, Amplified=Adds more meaning and oppositional
=contridcial
There is almost always a relationship between the visuals and the music. This can be 1 of 3
(Literal=Obvious, Amplified=Adds More Meaning and Oppositional=ContrdiciaI
Typically, all music video have genre characteristics that would pertain to the specific genre of
music being relayed to the audience (Genre stereotypes)
The 'notion of looking' (such as the objectification of men and women - links to other theories such as 'the male
gaze by Laura Mulvey) with features of voyeurism, such as direct gaze, screen and mirrors and potential insight
into the life of the artist
A variety of Intertextual references are common.
Music videos are either performance base or concept based. Although, most music videos have
a mix of these.