A2 Media StudiesGoodwin’s Music Video Theory

Starter

• Foo Fighters – The Pretender

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ

Codes and Conventions

Analyse the music video identifying and explaining in groups.

• Mise-en-scene

• Cinematography

• Sound

• Editing

• Representation and theories

• Audience – identify using audience theory and segmentation

Andrew Goodwin’s music video theory

• 1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (E.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in hip hop).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (Either illustrative, amplifying and contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visuals reflects that of the music. (Either illustrative, amplifying and contradicting).

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist my develop motifs which recur across their work. (A visual style).

5. There is a frequency reference to notion of looking. (Screens within screens, mirrors, stages etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6. There are often intertextual references. (To films, TV programmes, other music videos etc.)

Illustration

• Michael Jackson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA

• The most straightforward of the concepts you take the lyrics of the song and create a video which visually compliments and tells the story/narrative that is being told within the lyrics.

• This is also the most common form within music video.

• This will mean direct relation lyrics through visuals and less focus on thematic content.

Amplifying

• Meat Loaf – I would do Anything …

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X_ViIPA-Gc

• This is when a video will enhance the meaning of the lyrics or the music. They can often use imagery and mise-en-scene to imply more complex elements that have not been used in the lyrics.

• The video will intend to enhance the meaning of the song working alongside the lyrics and meaning.

Contradicting

• Adele - Rolling in the Deep

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw

• The video is designed to deliberately subvert or go against the direct meaning of the lyrics of the song. This can be done for a vareity of reasons often it is challenging the audience to look for meaning and therefore making them engage. It could be to challenge social conventions of stereotypes.

Iconography

• Notorious B.I.G – Skys the Limit

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3vOeCkeCNA

• These are signifiers which are relatable to the genre and therefore an expectation of the audience. These can change depending on the genre of the track.

• This video uses all the conventions of the hip-hop genre money, power, status physically shown through mansions, expensive cars, girls.

• It also subverts the genre and makes us question whether it is right by using children to act out the roles.

Voyeurism

• Beyonce – Partition

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ12_E5R3qc

• The act of viewing a product for pleasure, this usually applies to the sexualised depiction of women for the male viewer. You can apply Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory to this and is a frequent and common depiction of women in many music genres.

• This video is a clear example of voyeurism though it is also making a comment on the males viewing it.

intertextuality

• 30 Seconds from Mars – the Kill

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yvGCAvOAfM

• This can take many forms, the physical inclusion of another product. An actor playing a preexisting role linking it to something else very often for comedic effect (alien ant farm – movies)

• This video is using sets and cinematography directly from the Shinning to add meaning to the product and create an additional meaning that it would not have had without that imagery.

• You could look at something more obvious like Will Smith and Men in Black or Wild Wild West.

Star Persona

• Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I

• This is the star identity and what makes them unique, this can often be fashion based or a changing look and is something that the record label will encourage. The fans of the star will often want to emulate there look and will be named due to their love of the star like Lady Gaga ‘little monsters’.

• Examples – Madonna, Miley Cyrus Katy Perry, Rhianna many more.

Visuals

• Before you begin the task it is worth reminding you videos can do one of two things visually. Even though they might be doing a one of the 6 points previously mande they will always through the use of editing and camera always end up either.

• Match the visuals to the lyrics – narrative / story / themes.

• Match the visuals to the music – editing / camera

TASK

• Identify a music video that uses each of the 6 technqiues that have been idenitfied by Goodwin.

• Explain what impact that effect is having on the viewer and how it is benefitting the song or lyrics.

• Note – music video is a sales product it is designed to help sell the song to the viewer how are the visual techniques ehlpingachieve this?

Andrew Goodwin’s music video theory

• 1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (E.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in hip hop).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (Either illustrative, amplifying and contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visuals reflects that of the music. (Either illustrative, amplifying and contradicting).

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist my develop motifs which recur across their work. (A visual style).

5. There is a frequency reference to notion of looking. (Screens within screens, mirrors, stages etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6. There are often intertextual references. (To films, TV programmes, other music videos etc.)

Homework – Half Term

• Analyse a music video of your choice related to the genre and style of song you are interested in producing video for but NOT for the actual song. Analyse using:

• Mise-en-scene

• Cinematography

• Sound

• Editing

• Representation and theories

• Audience – identify using audience theory and segmentation, consider purchasing habits of the audience – Rubicam’s, as products often appear now in videos – Dre Beats/Pill

• Apply Goodwin’s theory and all relevant elements to the video.