Goodwin theory

17
Andrew Goodwin’s Theoretical Framework By Kate Reynolds

Transcript of Goodwin theory

Andrew Goodwin’s Theoretical Framework

By Kate Reynolds

Andrew Goodwin identifies six key aspects of music

videos• A relationship between the lyrics and the

visuals.

• A relationship between the music and the visuals.

• The video demonstrates genre characteristics.

• There are close ups and motifs of the music artist.

• There is reference to voyeurism.

• There are intertextual references.

Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals.• First thing to analysis the music its self, look

at the structure of the song for e.g. chorus & verse

• Secondly, the voice of the song. The voice of the song is very important and makes the music unique and gives it a trademark, gives a song identification which works well with the star image.

• Thirdly, Goodwin also points out the artists mode of address. Songs are often seen as stories and the artist is the storyteller, making the music video a two communication device, The artist telling us a story and the audience listening.

Relationship between the music and the visualsThere are three main aspects of this:

• To Illustrate: This is were the visuals on the music video match the lyrics. The music video uses a set of images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics, genre and the story behind the song. This use to be very common and used in most music videos.

• To Amplify: This is when the meanings of the song are added to by the visuals. The visual aspects add an extra level of meaning.

• Disjuncture: This is where the meaning of the song is ignored completely.

The video demonstrates genre characteristics

• Every song is categorised into different music genres, each music genre has its own characteristics which define the particular genre. For example, country would have a string band and would be all about nature and vey minimalistic whereas heavy metal would have a full set band randomly playing and dancing where every the beats take them.

• In Pop music videos, there are many characteristics which define the image which is trying to be achieved. For example, common mise en scene locations are outside and nature as it conveys the innocence behind pop girls, another location is a plain white background as this is dramatic and brings emphasis to the artist and its story as pop song commonly have a very strong story behind them! The costumes are normally bright colours to connote there feminine side, or white to connote there innocence tone of there music. The music artists are represented as stereotypically everyday teenagers the pop genre portrays that “nobody’s” can become “somebody's” (anyone can become a pop star), this helps inspire there audience and help promote there music.

Examples

Close ups and motifs of the music artist.

• Demands on the record label include the need for many close ups of the artists and artists may develop motifs which recur throughout their work. They create a artists motif through what they think the artists will want and what will inspire them and create a bigger fan base for there artists.

• A good example of this is Ed Sheeran. In his music videos there a lot of close up which capture his style, he portrays the natural innocent teenage lad who's gone from nothing to being a pop artist and his smile conveys this which is why he especially has a lot of close ups. In terms of performance and body language he’s all very natural and even though the movement is staged they make it seem like its not to conveys his everyday boy style.

Voyeurism• There is frequent reference to the importance of how an

artist looks. There are frequent reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and partially voyeuristic treatment of the female body, developed from Laura Mulneys theory of the male gaze. In Rhiana music video of “stay” she seems to be objectified, with close up shots of her exploiting her. However, the editing and the locations in terms of miss en scene suggest the aim is to objectify herself and could be seen as women empowering.

Intertextual references

• There are often intertextual reference to films, TV programs, products, etc within music videos. For example, Red hot chilli Peppers ‘Californication’ references to video games, whereas Robbie Williams ‘You Know Me’ references to the Alice in Wonderland, through the looking glass. Intertextual reference is useful as a wider audience would have knowledge of the reference, therefore it could draw in a more people therefore having a large audience, this is an example of cultural capital. Also the commercial link in terms of synergy is beneficial for both the record label and the audience.

Andrew Goodwin;s Theretical Framework

Applied To A Music Video Of My Choice

Taylor Swift: Blank Spacehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg

Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals.

Taylor swifts “Blank Space” is a narrative/performance based music video, with the narrative being presented through the lyrics. The lyrics describe how Taylor has a mad love cycle where she falls in love has a fabulous time and then the man is unfaithful and she turns syko after she just finds another boy to repeat it all with. The music video is popular as its portraying how teenagers are forever having pointless relationship that go nowhere and just upset them again but there young and stupid enough to do it all again.The lyrics are reflected in the visuals, as it shows her falling in love and turing crazy which the lyrics are all about. There all

about how she's not right in the head and she knows it and this is conveyed by her ruining his belongings and just looking at

the camera with direct address as if to say ‘i cant help it’.

‘Cos Ive got a blank space baby, and ill write your name’ Taylor by this is meaning to how the last boy is gone so theres a space she

reads to fill, and as she's saying it she starts to write his initials into a tree in a heart which

symbolises her writing his name across her heart.

‘Omg, look at that face’ at the beginning when she admiring how she's attracted a young handsome boy she talks about his features, as she talks about his features it

shows them so she showing the audience what she means. for example here it shows a close up to his face

looking sexy as she says look at his face.

‘Loves a game, wanna play’ throughout this music video she's explaining how she's in a

crazy cycle and saying its like a game. Therefore she asking the new boy if he wants to play, as she saying this she reattaches her arm out as if to say come join in and play the

game with me.

‘yet the worst is year to come’ when Taylor says this she is implying things are good so far but there are worst things to come, As she says this it shows her looking over as he texting another girl, therefore its warning you that its all suddenly going to turn for

the worst.

Relationship between the music and the visuals

This music video illustrates, however more importantly amplifies the song. Although the audience is being shown that narrative of Taylor and the boy crazy love story, but Taylor is talking about it being a continuous cycle therefore adding a new layer that its not just about there love story its about how it keeps happening exactly the same over and over again. Therefore adding a new layer of the meaning of the story behind this song.

Here the costume and make up is conveying the meaning of the song, the black dress

shows her dark inside and hows she trouble and has a ‘black heart’ therefore warning us

its not going to work well from the beginning. Also the red lips, red normally

connotes danger and trouble which taylor is in a love situation therefore setting us up for

what going to happen.

There is a massive contrast between the costume and pros and the location. The

costume again as before is the colour black showing her blakc heart and the red lipstick

showing the danger, but the white background is showing her innocence and

that deep down all she really wants is to be happy in love. Also she's wearing a dress to show her feminine side. There are so many different layers of meanings in this visual

scene.

The video demonstrates genre characteristics

• Within a lot of pop genre music videos the lead singer is often placed into the narrative as the main protagonist. This is shown in ‘blank space’ where Taylor is always lip syncing, this is to emphasis thats its her story and its from her point of view there she's always using direct mode of address which is very stereotypical for that genre. The pop audience love a sob story and love to feel that even pop artists have struggles and they love to relate there own problems to different songs.

The mise en scene location of this shot is very stereotypical for the

pop genre. Pop songs are all about the story behind it therefore often use a plain white background to emphasis and draw attention to

the main artist telling there story. Also the white connotes the

innocent and purity of teen girls.

This location is also very stereotypical for pop genres as they often use a lot of nature

and it conveys the innocent and natural beauty behind the stereotypical teen pop

girls.

Taylor’s direct mode of address is also very stereo typical as pop genre is all about the artist telling the story to the

audience, therefore the direct mode of address emphasises that she's telling it to the viewer and makes the viewer feel more emotionally attached and engaged with the story. Also the close up camera work is very stereotypical for the genre as it gives the artist purpose and conveys the everyday teen

girl. Also really shows the direct mode of address which connects the audience to the song.

The storyline is also very stereotypical for the pop genre. The story line is all about ‘love’

which is the most common story line for a pop song. Pop girls love a song with a story line

they can relate to with a situation in there life, therefore using love really works as love is

everything to a teen girl and there life envoles around they falling in love and getting hurt.

Taylor's outfit is a very stereotypical element to the genres mise en scene. The long dress connotes her feminine side and almost portrays her in some sort

of fairytale, which is important as teen girls are obsessed with having the perfect fairytale love

story.

Close ups and motifs of the music artist.

There are many close ups of Taylor as she is the main performer in this song. This brings that audience close to the artist, and establishes the artists role as a protagonist within the video.

These close up shots capture her crazy side and emotion throughout the song, leading the audience to feel that same emotion as she is feeling.

As well as making the audience feel like she is telling her story just to her and it really emphasises the direct mode address making the audience feel part of her story.

The motif for Taylor Swift is that she a sweet innocent stereotypical teenage girl who is very feminine and poppy. she always connotes her bubbly personality and she's always portrayed as a genuine person. She is known as always writing about love and her good

and bad times in love, when people think of Taylor Swift they think of love songs. This had built a strong motif for Taylor as if people want to find a good love song to connect with they search her and listen to her songs. This song shows her motif and it portrays her sweet innocent teen girl thats falle in love with her teenage heartthrob and also the

whole ‘love situation’ as the main story lone is all about her being betrayed by a boy and her turning crazy and abusing him.

VoyeurismWithin this music video, there are frequent notion of looking in regards to the female chaacter. The lyrics are interpreted to show that Taylor has women empowerment and doesn't let men push her around, although at the beginning she is seen as be sexualised as a she lays her self out to attract the male.

This is going against and showing women empowerment. The men had messed the girl around because stereotypical there in charge, whereas taylor hasn't stood for it and got her revenge by cutting his picture

and burning his clothes. This shows she not the stereotypical sweet innocent teenage girl that normally men just take advantage

of.

Here shows the only bit where taylor is being “sexually” used to attract a male. At the beginning when she meets the lad she is

wearing a small Lacey dress and thrusts herself down the stairs as if to impress him and attractive with

her feminine body. This is a stereotypical view that women use

there body and movement to attract the opposite sex.