Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Theory

Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Theory

Andrew Goodwin in his book "Dancing in the Distraction Factory" has wrote about what he defines as the characteristics of music videos. Goodwin has six different conventions and characteristics when looking at a music video.

1. Music videos should demonstrate genre characteristics,
(e.g. People dancing/having fun in a Dance music song, dance routine for a pop girl band)

Since my music video is to fit in with the RnB, Pop music and teen culture/genre, I know from researching from other RnB music videos that my video needs to contain things such as the lead as a male should be idolized. The lead singer should be portrayed as wanted by females or boys wanting to be him. My video will also be a cross with Pop music so from more extensive research i have found that my video needs to have energetic dance moves and a very weak narrative or no narrative at all. I want my video to represent these genres. I don't want to include a complex narrative just a colourful and entertaining video. 

2. There should be a relationship between lyrics and visuals. These can be illustrative, amplifying or contradicting

The visuals in my music video with illustrate and amplify the lyrics coming across. A example of this is when the visuals show the lead singer consoling his girlfriend and telling he everything will be okay, this is in the second verse and the lyrics that reflect these visuals are "don't stress, don't cry, we don't need no wings to fly, Just take my hand". They relate and mirror off each other and i will be using this alot in my video. When i was reading the lyrics of the song  I would just relate scenes in my head in which I wrote down for ideas.

3. There should be a relationship between the music and visuals

All the visuals in my music video are either amplifying the music or illustrating the lyrics. Since the song is acoustic and the only sounds are lyrics or the guitar playing it has been hard for me to incorporate a relationship between the music and visuals. A few examples I have managed to use though are things such as,  the opening of the song in which the guitar becomes louder and as this happens the lights shine onto the lead singers face. I have done this for a impact on the audience and draw them into the main point of the shot.
Another example I have used is the lead singer tapping his foot and hand in time with the strumming of the guitar, this is not a big visual but it make the audience aware of the beat behind the singing.I personality like it when music videos do this, as sometimes when listening to a song, you do not always pick up on some of the instruments playing so I have incorporated it into my own.

4. Multiple close-ups of the main artist; the creation of a star image to promote a brand image.

In my music video there are certainly a lot of shots mostly being close ups and mid shots of the artist, who is representing the figure of Justin Bieber whom has the 'Star Image'.The stars image is the most vital part of music video and how they are portrayed. Goodwin said that artists want to enchant and WOW the audience with the aritsts image to stay current in order for them to remember them. When making my poster and website for my artist each of these was important that they all linked together in some way so my target audience can recognise my visual style immediately. Hypothetically if my artist became successful and a well known music artist, my style and  imagery would become iconic to my name.

5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking, there is a voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

In my music video this is the one characteristic I have not been able to implant well. My music video does not contain any females or any objectification of the male body or female body. There is no sexually suggestive shots of the lead singers body as it does not fit in well with the pop genre and a love song. I have broken the fourth wall with my artist as he is always engaged with the audience and wants them to know he is singing to them. The shots of my artist are usually close up with him looking into the camera. In one of the shots the artist pulls his glasses up and stares into the camera to engage even further with the audience and creating a surreal experience with them.

6. There is a intertextual reference to either films, TV programmes, other music videos.

Our costumes used are a direct reference to Justin Bieber, with his modern fashion sense wearing high tops, shades and leather jackets. The dance moves used in the video are also a tribute to Justin Biebers and Michael Jacksons. The start of the music video shows out artist being late to his own music video, so in a sense the audience is watching a music video being made but this is the music video Goodwin said that intertextuality incorporated in a music video make it more interesting and enjoyable for the audience.