Andrew Goodwin’s Theory

Andrew G0odwin recognised 5 key aspects that are often featured in music videos:

1. Thought beats – ‘Seeing the sound of the song

2. Narrative and performance

3. The Star image

4. Relation of visuals to song

5. Technical aspects of the video

Goodwin believed that these features helped the video become more than just an advertisement for the artist, but rather something that can be interpreted to have different meanings from the viewers and achieve a greater purpose.

Key Aspects Of A Music Video

Goodwin saw this aspect as ‘seeing the sound in your head’ and categorised it into three parts:

1. Firstly, to achieve this in a video, the structure of the song verses must be taken into consideration.

2. The artists’ voice, which is often unique, should be considered as an aspect of the video, as it can create identification with the viewers. This links to Barthes’ ‘grain of voice’ theory, which states that singing is an expressive instrument, and should be seen as an instrument of its own.

3. Lastly, the story that the artist tell in their lyrics often gives them a unique image, gaining them a reputation as a ‘storyteller’. Therefore, the video is used to visualise these lyrics and emphasise the artists’ ‘storytelling’.

Thought Beats –’Seeing The Sound’

Goodwin stated that music videos should aim to avoid a stereotypical narrative structure, in order to achieve their role of advertising themselves to the audience.

Therefore, they then become both the narrator and the participant within the music video, in order to tell a story, but at the same time make the video exciting for their particular target audience.

This narrative also helps to increase the authenticity of the song for the audience, as techniques such as lip syncing to increase the suspension of belief for the audience.

Narrative And Performance

Goodwin also recognised that music videos rely partly on the image of the star involved on the video.

If an artist has a unique image, then it will attract a wider audience to their videos, and make them instantly recognisable. Shot types such as close ups are used to increase the effect of the star image on the audience from the outset of the video.

The Star Image

For example, Michael Jackson is instantly recognisable in any of his videos, and he uses his star image to make them become popular.

Goodwin categorised three ways in which music videos relate to the visuals of songs:

1. The first way is through ILLUSTRATION. This is where a song tells a story using a series of illustrations that link to the lyrics being said at the current time. This is arguably the most effective way of creating a link with the song.

2. The second way is to AMPLIFY the visuals. This is where the images that are shown add a extra layer of meaning to the lyrics, allowing the audience to develop their own interpretations of the song.

3. The third way, which is much rarer, is DISJUNCTURE. This is where the meaning of the lyrics in a song are completely ignored, and the video creates a c0mpletely different meaning.

Relation Of Visuals To Song

In his theory, Goodwin also considered the technical aspects of a music video that help to keep the entire thing looking professional, while the other key aspects are put to work:

1. The first way the technical aspects help is through the CAMERA. A variety of camera angles and shots must be used in order to keep the video innovative.

2. The second way is through SOUND. This means that the video must match the pace and the rhythm of the song.

3. The third way is through MISE-EN-SCENE. Several inner aspects of this are important, and can make or break a video. For example, the setting, costume and props are all vital in creating a music video that conveys the message the creator wants with the song they’re using.

4. The final way is through EDITING. Changing the pace of clips, or adding certain effects once the video is filmed can improve its quality and make it achieve a greater effect on the audience.

Technical Aspects Of The Music Video

Andrew Goodwin also noticed 6 codes and conventions of a music video that help it to appeal to a wider audience:

1. Relationship between lyrics and visuals (see slide 6)2. Thought beats (see slide 3)3. Genre related style (see slide 5)4. Close ups5. Voyeurism 6. Intersexuality

Codes And Conventions Of The Music Video

Close ups are conventionally used in many music videos, in order to further establish a brand image for the artist, and to sell more of the artists’ singles.

They are also often used in a voyeuristic manner with female artists, in order to try to attract more males to their videos, and sell more records. The male viewer will like what they see, become attracted to the artist, and want to come back for more, linking to the hypodermic syringe theory.

The videos also often use voyeuristic angles to sexualise and fetishise women, and they often include a male person for the viewer to project their ego onto.

Close Ups And Voyeurism

In many music videos, Goodwin noticed that the creator may link it to a popular piece of media, so that more people are attracted to the video and notice it.

Therefore, when people see this, they will enjoy the video more and want to watch more of the artist videos.

Intertextuality

For example, in the music video for ‘Movies’ by Alien Ant Farm, there is lots of intertextuality from other films that will appeal to the target audience of the band, therefore helping them gain a wider fan base.