Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin, writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992), identified 6 key points

 

 1 . Genre characteristics - Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting). How does what you hear relate to what you see? Are they dancing in time to the music? Does the editing cut on the beat of the music?

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

4. The star image of the artist - The demands of the record label will require lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). Look for artist close ups, artist logo or iconography

 5. Voyeurism - There is frequently reference to notion of looking or spying (screens within screens, mirror shot, frame-within-frame, unconscious exhibitionism, private view, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.  Voyeurism = Pleasure gained from watching (ideally when the object is unaware of being watched). Relate this to gender theory, eg. Laura Mulvey & the ‘male gaze’.

6. Intertextuality -  There is often intertextual reference – ie a reference to a well known image or phrase from another media text ( films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).  Eg. Madonna’s Material Girl / Marilyn Monroe’s Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend;  Dr Dre’s ‘California Love’ / Mad Max; Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2U / Janelle Monae – Cold War