Andrew Goodwin

Music Video Theory

Andrew Goodwin has identified a number of key features in music videos. They are:
A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics. A relationship between the music and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music. Genre-related style and iconography present. Multiple close-ups of the main artist or vocalist. Voyeurism often plays a major part, especially in relation to females. Intertextual references to other media texts may be present. He says that music videos are often constructed by the link between the visuals and the song plus the artist. Relationships are built between these in the video, and the close-ups of the artists gives them the representation and publicity they require. Voyeurism is used to increase the videos attractiveness, particularly to males, whilst intertextuality is often employed in humorous videos. Many of these features are present in all music videos, depending on the genre of the song and the aim of the record company/artist.

Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the lyrics/meaning of the lyrics & genre. This used to be very common.

The meanings of the songs are added to by the visuals. The visual aspects add an extra layer of meaning. (This is very common and often the best type of video to create for this course).

This is where the meaning of the song is completely ignored.

ILLUSTRATE
Katy Perry Roar
In this music video, they use a text/Whatsapp conversation between a large group of people on an iPhone to show the lyrics using emojis. All techniques used create the 2013 modern day social way of talking, iPhones are the most common phones that young people have today and using emojis help portray the lyrics in picture form therefore portraying an illustrate of the lyrics on an iPhone screen.

AMPLIFY
Jessie J Its my party
This music video would fit into amplification as Jessie Js lyrics only match up to the visual in the party side of it. It matches up to the title of the song Its my party however other bits of the lyrics could have told more of a story/narrative. Some parts do match up, when she sings a lyric about a group of people and then the shot changes to that room of people making the shots match up. The song basically describes how Jessie can fit into any crowd of people and no matter what type of group you fit into that you can all be flexible and mix together.
why you acting like youre tough

Your only friend is your phone

DISJUNCTURE
Demi Lovato Skyscraper
This music video does not include any narrative, the title of the song being skyscraper however shows little relevance to it. The location does not change and her outfits do not change. Her lyrics show no link to the video however nothing really happens in the video. Demi is stood in the middle of what looks like a desert and singing, this doesnt show any variety of locations, the song doesnt vary in pitches/tones either. Although there is a variety of different shots (mid shot, long shot, close up) the video itself doesnt show any visual link to the lyrics in the song.

Carol Vernallis
Music Video Theory

Carol Vernallis studied music videos in terms of editing and camerawork. She recognised that editing was more frequent in music videos than in film and often fitted with the rhythm of the song. Here are her main points: Editing in traditional fiction on TV follow the rules of continuity which music videos break in order to draw the viewers attention Special effects such as are common in music videos and can be really obvious to observer when used

The short time limit of the music videos mean that the jump cuts keep the narrative of the video quick and short but still interesting. For that reason, jump cuts are very popular within music videos Master shots (base track) are used to give the video structure
The camera may move in time with the music

Beyonce - Countdown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XY3AvVgDns

The rhythm of this song matches up with the transitions and shot changes in this music video. As you watch it you notice how fast the tempo is and how they fit the dance moves and grid layout of shots and how they change in time to the beat of the song. Screenshots above have been included to show at what parts of the video this theory is proven to exist in this music video. The cuts between shots make the pace match the beat and often zooming in to the beat is included.

In particular, from 0:37 to 0:43 the quick beats of the music match up with the way Beyonce is moving her body and her shoulders. The colours of the backdrop and her outfit also change according to the music

Rihanna Rude Boy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82VE8UtW8A

This music video uses lyrics to match up to the beat, more than anything else. Mostly with the lyrics want want want and boom boom boom when they explode onto the screen in time with the beat of the song. Figures of Rihanna dancing also gets duplicated in time to the music as they come on screen, as the video itself is in cartoon form, this most likely makes it easier to edit and therefore use transitions and special effects to add things in, in time with the music/singing.