Goodwin's Theory

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
Andrew Goodwin states that music videos will often demonstrate characteristics that are specific to certain genres. To make the video more appealing to the target audience the producers make the video as relatable as possible as well as including popular characteristics of the stereotypes which are included in the target audience. This way the music video suddenly becomes effective. In this music video of Rihanna's song the scenes on the beach strongly illustrates the 'girly' pop song genre. the shots are often repeated and become slightly repetitive, similarly to the lyrics. The video contains typical shots of girls dancing on the beach in bikinis and skirts. This is to attract the target audience of young girls between the ages of 16-25.



2. Relationship between lyrics and visuals
In many music videos, it is very important that the music video relates to the lyrics in the song. In the song "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys the song strongly refers to New York. The music video is set in New York throughout. The opening of the music video shows a montage of stereotypical images of New York as well as famous locations (such as the Brooklyn bridge) that the audience would recognise and would relate to New York straight away. The most powerful in the video, to me, is when Alicia Keys performs the piano in the centre of Times Square amplifying the lyrics 'New York'.



3. There's a relationship between music and visuals
The sound of the song and the effect is has on the listener should definitely be reflected in music videos. For example, a fast paced song should have a fast cutting rate and a slower song should have the opposite. A good example that's strongly illustrates this is Paramore's song 'Brick By Boring Brick' The song is very fast paced but is slower in sections where the song starts to create a steady speed. At the beginning of the song when it's very faced beat, the little girl is running which amplifies the fast paced theme. Before the chorus, when the song becomes a slower pace, the girl has stopped running and the leaves fall slowly so the music video seems to flow more steadily.

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work.

 

 The amount of cose-ups used are to show off the artist. In this music video of Lana Del Rey singing 'Blue Jeans' the first extreme close up of her is shown at 0:45 and close ups are continuous throughout the video. The close ups of Lana represent her emotion and passion for what she's singing about. It also makes the audience familiar with her voyeuristic like self. Close ups strengthen the music video as it focuses on the singer and just their voice.

 

 

 

 5.There is frequently reference to the notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
This is strongly represented in the 'Blue Jeans' music video also as it shows close ups of Lana looking glamorous and lustrous in an old noir style. Another music video that illustrates this voyeuristic treatment and exposure of the female body is 'Deja Vu' by Beyoncé and Jay-Z. throughout the music video she dances erotically in very revealing outfits. This is done in most of her videos such as 'Upgrade U', 'Dance For You' and 'Baby Boy'. This notion of looking 'sexy' attracts attention to a wider audience.

 

6.There is often intertextual reference
Intertextual references is a common feature of a music video, however, not all music videos use obvious ones. Lana Del Rey's song 'Carmen' can be described as a metaphor used by Del Rey for her "synthetic life experience". The video ends with the Erik Satie's song "Gymnopédie No.1." and a woman dancing in a field until the word “fin” graces the screen. The opening of the music video shows snapshots of New York City, spliced together with scenes of old Hollywood paparazzi, a rose, and shots of Lana herself. Once the song begins, we see a dressed woman working a pole, then Lana sitting on a city porch, possibly in New York. The song goes on to feature black and white photo stills, animated food scenes, Lana riding the back of a motorcycle and multiple references to drugs and troubled youth. In one scene, Lana is behind the camera interviewing Rachlin, asking him about his dream girl and giggling. These could be seen as flashbacks of Lana's life.