GENERIC RESEARCH: Music Video Theory

Music Video Theory

ANDREW GOODWIN

GOODWIN’S THEORY IS MADE OF 8 KEY CONCEPTS

1.     LINKS BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS. 

2.     LINKS BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS. 

3.     GENRE CHARACTERISTICS.

4.     INTERTEXUAL REFERENCES. 

5.     NOTIONS OF LOOKING.

6.     VOYEURISM.

7.     DEMANDS OF THE RECORD LABEL.

8.     PERFORMANCE BASED, NARRATIVE BASED AND CONCEPT BASED MUSIC VIDEOS. 

LINK BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS

This links in between general genre of the music, for example the slow rhythm of classical music or acoustic versions of songs reflects a slower cuts and camera movements to mirror the music.

For example, the pop song ‘Uptown Funk’ from Bruno Mars reflects a highly rhythmic dance compilation to mirror the fast-paced rhythm of the music.

LINK BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS

The lyrics of the music mirror or reference the visuals represented in the video. Music videos allow a visual representation of a musical genre. The main idea of this is that the visuals will reinforce the meaning of the lyrics and will help the audience to understand the lyrics.

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS

When the music videos incorporate particular characteristics in their videos which are specific to the genre of music that they are. 

For example, in rap videos, there is often nice cars, visual references to money and girls as prizes etc.

NOTIONS OF LOOKING 

This is shown, for example, through audiences feeling as though they are involved by direct address from the artists.

VOYEURISM

In stereotypical music videos, women are objectified by the use of the camera shots and mise-en-scene costuming in order to give gratification to male audiences.

This could be through the camera shots lingering on the body as appose to going directly to the face.

Also through women positioning themselves voyeuristically and their body language.

PERFORMANCE BASED, NARRATIVE BASED AND CONCEPT BASED MUSIC VIDEOS

A PERFORMANCE BASED MUSIC VIDEO IS WHEN THE VIDEO IS MADE UP OF A VARIETY OF SHOTS OF THE BAND PLAYING THE MUSIC, OR A RAPPER PERFORMING THEIR SONG. THIS COULD FEATURE ALL ELEMENTS OF THE BAND (INSTRUMENTS INCLUDED.) AND ALLOWS THE VIDEO TO PREDOMINANTLY FOCUS ON THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES. 

NARRATIVE BASED MUSIC VIDEOS ARE WHEN THE VIDEO HAS A STORY LINE WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE VIDEO. 

A CONCEPT BASED MUSIC VIDEO IS WHEN THE VIDEO FOCUSES ON A PARTICULAR IDEA. THIS CONCEPT COULD BE ONE WHICH FEATURES IN THE SONG LYRICS OR COULD BE COMPLETELY RANDOM AND JUST IMPORTANT TO THE ARTISTS. 

SVEN E CARLSSON

He suggested there are two main categories of music videos; performance videos and conception videos.

PERFORMANCE VIDEOS; 

This category is quite self-explanatory as it is simply a video of the singer performing ie dancing or singing throughout the video.

CONCEPTUAL VIDEOS;

This is when the ideas or thought-process given to making the video is more important than the materialistic/aesthetic appearances of the video – shown through narratives of the music video

He also argues that “He or she is a monger of their own body image, selling everything to be in the spotlight – selling voice, face, lifestyle, records and so on.” This is saying that the performers are restricted in the way that they perform as they are being used to sell their voice, face, lifestyle etc. Sven E Carlsson says that this image is down to the artist being a seller of their body image. – something aspirational for the audiences.