Andrew Goodwin’s Music Video Theory

Goodwin’s theory states that there are some key aspects to a music video:

Thought through beat (seeing what the lyrics mean in our own head).

Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals.
The narrative and performance of the song.
The technical aspect of a music video.
The star image which is demonstrated through camera shots etc...
Genre conventions and iconography.
Voyeurism
Intertextuality, parody and pastiche


There are 3 ways in which visuals are used to promote a song:

1.       Illustrate: music videos use certain images and shots to explain the meaning of the lyrics to the song and the genre.
2.       Disjuncture: the meaning of the song is completely ignored in the music video.
3.       Amplify: This is when the images and camera shots are manipulated and shown repeatedly throughout the music video and is ingrained into our vision.

Goodwin believes that a music video can promote its song through the way it analyses the lyrics:
For example: if the song lyrics are “jump, jump, jump” the music video shows jumping visuals where characters are actually jumping.

Goodwin also believed that it was vital for an artist to be involved in the music video by performing/acting out a role as the main character or singer. This allows the song to look more realistic and gives the audience a connection with the song as well as a good understanding.

The star image in a video is important as it makes the music video more appealing to the audiences. The star image is always presented uniquely as it helps to promote the artists image in public and aids in promoting the video while creating a public reputation for the artist.

The technical aspect of a music video holds the music video together through the use of mise-en-scene, special effects, sound and editing. Lighting and colour creates the mood whilst the beats of the song are useful It helps create effective cuts that match the rhythm of the song to make the video look entertaining.

Genre conventions and iconography are signifiers and traits relating to a particular music genre.

Voyeurism is interpreted as watching people in the video or watching attractive men and women.  It can also be interpreted as the enjoyment gained from seeing the pain or distress of others.

To create a successful music video Goodwin believes intertextuality is required subtly.

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