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Music video theories

Here I will present the music video theories through 2 music videos, namely 1. Bon Jovi – Its my life2. Robbie Williams – You know me

Bon Jovi – Its my life

Andrew Goodwin1. Music videos represent Genre characteristics:

Rock band performing in the music video.

2. Relationship between and visual and lyrics.

Lyrics “Its my life, its now or never” the boy hanging to the back of a dump-truck, living life on the edge.

3. Relationship between music and visuals.In the video it can be seen that the narrative action is fast paced just like the tempo of the song, plus shots change at times just as the drum beats.

4. Records demands: close up of artists, Star image.

5. Notion of looking

Another close up, and eye contact, or notion of looking to engage audiences and feel more welcoming.

Record labels demand to have more emphasis on creating a star image, because that is what audience want to see and idealize.

6. Inter textual references

Within the music video is a inter textuality refernce of people dressed as elvis presley, commonly known as Elvis Wanna be’s. This links to showing the representation of the real star Elvis Presley in this music video.

Sven E CarlssonHe believed that every thing should be categorized in white and black boxes, then it can be seen as binary opposites, everything as an opposite of the other.

The only part of Carlsson’s theory that matches the video is the binary opposites, it can be clearly seen as 2 opposing lifestyles, The Celebrity, and the fans.

The other parts of his theory are the Commercial exhibitionist, Televised Bard and the Electronic Shaman, these are not in this music video.

Michael ShoreHe said that there are certain kind of things used in the music video such as

Recycled toolsInformation overloadMale fantasiesClichéd imagery

These are also not in this music video.

Steve ArcherHe says that there is a strong relationship between Narrative and Performance, this music video also links both of these, and that music videos possess repeatability factor.

The repeatability factor here I believe is the same tunnel in the background, which is there in every shot in which the band is performing.

John StewartHe believes music videos have aesthetics of TV commercials.Namely Cinema, fashion and art photography.

The music video did have some cinema type movie scenes such as the slow motion part when the boy enters the marathon, and the pan when he jumps rom the bridge, it seemed like an action movie genre inspired music video.

Laura MulveyShe believes that women are only used as sexual objects in music videos, only present to attract Male gaze and to give pleasure to men where as in this video the girl who calls the boy, is just a typical youngster, not seducing or acting as an object for men, but instead shows her superiority when she angrily says to the boy “Where have you been”.

Robbie Williams– You know me

I chose this because this music video covers the theories that ‘its my life by bon jovi’ did not. So I will emphasis on the main theories this music video goes by.

Andrew Goodwin1. Music videos represent Genre characteristics:

Pop music video convention, the artist performing and dancing.

2. Relationship between and visual and lyrics.

3. Relationship between music and visuals.

Shots change with the beat, and cabbages and frogs doing the back vocals at times in the music video

No such relation between lyrics and visuals, as narrative is not quite literal to the lyrics

Inter textual references

Inter textual references are in abundance in this music video, Firstly is the entrance into the scene, which looks like alice in wonderland, the same whole in the earth and branches. Secondly when the Artist wears the bunny costume and goes out, the background and the look of the artist are intertextual references to the bunny in alice in wonderland and his home, they also look like the bunny in Winnie the pooh, with the house and the mail box. Lastly at the end of the video is a intertextual reference to MGM films , in place of the lion is the artist dressed as a bunny,

Michael ShoreHe said that there are certain kind of things used in the music video such asRecycled toolsInformation overloadMale fantasiesClichéd imagery

Dream like, male fantasies

Male fantasy, cliched imagery

Steve ArcherHe says that there is a strong relationship between Narrative and Performance, this music video also links both of these, and that music videos possess repeatability factor.

The repeatability factor here I believe is the same trees in the background, which is present in every outdoor shot

Laura MulveyShe believes that women are only used as sexual objects in music videos, only present to attract Male gaze and to give pleasure to men.

The Male gaze has been used quite often in the music video, especially towards the end, in which around 6 female bunny costumed girls are dancing around a male bunny ‘the artist’. Here the females are wearing short sized dresses exposing all their legs, creating voyeurism and giving pleasure to men, this clearly explains what laura mulvey’s theory is about.

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