Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Conventions

A Relationship between Music and Visuals

The relationship between music and visuals are either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting.• Illustrating:Music videos use certain images and shots to explain the meaning of lyrics to their song and the genre• Contradicting:Here, the meaning of the song is completely ignored in the music video• Amplifying:This is when the images and camera shots are shown repeatedly through out the music video and is drummed into our vision

A Demand From The Record Company for Lots of Close-Ups of the Main Artist

Using close-ups in a music video of the main artist sells the artist to their audience.

Female artists such as Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj have all used provocative angles to show off their bodies in a voyeuristic way and they have also used sexualised close-ups to build up their brand image and to promote sales in their singles. This will help entice the male audience for the female artists.

Artist Develops their Own Star Iconography In and Out of Their Videos

Goodwin referred to the star image as a vital aspect of the music video, he/she makes the music video look more appealing to the audiences while bringing a unique style to the video in the way he/she is portrayed to the audience. The star image is always very unique in the way he/she is presented e.g. their costume, moves and appearance.

This helps to promote the artist/star’s image in public and also helps to promote the video while creating a public reputation for the artist.

Reference to Voyeurism (screen within screen, binoculars, cameras…)

The notion of looking includes men or women being portrayed seductively or if there is eye contact with the camera. It can also be referenced by the use of props e.g. mirrors, telescopes, CCTV camera.

Intertextual References

Intertextuality in music videos Intertextuality is the way in which one media text is referenced in another. There are often intertextual references to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc.

Eminem’s ‘We Made You’ includes a lot of intertextual references including Jessica Simpson (on the left) and the game Guitar Heroes (on the right)

Iggy Azalea’s ‘Fancy’ is based on the hit movie ‘Mean Girls’. The most iconic scenes of the movie have been replicated in the music video.

Narrative, Performance or Concept Based

Music videos would either be narrative, performance or concept based or a combination of two or all three of them.• Narrative:The video often tells a story either that features in the lyrics or is suggested in the lyrics. This narrative can be like a mini film, with a beginning, middle and end. It can also promote a film with clips from the film including telling a story

• Performance:Many music videos include performances of the artists as part of the video

• Concept:Based around a single idea or concept and are usually unusual. The unusual content is an attraction to many audiences, which is what draws them in

Particular Genres May Have Their Own Video Style and Iconography

Rock music tend to have their videos performance based, where the artists are on stage or are in a studio set location

Rap music videos almost always involve half-naked women, flashy sports cars and the artists wearing a lot of jewellery

Dance music videos can be concept based where the actual video has no relationship to the actual song