Andrew Goodwin’s Theory

By Tamara Adams

Summery of theory:

O Andrew Goodwin believes that there are 6

features when it comes to music videos.

O Synesthesia, according to Andrew

Goodwin is a process by which sensory

impressions are carried over from one

sense to another. (Seeing the sound in

your head) for example, when listening to

music, you imagine images.

O He also believes that there is a

relationship between the music and

visuals. The tone of the atmosphere of the

visual reflects that of the music.

O There are three ways the visuals respond

to the music:

1. ILLUSTRATE

2. AMPLIFY

3. DISJUNCTURE

Jeremy Fisher - Cigarette

O I will be using Andrew Goodwin's theory to

evaluate Jeremy Fisher‟s music video –

Cigarette.

Relationship between lyrics and visuals

The song is introduced

with a musical break and

images of the cigarette

box

The guy begins to sing:

“I‟ll be your cigarette”

“I‟ll be hard to forget”

The images are of a person

trying to squish the cigarette

and get rid of it at the same

time the lyrics are sung.

“Good or bad I‟m just a habit”

The image is of the lit

cigarette and a cup of tea in

the background. Which are

both commonly known as a

habit to have.

“Light me up”

When this lyric is sung the

match is shown and then in

the next scene it is lit and

connects with the cigarette.

Evaluation:

O With this video the relationship between

the music and the visuals are very clear.

When the lyrics are sung then the images

appear as if the lyrics are instructions.

For example, at this time in the

video the lyrics are “Light me up

and get on with it” and the image

is of the cigarette about to be lit by

the match.

Relationship between Music and Visuals

O Andrew Goodwin believes that the tone

and the atmosphere of the visual reflects

the music.

O With the song „Cigarette‟ the way in which

the visuals respond are by illustrating. The

music video uses a set of images to

illustrate the meaning of the lyrics.

This image illustrates what

the music video is about.

O As the artist is not signed to a record label

he does not have any demands of close

up shots and he does not have any motifs

that recur across his work (e.g. visual

style)

O However, the artist is unique as the video

is of a animation and it is unusual and

quirky

Frequent reference to the notion of looking

O Andrew Goodwin believes that with music videos the artists are know to look at themselves for example, screens within screens, mirrors and stages.

O However, with this music video there is no “looking” apart from when the girl Jeremy is singing to is looking into a mirror:

The camera is

being

represented as

the mirror in

this shot.

Intertextual Reference

O The last stage to a music video according to Andrew Goodwin is that there are intertextual references which means that there are references to films or TV programmes.

O This song has no intertextualreferences. However, it is an animation of a cigarette and in the beginning scene the cigarette is shown in a box which is how cigarettes are sold.