Andrew Goodwin's Theory

Andrew Goodwin's Theory

Who is Goodwin?

Andrew Goodwin is a Professor at the University of San Francisco and received his Ph. D. in cultural studies from the University of Birmingham. He is also the author of the well known book on Music Television and cultural theory and he has published numerous articles on media and cultural theory.

What were his ideas?

Goodwin had many ideas about music videos and identified key features of a music video which consisted of a relationship between the lyrics or music and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics/music. Goodwin also found that relationships are formed between the artist and the audience if there are more close - ups, also voyeurism is used to catch the male gaze and intertexutality is where it refers to another media text.

Where did he publish them?

Goodwin published his theories in his book 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory: Music Television and Popular Culture'

Illustration:

Illustration is where the video directly matches the lyrics, so this allows you to see what you hear. An example of this would be Pixie Lott - All about tonight as this directly shows the lyrics in the video as in the lyrics she says "I've got a new pair of shoes" the video starts with a close up of her shoes, she then goes on to say that she has a new attitude when she walks between 0:18 - 0:21 it shows her strutting in her 'new shoes'. The lyrics then go on to say that she is going to go out with the girls and at 0:32 it shows her texting her friends that she is ready to go, which is later followed by her on the phone. The lyrics also say that she is gonna go out and dance which is shown by her dancing in the middle of the road, because of her directly showing her lyrics in the video it allows you to clearly see what is happening without you having to picture it in your head. The video and lyrics reflecting the same thing so you get the right feelings and emotions from it allowing you to enjoy the song to its fullest and it also makes you want ot get up and dance along to it

Amplification:

Amplification is where the video adds to the feeling of the song, so it amplifies the message it is trying to get across. An example of this would be Kelly Clarkson - Stronger as she is exaggerates the feeling of not needing someone or bad things have happened recently, you will come out of that experience stronger. This is shown as they have shots of loads of different people dancing no matter where they are, the lyrics also say "its doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone" this gets the message across that you do not always need someone by your side. The lyrics own there own are very empowering and gives you the strength to get through another day, but with the video added to the song it gives off good vibe and it shows groups of people dancing together and having fun, showing that no matter what happens there will be people to support you and there are good times ahead.

Contradict:

Contradict is where the video deliberately against the lyrics and what you are supposed to feel. An example of this would be Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together as you would be expect the video to be slow and sad but it is up beat and she seems very happy for example it starts with her wearing her pyjamas and dancing about with her band who are wearing animal costumes. The video then shows her and her on and off again boyfriend in his car and they are having an argument but she does not seem sad, this tells us that even though she may have loved him at one point she is fed up of them continuously breaking up and getting back together. Due to upbeat music and the party that is happening in her house it does not give off the usual vibe you would get off of a break up song instead she exaggerates the fact that it is never happening again so he should just move on.

Iconography:

Iconography is where there is a certain use of an object or images associate to a particular artist or genre of music. An example of this would be Nelly ft Kelly Rowland - Dilemma as it shows the Hip hop genre through the use of their clothing as he is wearing baggy clothes and is wearing a long chain. They also show a sports car which they dance and sing in front off, Nelly also has a plaster on his left check which everyone associates with Nelly and is what people remember him for, the use of iconography allows the audience to immediately recognise the genre of music it will be and this allows the audience to immediately identify with the song.

Close - ups:

Close - ups are generally used when the record label wants the artist to connect with the audience, so that they can become more popular. An example of this would be Girls aloud - Something new as the song begins with close - ups of each of the girls faces which immediately starts to build up a relationship between the artist and the audience. As the video goes on it has numerous close - ups of each girls face when they sing, this shows the audience 
how much the band has grown in the 10 years that they have been around and it strengths relationships that were previously built.

Voyeurism:

Voyeurism is used in many music videos especially for the males gaze as the girls in the video are seen sexually and the way they dance in the music video may be seen as provocative. An example of this would be Shakira - Hips don't lie. This video shows Shakira with various different outfits on, at the beginning she is seen wearing a orange skirt and top which shows her belly button and she is belly dancing then later in the video she is wearing a bikini top and is  dancing provocatively catching the males gaze towards the video. This will catch the eye of the audience especially the male's eyes as they will be particularly drawn to her body as she dances, this will gain attention and will benefit the artist as they will have loads of attention.

 

Intertextuality:

Intertextuality is where the song may refer to a movie or a TV show, to give it a new meaning. An example of this would be Eminem - We made you as it is a parody of the television series Rock of Love and Star Trek. There is also a reference to Rain men during the casino sequence of the video where Eminem is robot like, another reference made would be from Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho and scenes parodying 'Who's Nailin' Paylin?'. Most of the video references other movies or television shows to keep it more engaging, this is used as it shows the audience what they may have previously watched and is more likely to get them to watch those shows/films again giving the video more credibility.

Style and Conventions of a Music Video

Performance, Concert and 'as-live':

This is when the video makes the video seem as if it is a live performance or concert like. An example of this would be Leona Lewis - A moment like this, as it shows her singing on a stage with a mic in a black ball gown giving her an elegant feel but it also makes the audience feel as though the are there with her when she is singing. The video also shows parts of Leona's performances on X Factor and they show it from the audiences point if view so you feel the full experience. The record label may use this style as it might make the audience feel as though they are a part of the music video, and it allows them to fully enjoy the song.

Narrative:

Narrative is where the lyrics tell a story and the music video tries to show the music video. An example of this would be Maroon 5  - One more night as it tells the story of his relationship, him being a boxer and the struggles he faces with trying to be a good dad and working to get money to provide for his family. The record label may use this style as the lyrics would get across to the audience and they would get a better understanding of what is happening, It would also impact the audience as it would allow them to feel the emotions from the song. The audience may also be able to sympathise with him when his girlfriend and baby daughter are gone when he gets back home from a fight after winning.

Interpretative

This is where the video interprets the lyrics of the songs directly into the images used. An example of this would be Beyonce Irreplaceable as the video matches the lyrics of the song as in the video the lyrics are telling him to pack up all his things and to leave and that she can replace him anytime she wants with the end of the video showing her opening the door and a guy standing there. The record label may use this style as it helps the narrative of the song to come across to the audience clearer, it will also impact the audience as it helps them understand what is happening so they can keep up, this also lets the audience see what she really means instead of them trying to think of it in their head.

Impressionist

This is where the images in the video match the mood and pace of the song but do not always match the lyrics of the song. An example of this would be Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood as the lyrics and the music video do not match. The record label may use this style to get across a different messages one from the lyrics and the other from the music video, this will impact the audience as they will either understand it from different views. The record label also uses animation during the song as it makes the audience more intrigued and curious about the video. I could incorporate this into my video by making some parts animation and make the images different to the lyrics to keep the audience hooked.

Surrealism/ Abstract:

Surrealism/ Abstract is when the video is considered artistic, uses the technique element of surprise and unexpected juxtapositions. An example of this would be Katy Perry E.T featuring Kanye West, this is because in the video we Kanye in a spaceship. In the video Katy starts of as a alien who then turns into Katy herself but the video later reveals that she has the legs of a gazelle. The impact that this would have on the audience would be one of shock and surprise as they would not understand what was happening in the video so they would be engaged in the video and keep watching it to see what would happen, the record label may use this style as it keeps the audience intrigued and excited to see what happens. I could use this in my video as it will keep the audience aware of the video so the will not get bored easily and let other people know about the video.

Animation :

Animation in a music video makes it seem more cartoon like, and it is more creative and artistic. An example of this would be Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill which uses animation throughout the video which also narrates the story. The record label may use this technique as the animation creates a more artistic side to the music video and makes the video more intriguing, this also impacts the audience as they are more likely to watch the  music video if it has something different in it. I could use animation in my video in my video as it has an artistic feel to it and makes the video seem more unique.

Intertextuality:

Intertextuality is when one media text refers to another media text, it uses people's understanding of media texts to make new ones. An example of this would be Busted Year 3000 as it refers to Back to the Future with them in the car which is the same in the both media texts. The record label may use this style as it also reminds the audience of the film and puts the film back into the public eye which impacts on the audience as they are going to re-watch the film or want to watch the film. Intertextuality also would be a good style to use as it can have many different meanings tot he video so the audience can interpret it how they would like.

Parody:

Parody is a comical version of the original music video, it often exaggerates the original version of the song. An example of this would be Fly like a Jesus made by the viewer which has the same beat as the original song but the lyrics of the song are different. This style would be used as it entertains the audience and keeps there eyes glued to the screen to watch the whole video and the audience will sometimes enjoy it more than the original video as it is more entertaining.

Homage/Pastiche

Homage/Pastiche is an imitation of one texts features by another text. It could be in the same style or feature similar motifs or even be a copy of the original. Sometimes a pastiche copies the style from a period in time. An example of this would be Labrinth - Express Yourself as it copies the shot from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Will Smith sits in the chair and it spins, it also copies the Simpsons when Bart is writing on the chalk board. The record label may use this as it makes the video seem more intriguing and the audience will recognize the similarities,   this would be a good style to use in my video as it will bring back past memories for some people who have watched the show.

Good & Bad Music Video Techniques

Large number of cuts:

Good Example:

Usher - Scream is a good example of large number of cuts as, the cuts in this video are fast paced and shows a lot of different shots to the audience but it also shows the same shot from different angles to help the narrative move along. The effect of this is of a good one as it keeps the audience hooked onto the song to see what the next shot will be, it also makes them understand what is going on. The large number of cuts also allow it to help the music video keep the pace of the song so that it does not look like nothing is happening, the video also has about 45 cuts in just the first minute making sure that the pace of the song of the images are in time so that it goes smoothly and does not look like it is rushed.



Bad Example:

Leona Lewis - Run is a good example of a bad video that does not have cuts in it at all. The video shows Leona walking alone on a dusty trail, she then enters a dark forest, this also has slight audience participation as the video shows it as it looks like we are following her, this makes the audience feel like they are involved in the video. Then in the final chorus, she draws in the sun and the forest lights up, matching the lyrics, however this may seem uneventful to the audience as the video does not a lot happening so they may get bored of it. The cuts in this song do not happen often so the video just seems as though its one long shot that does not really change angle or do any movements.


Special Effects

Good Example:

Michael Jackson featuring Janet Jackson - Scream is a good example of Special effects. The special effects in this video are very appealing to the audience as they make the audience curious as to what is happening in the video and uses the effects to its full extent. The effect being created by the special effects are that it keeps the audience engaged in the video, it also  shows Michael Jackson and his sister Janet all throughout the video dancing. There is also loads of cuts so it it keeps the pace and uses numerous shots to emphasis the fact that it is a load and upbeat song about the tabloid press getting at him and never leaving him alone.

Bad Example:

Michael Jackson - Smooth criminal, this is a good example of bad special effects as it looks artificial when he turns into a giant robot and then into a spaceship, these are both very different and make the video exciting but it does not keep the audience intrigued in the video. It also does not look real so it would not be believable to an older audience who are more likely to watch the video, however there is a good amount of cuts but this does not help avoid the fact the the special effects look artificial that the audience may lose interest in the video.
  Cutting to the beat

Good Example:

Demi Lovato - Give your heart a break is a good example of cutting to the beat. The video numerously cuts to the beat using different camera angles and movements, the video also has a narrative and it is clearly show in the video that keeps the audience intrigued to see what she is going to do after her having a fight with her boyfriend. The video tries to create the effect of sadness but love to show she really means the love she shows, the artist is also shown in a good way as she is showing she is a good person.



Bad Example

Gotye featuring Kimbra  - Somebody That I Used To Know is a example of bad cutting to the beat. The video shows a man and women standing there naked and sing while his body is gradually painted, this is video does not match the lyrics at all and makes no sense. The beat only changes slightly at parts but it mostly stays the same yet the image does not change every beat like it should instead it only does randomly, whereas he could have done something more captivating by doing something more than just stand there.



Varied camera language

Good Example:

Tulisa - Young, this is a video that has good camera language as it has many different camera angles and movements, it also uses many close ups to keep the audience intrigued and engrossed in the music video. Tulisa has a fast paced song and the camera movements keep up with the song, the viewer is kept engrossed in the song as it makes them want to get up and dance, it also keeps the audience interacted in the song as they can relate to it.


Bad Example:

Duffy - Warwick Avenue is a good example of a bad varied camera language as it only really shows it in one shot of her sitting in the car with it of a close up of her face, so it does not really show you what the narrative of the song is, so the audience would get bored of it and not watch the whole video. The video does not use any other movements or locations which could be bad for the artist as the audience may not want to watch it, so the artist will be seen as boring.
Green screen 

Good Example:

Michael Jackson - Black or White is about everyone is equal and that there is no difference between different cultures, so people should respect each other. The video uses green screen very well when showing him in different countries and the visuals clearly show the message he is trying to get across to the audience especially at the end when it changes to different peoples faces. The artist is shown in a good light as they are trying to get across a important message.



Bad Example:

Shakira - Whenever, Wherever is a video that uses green screen badly as you can clearly see around the edges of her that a green screen has been used as you should not be able to see it, the video also has horses that are running past her as she is dancing but you can tell that they are fake and not really there due to it looking very artificial. The impact on the viewer will be a bad one as the use of the green screen looks as though not a lot of thought went into the production of it and it was rushed.

Lip - syncing

Bad Example:

Cheryl Cole - Call my name is a good example of bad lip - syncing as when she performed this song on The Voice UK she danced as well as 'sang', however you could tell she was lip - syncing as when she was singing you should have been able to hear her heavy breathing but you could not. Also when she picked up on the song after parts of her not singing she was slightly off with the lyrics, even though she says she sings during her live performances. This would represent the artist badly as the audience expect her to sing but she does not which disappoints them.

Music Video Case Study

Open publication - Free publishing - More katy

The purposes of music videos

The purposes of music videos

To promote a new music release:

A record label may make a music video as there is a chance that the artist could end up going viral from the video being put on the Internet and well known in loads of other countries so the record company gets more money, making a music video also raises awareness to the audience that the artists new album or single are going to be released soon, making the audience more interested at the prospect of the next album or song, this also allows the artist to tour in different countries. An example of this would be Justin Bieber who will be touring and visiting places like Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden and many other places.

This is has a positive impact on the artist as the better known they get the more likely they are to get awards for their music and to make more money from it, they can also tour in a lot more places because they will have fans all over the world. This leads to a positive impact on the record label as the more times people watch the video online and download it the more money they will make. This is also good for the audience as they look forward to seeing the artists next song are likely to watch it repeatedly, especially if they are a fan girl.   

To create a visual representation of an artist:

An artist may create a visual representation of themselves as they want to be seen in a different light as they had previously been seen in the press and it also allows the artist to be seen without them actually performing. The visual representation also allows the artists to show off their style by how they dress and act in the video, for example they may act crazy in the video and wear little clothing or very weird outfits, the visual representation also means that the artist can reinvent themselves if they really want to. An example would be Lady Gaga who is known for her crazy videos, in this video she wears different outfits at the beginning she is sitting in a chair wearing razor blade glasses, then at 0:32 she is climbing out of a white coffin that has monster in red letters on it. The video also goes on to Gaga in the bath but is pulled out and her clothes are ripped off her, then nearer to the end she is dancing provocatively in white lingerie.

The visual representation would have a positive impact on the artist as they will be seen as they want and not what people think they should be like and how they should act because they can decide this purely for themselves. This would also be good for the the record label as the crazier the video the more likely people are going to be interested in watching it, giving the video more views meaning the artist is doing well. This is also good for the song and the audience as they are likely to go up because of the amount of people who will watch it even if they do not like this type of music. 

To extend the play ability of & provide additional income from a song:

A record label will be looking at things they can put in a music video that will give it frequent play on music channels and on the Internet, it will also after the release of the song/music video the artist will stay in the public and the music sales will go up, they also have royalty payments from the music channels. Once the videos are uploaded to websites like YouTube they are allowed to put adverts on there and every time someone clicks on the adverts the record label gets money for it. This video would have extended play ability as the video could be seen as provocative as she is wearing little clothing and many other women dressed in leotards and netted tights showing a lot of flesh.

This video had a lot of play ability because there was a lot of controversy behind it and people found it scandalous, however this song was played on channels like MTV, 4 Music and Viva it was also played on YouTube. This is good for the artist as the more plays that they get the more money they will make and they will get a cut from the overall money with the rest going to the record label, this means it has a positive impact on the record label as they will make more money. This will also have a positive impact on the song as the more hits it get the higher it will get on the charts which will also get the artist in the audiences eye for longer because the song will be repeated more often.

To create synergy (business tie-ins) with other media sectors:

A record label may create synergy with other media sectors like TV or movies to make them  better known and it increases the awareness of both institutions at the same time, it also allows the artist's to enter new sectors of the media industry. The synergy also means that if the movie does really well then the song will be played more often and the artist will get more recognition than they already had. The video shows parts of the movie for example the beginning of the video shows Pitbull locked in a cell and a girl comes and frees him, it then jumps to clips of the film and then back to Pitbull who is having dinner in a restaurant with the girl who saved him. The a fight breaks out in the restaurant but the made it look as though the film and song are going on at the same time, due to Agent J and Agent K are involved in the battle as well.

 

This has a positive impact on the artist, which means that even if they were already known they would be more well known than they were before, it is also good for the artist because if they wanna go into acting they have a better chance now that they have already collaborated on something. This is also has a positive impact on the record label as they are likely to get more recognition as a artist they have signed will get more attention and they might catch the eye of other big artists who may want to be signed to them. This will also be good for the audience as they are more likely to watch their favourite artist in a film and if they have a song for a popular film then they are likely to watch the credits in a cinema when they are usually shown.

To be art in their own right:

The record label may make a music video very memorable, sometimes its more than the song and it has a completely different meaning to song in some cases. The videos are also usually very unique and they tend to create a story or narrative across the video that they may not get through the song. For example in Jessie J's video Nobody's Perfect the video starts with a shot of a creepy/haunted house and a voice in the background giving it a spooky feel to it keeping the audience intrigued, the video then goes on to show fast paced clips of people having fun and then it shows Jessie J and a voice over saying "look in to my eyes". The video goes on with Jessie going into different rooms and experiencing different things like a room full of clocks and then a room with lips signing on screens behind her.

This has a positive impact on the artist and the record label as they are trying to show a story which is likely to get the audience to watch the video more to try and figure out why they have that in the video, so this makes the artist more interesting and it also has a positive impact on the song as the more its watched the higher it will get on the charts and the more people are likely to buy special edition CD/DVD's to see the video often.

Music Video Outlets

Music Video Outlets

Mainstream TV

People all around the world watch the TV, this means that the likely hood of someone watching a music video would be high as the music video would be shown during the adverts, however they only show parts of the music video as it tends to be shown to promote the album so this means the audience are more likely to go online to see the whole music video or will end up buying the special edition CD/DVD but that costs them more. The are both advantages and disadvantages to this, a advantage would be that it is easy to access and it is on 24/7 another advantage would be that there are constant advertisements to promote the video. However there are disadvantages to this as you have to pay for the TV licence, they do not show the whole video and this could mean you would have to buy a CD or go online to find the music video which takes time. An example would be channel 4 as they show the odd few music videos but they are very rare and are more likely to be during T4 on shows like The Album Chart Show, Hollyoaks music show and T4 On the beach where artists perform their latest songs.

Music Channels

Music channels are generally used to watch the latest music videos that have been released for the audience to see as they may not have Internet to watch the music video on or they may not buy the special edition CD/DVD to watch the music video. There are many pros to having music channels for example they give the top and most popular songs of the time, they also have a variety of different channels for the different types of genres so that a wide range of audiences can watch the videos of the types of musics they enjoy listening to. The music channels also repeat the songs many times during the day, so if you had previously missed it you can watch it later. However there are problems with this like that there are commercials and that they only do the top 50 songs so there is a chance that the video that you like may not be in there. There are many music channels for different music channels like Kerrang is generally watched by people who enjoy listening to rock music and the there is the box which plays pop and R'N'B music, another example would be 4 music which also has the latest music and they have a news segment showing what the artist are up to.

Direct CD / Special edition CD/DVD Releases

Many people still buy Direct CD / Special edition CD/DVD as they can watch the music videos repeatedly, however the only problem with this would be that for the special edition they would have to pay more than a regular CD would cost. People may also buy a special edition is because they may not have Internet to access websites like YouTube and ITunes where they can download the music illegally or legally, however this could be a problem as the album is likely to have some songs that you do not like on it so paying more money would be wasted if you do not listen to the whole CD. An example of this would be ABBA Gold: The Greatest Hits as they had 19 songs on the track list but in 2003 when it was released in Europe there was a bonus second disc with an extra 11 singles, when it was later re-released in 2010 the DVD with remastered versions of the video.

Streaming websites (e.g. YouTube)

Streaming websites means that you can watch something without having to download it, this allows the user to watch music videos instantly without having a problem.This is good for the fans as they can watch the whole video without it costing them anything so they can watch the video as long they want and as many times as they want. Streaming websites are also good for the artists and their record labels as they out advert on the video so if the user clicks on it they get paid, it also good for them as the more views they get the more money they make from it. However this could be bad for the fans as they the videos may be released in the websites but they are not always good quality. An example of this would be Justin Bieber's song Baby ft Ludacris is the second most watched video on YouTube with 819,379,356 views showing that YouTube is a popular site for people to watch music videos.

Artist's Websites

Most artists have an official website that has all their information on it like there tour dates, album releases, when there latest songs would be released and merchandise. This means that as soon as the artist has released their latest song there fans can immediately see it and it is free of charge. Artist's may also have other posts like the making of their music video, photos from when they are touring and also photos from there photo shoot to keep their fans updated and aware of  what they are currently doing. An artists website will also have links to websites like Facebook and twitter so you can also see what they are up to at the moment on those if they have not updated their websites. An example of this would be Adele's website as she put on latest information about herself and recent events she has been to, there are also links to other sites on her page so they can see her recent updates on the other pages.

Downloads (legal and illegal)

Many people download songs and music videos illegally as it is free and because they can frequently do so. However there are problems with this as the quality may not be as good, they could also get viruses and if they got they got caught they could get fined an example of this would be lime wire. Some people download things legally from Itunes as they can get music videos in good quality and instead of buying a special edition CD/DVD and paying for the paying a lot of money they can select any song they want, however they would have to pay for it. An example of this would be ITunes as you can download songs separately or you can buy the whole album which means you do not have to download every song separately so it is a better deal.