Post 3: What is a music video?

What is a music video?
Music videos are created for both artistic and promotional purposes which promote the artist and help create a bigger fan base. These short films help to express the mood and feeling of the genre that the artist or band want to purvey. It is hard to compare one music video to another because they are all very different in the way they are put together in regards to the codes and conventions used. Because of this, we use Goodwin's theory as it suggests to us the similarities that will be in most videos.



Goodwin's theory:
- Genre  characteristics
- Visuals/lyrics
- Visuals/music
- Need to sell artist
- Intertextuality
- Voyeurism


1. Genre characteristics
This part of the theory suggests that music genres may have their own style and iconography, e.g. rock music - dark clothing, instruments, fast paced editing.
2. Visuals and lyrics
In music videos the lyrics can convey certain emotions and moods, these can be shown in the video and to the viewer in multiple ways. Goodwin's theory suggests that one of these ways is by making a relationship between the visuals and lyrics, e.g. in Keane's video for "Somewhere only we know" the lyrics say "i came across a fallen tree" and at the same time we see an image of the band walking past a fallen tree.
3. Visuals and music
The other way in which these moods can be conveyed is by the relationship between the visuals and music e.g when a songs tempo changes the editing may change to match this speed.
4. Need to sell artist
Goodwin's theory suggests that most music videos will aim to sell and promote their artist to their target audience and potential fans watching their video, this is done by having the artist in the video for most of the way through and many close up shots of them.
5. Intertextuality
This is when the producer of the music video will relate part of the video to an idea taken from another media text that is well known and familiar to the target audience.
6. Voyeurism
Goodwin's theory suggests that in music videos there is likely to be reference to voyeurism allowing the audience to see the artist (particularly women) in their own personal space e.g. in the bedroom which would otherwise be prohibited.