Music Video Theory

Goodwin says that music videos can be: Narrative based Performance based Narrative and Performance based

Goodwin identifies: There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals There is a relationship between music and visuals Particular music videos have own style and iconography There is a demand on CUs of main artist / vocalist The artist may develop own iconography, which becomes a ‘star image’ (See Dyer later) There will be reference to voyeurism, particularly of women, to be looked at (links in to Mulvey, Gaze theory - See Shakira ‘She Wolf’) There are likely to be intertextual references

Andrew Goodwin from “Dancing in the Distraction Factory” (1992) Narrative videos tend to be: Illustrative or Amplificative or Disjunctive “Music video is not primarily a commodity form but a promotional one.” (Goodwin 1992)

Steve Archer on Narrative and Performance Videos “Often, music videos will cut between a narrative and a performance song by the band. Additionally, a carefully choreographed dance might be a part of the artist’s performance or an extra aspect of the video designed to aid visualisation and the ‘repeatability’ factor. Sometimes, the artist (especially the singer) will be a part of the story, acting as narrator and participant at the same time. But it is the lip-synch close-up and the miming of playing instruments that remains at the heart of music videos, as if to assure us that the band really can kick it” (Archer 2004) This establishes the ‘authenticity’ of a band’s musical virtuosity by showing them in stage performance or a rehearsal room (See Libertines DLBITS) Voyeuristic context - we see the band in their natural space, although this is constructed eg, nightclub, or on the streets, or in a boudoir (See Roll Deep)

John Stewart on Intertextuality visual reference in music videos comes from a range of sources, with the most frequent being cinema, fashion and art photography (See Madonna: Vogue or RHCP Can’t Stop) Music video is “incorporating, raiding and reconstructing” in terms of how it borrows from other media (See Aphex Twin CTD)

Richard Dyer “A star is constructed from a range of materials.” (Dyer 1979) For pop music, these can include: The songs The record covers Media coverage Live performance images and videos The music video, which links to the aforementioned Consider ‘Star power’ as a ‘Brand’ eg Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga

And of course, other theory still applies where applicable: - Propp - Todorov - Barthes - Levi-Strauss - Kaminsky Creed …as does music and distribution theory: web 2.0, Gauntlett, Mulligan, Stafford, horizontal integration, vertical integration, fanships, active audiences, synergy and the global village (any more?) … as does your deconstruction approach: Representation constructed through camerawork, editing, sound/music and miss-en-scene