Goodwins Theory

I have looked at Goodwins theory of music videos to help me use forms and conventions that you expect to see in a real music video.

Goodwin’s Theory

Andrew John Goodwin’s theory indentifies what you usually expect to see in the modern music video, and states key features that distinguish the music video as a form.

Voyeurism: When other people look at the artist or an insight into their lives. e.g a screen within a screen

Close up’s: Images of the artist, usually of their face, distinguishing features or face to help make them more recognizable to fans e.g. Calvin Harris’s sunglasses

Intertextuality: When another text is referenced e.g. parody. A good example of this is “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys which takes characteristics which we normally associate with the 80′s Police Drama’s.   

Genre characteristics: What we expect to appear in their music video style e.g. Metal being featuring extravagant stage performances.

Relationship between Music and visuals: The means the visuals illustrate amplify or contradict the music. An example would be fast paced music may mean a lively video. An example would be Foo Fighters with “Pretender” as when the chrous kicks in again, after a spell of silence, red paint explodes onto set.

Relationship between Lyrics and visuals: When the visuals on screen illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics e.g. an Image may appear on screens when it is referenced in the song. A good example of this is in the song “Yellow” by Coldplay when the artist sings the opening line ”look at the stars” and in the background we can see stars in the sky.

I will use this theory to deconstruct music vidoes of various genres in order to find stereotypes and other typical aspects to help me plan and create my music video.