Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin believes traditional narrative doesn’t apply to Pop videos. Pop videos approach narrative differently to novels and films. Pop videos are based around songs which don’t usually hold traditional narrative structures. Furthermore the singer is used as narrator and character. As the objective of a music is to promote the artist, the singer looks directly into the camera with many close ups, this is considered an extension of a music hall performance.

Goodwin says pop videos rely on repetition. For example the video may repeat images the way the song repeats choruses and lines. Pop videos have a form of closure and ending, the song builds to a climax or constant repetition then fades away.

Additionally Goodwin has identified some key features that distinguish the music video form.

·     There is a connection between the lyrics and visuals. The visuals illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics.

·      Record Companies demand there are several close ups of the main artist, as its their music video being promoted.

·     Every music video has some codes and conventions we expect to see.

·     Intertextual references to other music videos or TV texts & Film texts.

Illustration – this occurs when the lyrics of the song are shown through a story. (Dance can also reflect the mood of a song)

Jay-Z ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’:                                                                                                                             The video illustrates the lyrics of the song. The chorus says ‘I love girls girls girls.. .’ and in the video Jay- Z is surrounded by women. Furthermore every line is illustrated in the video, for example he says ‘I got this young chick/she so immature/she like why you don’t buy me Reeboks no more?/Like to show out in public/ throw tantrums on the floor/ got to toss a couple dollars....’ This is reflected in the video as his in a shoe store with a woman who’s throwing a tantrum and he gives her some dollars.

Beyonce – ‘If I Were a Boy’ is also an example of illustration.

Amplification – This occurs when the video introduces new meanings that don’t contradict the lyrics of the song. 

Lil’ Wayne ‘How to Love’ - The songs meaning is explaining a woman’s life who couldn’t figure out ‘How to Love’. However the video introduces a new meaning, as it tells a story of why the woman could figure out ‘how to Love’, the story is that she came from a dysfunction background. Later in life she gets tested positive Aids but then the video outlines how things change depending on you upbringing. As instead of being tested for aids the graduate is tested positive in a pregnancy test.

Eminem – ‘Love the Way You Lie’ is also an example of amplification.

Disjuncture – This occurs when there is little connection between the video and the lyrics, and when the visuals contradict the lyrics.

Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – Song about self- realisation but the video contains clips of radical world events.