Andrew Goodwin's Six Points- Music Videos.

Andrew Goodwin's Six Points
Andrew Goodwin generated a theory to identify the conventions of a typical music video.

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in rock video, dance routine for a pop song).This means that music videos of the same genre often show similarities. This could be through shot types, or settings. 

• For example, boy band One Direction, wear similar clothes in their music videos which shows they are a union. Moreover their dance routine is a convention of a pop video. 

    2.  There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).          The footage/shots/ and mise en scene should reflect the lyrics of the song in some way. This is effective as the link between lyrics and visuals creates a narrative. 

• For example in Beyonce's 'If I Were A Boy' music video she uses a narrative and performance based video, the lyrics match up with the actions she does on screen. When the lyric 'i turn off my phone' the image of Beyonce shows her turning off her mobile.  

    3.  There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
For example the editing should mirror the music or beat of the song.

• The Black Keys Video uses transitions and fast paced editing to match the beat of their song in their 'gold on the ceiling' music video. When there is a new beat added the frame will change. the shots are choppy and short to match their up beat and light hearted feeling. 

     4.  The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups. A method of using lots of close-ups of the artist themselves is used by the record label to market and advertise the artist. Moreover it gives the artist a familiar brand identity.

• In 'Take A Bow' by Rihanna, the director has chose lots of closeup shots of her, it also shows of her iconic short hair look which most people relate to Rihanna. The use of close up shots also establishes their target audience as many you girls idolize Rihanna. 

     5.  There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. This is drawing from the fact that in a lot of music videos, women are portrayed as sexual objects. This may or may not be relevant to every genre of music but it is the majority.

• In Beyonce's 'Crazy in Love' their is an awareness of Goodwin's point 5. There is one point where the artist is on a pedestal with lots of cameras flashing along with fragmented shots of different parts of her body.  There is a shot of her looking into a camera shown below. 

     6.  There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc)
In other words, parts of other films, music videos, characters etc. may be used in a video to attract attention of people who already know and like the material being referenced.

• For example in Kanye Wests 'Diamonds' music video there are lots of references to James Bond. Moreover the start of his videos features Shirley Bassies 'Diamonds are Forever' song which featured in a James Bond film. His video is shot in a very James Bond style. Its set in an exotic location, with expensive cars.