Andrew Goodwin’s Conventions of a Music Video

By Ethan Wall

The Conventions

• The music video demonstrates genre characteristics• There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals• There is a relationship between the music and visuals• The demands of the record label • Reference to the notion of looking• Some form of narrative and performance based

elements • There is often rhythmic editing• There are often intertextual references

The music video demonstrates genre characteristics

• This basically means that the style of video will not go against the genre of music. For example a boy band would probably preform a dance and be in synchronization with each other while a rock band would probably have a performance based video.

Take That- “Do what you like” Bruce Springsteen- “ Born in the USA”

There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals

• This means that the lyrics will be portrayed with images which will either illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics.

There is a relationship between the music and visuals

• This means that the atmosphere, mood and tone of the visuals should reflect the music whether is illustrates, amplifies or contradicts it.

The music video will include the demands of the record label

• This usually means that the video will have lots of close up of the band/artist performing. As well as this, the record label will try to create a “star image” for the artist/band within the video making them visually interesting and giving them a style.

Reference to the notion of looking• Scopophilia comes from the Greek word

meaning “love of looking”. During the music video there will be lots of ways we are shown the artist/band with the use of mirrors, screens and stages. As well as this there is often attention to the female body.

Lady Gaga – “Telephone” Ft. Beyoncé

Some form of narrative and performance based elements

• This just means that there should be a story within the music video, whether it follows the lyrics exactly or it follows the deeper meaning behind them. As well as this There should be parts of the video where we see the artist/band preforming.

Phillip Phillips – “Gone, Gone, Gone”Performance Narrative

Rhythmic Editing

• Rhythmic editing is often used in music videos to keep the visuals and music in sync, as well as this it can make the video more interesting if the tempo of the music is quick giving some interesting results.

Intertextual references

• This means that the music video will mimic other forms of media such as movies, TV programs and other music videos ect.

Tyga – “Rack City”“Grand Theft Auto” (videogame)

Comparing Goodwin’s theory to Telephone by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé

• This video follows many of the conventions Goodwin states.• The music video helps Lady Gaga promote her “unique” star

image with the outfits she wears.• The lyrics relate to the visuals as when the word telephone is

said Lady Gaga is often holding a telephone• In the music video we see lots of close ups of Lady Gaga and

Beyoncé, which the record label would have demanded• There is lots of references to notion of looking as we see Lady

Gaga through screens and CCTV camera • There is rhythmic editing in the video• As well as this there is intertextual reference to the movie Kill

Bill as the name of Beyoncé’s car is called the “pussy wagon” which is the name of Bride’s car in the movie.