Goodwin Analysis (Course Work)

Goodwin Analysis

Andrew Goodwin identified certain features linked with music videos that he proved to be reliable after testing various music videos. Goodwin's theory is likely to apply to all mainstream music videos and some niche music videos. The features he has identified are evident within most mainstream music videos, even if they do not include every single feature. The features involved within Goodwin's theory include:

1) Genre Characteristics

2) Relationship between lyrics and visuals

3) Relationship between music and visuals

4) Star image motif's

5) Notion of looking

6) Intertextual References

7) Performance, narrative or concept based?

8) Technical elements

Genre Characteristics: Music videos often show their genre through the many of their specific characteristics which had made them conventional. 

Relationship between lyrics and visuals: The connection between the two is shown through the visuals relating to the lyrics. Either being illustrative; which is explaining the lyrics visually, the amplifying, the exaggeration of the lyrics which is linking to the video and finally contradicting; being the opposite visual to the lyrics heard.

Relationship between music and visuals: Visuals are important as it shows a connection with the actual music. For example If the music is upbeat like in rap, they are important the visuals, whereas if the music is monotone, so are the visuals.

Star image motifs: With the music video includes many close-ups of the artist, it is demanded by the record labels to make them popular and identifiable to show the artist imagination.

Notion of looking: This is when there is particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body, women that are seen as a sexual object. There are a huge amount of music videos that use the notion of looking nowadays, particularly songs in the R&B, and hip hop genre.

 Intertextual references: In many music videos there are often links with other films, TV programmes or other music videos etc. This Is called intertextual reference.  

Performance, narrative or concept based?: A music video is likely to either be performance based, narrative based or concept based, however, it is unlikely for all three to be evident in a video.

Technical Elements: Technical elements consist of the use of micro elements including cinematography, sound, editing and mise en scene within a music video. All music videos are likely to have technical elements which will make their music video conventional to it's genre.