Research- Goodwin Theory

The Goodwin theory

Andrew Goodwin  a media theorist developed theories around the music industry and their videos, he believes that all music video no matter what genre, involves these 8 things...

 

1. Genre Characteristics

When a music video often reflects their genre through the use of specific characteristics which makes them conventional, for example …

 

Rock is often known to be dark, passive aggressive, the theme used throughout  the video is mostly black and white, its known to be exhibited by a band which is mostly overpowered by the white race, the costume used in the video is most likely to be leather dominant.

 

In the pop music, the video is most likely to be cliché, with mainstream ideas which are exaggerated and unrealistic for the viewers, the costume is stylish and the video is most likely to include young people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.Relationship between lyrics and visuals

A connection is shown through the visuals relating to the lyrics, either being illustrative; explaining the lyrics linking the video and lastly contradicting; being the opposite visuals to the lyrics heard.

 

 

3.Relationship between music and visuals

visuals show a connection to the actual music, these are also illustrative, amplifying or contradicting. For example if the music is upbeat the movements and the setting of the video is also going to be upbeat, whereas if the song is slow paced the movements are going to be slow and the setting is going to include low lighting to convey the  mood of the song.

 

4. Star Image Motifs

The Music video is more likely to include lots of close up shots of the artist. This is most likely to be requested by the record label in order that the viewer feel like they are getting to know the artist more and to make them more popular and identifiable. Artists like Sia take this theory on board and made this her own by not ever showing her face in her videos this allows hype and anticipation to grow around her as people will be expecting her on the next video.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Notion of looking

Particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body women are seen as a sexual object, which relates to Mulvey’s theory on women, when the camera glazes over the women’s assets. Many music videos in the hip-hop genre contain this asset of the notion looking.

                               

                                    

 

 

6. Intersexual Reference

In many music videos you will find that there is often links to other films and other famous topics or

other music videos. Eminem is an artist that is known for his intersexual reference in his videos, many of his videos involve Michael Jackson and Britney Spears being made fun off.

7. Performance, Narrative or Concept based

• Performance Based – When the video does not include a narrative but includes a lot of singing and dancing, and involves the artist showing off their skills.
• Narrative based- when the video foretells a story, where there is characters, there is a beginning and an ending.
• Concept based- concept based is when there is a relative concept or theme throughout the video, this mostly happens in niche genres with non-mainstream artist.

8. Technical element

All videos include some sort of technical element such as…     

- Cinematography - low angles/ high angles

- Editing - all videos have some sort of editing especially as the technologies have developed in away in which it has allowed editing to be more efficient.

- Mise En Scene

- Sound

 

As a group we decided to take it upon ourselves and analyze the Will Smith- Miami, we used the 8 elements to the video and used a grid to help us identify it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We individually then analysed our own video, I picked FKA Twigs-Glass Patron



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

looking and analysing these two different video has allowed me to see how Goodwin's theory really does somehow tie in with every genre. Both analysed music videos featured one of Goodwin's characteristics the main one that is identified to be the star image motif, where in both the videos the main characters are the main focus of the video. Overall the music video that mostly applies to Goodwins theory is Will Smith 'Miami' which includes more aspects of the theory.

Positive things about the Goodwin’s theory

- Easy to apply to all videos and music genres
- Allows to breakdown music videos

- Allows you to Analyse lots of media ideas such as cinematography, editing, Mise En Scene

Negative things about the Goodwin’s theory

 

- Very reliant on mainstream music and popular culture

- The validity of his theory might be question as people might ask if this is really his theory or if it’s just thoughts that can naturally come to someone.

Conclusion

 

This information shows me that my music video should contain some of these elements if I want it to be successful and for the audience to enjoy it. As past videos have shown not all music videos contain all the points the points that Goodwin has provide but they do contain each a characteristic. Due to my research I have decided to take in account Goodwin's theory when creating my music videos. I have decided that I would like to take in account his relationship between visuals and lyrics, due to the fact that the song that I am thinking of using is a slow song, I have decided to allow the images to accompany the lyrics. Also the star image motif, I have decided that I would like my main artist to be the centre of attention in the video. So I've decided that I will use my main artist to tell the story that will be portrayed in the narrative.