Friday 12 June 2015

Welcome back everyone! Post 1: Key features of a music video

Andrew Goodwin, Dancing in the Distraction Factory, 1992 stated that typical music videos have the following features:

1. Genre characteristics
2. A relationship between lyrics and visuals
3. A relationship between sound and visuals
4. A high proportion of close ups
5. Visual motifs
6. Notion of looking
7. Intertextual references

To test this theory, analyse your own choice of music video below (looking at page 47 of the booklet and the writing frame in shared area if you need it).

1) What is the genre of the track and what typical conventions are evident in the music video?

2) What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?  Give three specific examples from the video.
3) What is the relationship between music and visuals?  Give two specific examples.
4) What is the proportion of CUs to other camera distance shots in the video?  What other shots are prominent or significant?  What are the CUs framing?
5) Does the artist have any visual motifs?  If so, what are the connotations?
6) Is there any notion of looking present?  Where?
7) Is the video voyeuristic?  Is it fetishistic?  Why do you think that is?
8) Are there any intertextual references to film, news, tv programmes, art, other music videos?
9)  Is the video primarily performance, narrative or concept based?  If a mix of two or more, what are the proportions?  What is the relationship between the two different sections?
10)  Does the video conform to Goodwin's theory?  Explain.
In addition: What visual effects are employed?  Is this typical of the artist?  What would you say about their style?


 

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