Researching music
The Structure of Music VideoRethinking Narrative Analysis
Summary of Andrew Goodwins theory on music;
Andrew Goodwin believes that traditional narrative analysis does not really apply to pop videos.
This ia because pop videos are trying to be avant garde - it is jus that they approach narrative from a different angle to
novels and films.
The reasons for different narrative structures are:
- Pop videos are built around songs
- the pop video uses the singer both as character and narrator
- the singer often looks directly at the camera (trying to involve the viewer)
In order to make their audience familiar with the genre, pop videos often rely on repetition.
The video repeats images in the way the sing repeats choruses also the repetition in songs of parts or rhythms of other
songs means that we adjust to the genre and have certain expectations.
Pop songs, and therefore videos do have a form of closure and ending. The short video is based on must end and
this is often reflected in the structure of music - it builds to a climax before fading away.
According to different music, some videos are autonomous. A song may have a certain meaning but the visualiastion
may go beyond it thus encouraging the viewers to watch repeatedly as they gain pleasure from the visual.
There are 3 types of relations between songs and videos: ILLUSTRATION,AMPLIFICATION,DISJUNCTURE.
Illustration - this is where the video tells the story of the lyric. Dance is often used to express the feelings/mood
of the song.
Amplification - occurs when the videos introduce new meanings that do not contradict with the lyrics but add layers of
meaning.
Disjuncture - this is where there is little connection between the lyric and video or where the video contradicts the lyric.
A tradional feature of pop videos is often thet have easily recognisable features. Micheal jackson used to give a yelp
in his video, also lil wayne makes a hiccup noise in his videos. Another major feature is the way women are prestented as
objects of male desire. This corresponds to 'male gaze' theory by Laura Mulvey'. However some artists such as Nicole Shcerzinger
and Beyonce wilfully present themselves however they directly look at the camera to refrain from being passive.
Furthermore videos attempt to to appeal to as wide an audience possible without estranging the core target audience.
Videos which feature older bands often show them in their younger days - but this would be in the 60s and 70s so an
older audience can still identify with them. Lastly songs written and used for particular movies often assimilate images
from the movie (titanic) in the video; my heart will go on - Celine Dion
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