Thursday, 26 September 2013

Andrew Goodwin theory

Andrew Goodwin believes that pop videos are very different to novels and films in that they not approached in the same way through narrative structure. The reasons he believes this are for 3 differences:

1.       Pop videos are built around songs

2.       Pop videos show the singer as both a narrator and character

3.       The singer often looks straight at the camera which involves the viewer at home

Goodwin says that there are three types of relations between songs and videos: illustration, amplification and disjuncture:

·         Pop videos have a lot of repetition through imagery, chorus and lines. The repetition in songs of parts and rhythms of other songs makes the audience become familiar with the genre and have certain expectations. Videos are played on TV, the songs are played on the radio and there sometimes is an advertising film or TV tie-in making the song very familiar through repetition.

·         Pop songs and videos have a form of closure and ending. The single that a video is based on will end and this can be reflected in the structure of the music. Climax is built to a constant repetition before fading away.

·         Visualisations from a song may go further the original meaning in a music video. Some videos provide a visual pleasure that encourages repeated viewing which therefor promotes the music. Sometimes the videos might be promoting other commodities such as films.

Illustration: the video tells the story of the lyric.

Amplification: when the videos introduce new meanings that do not contradict with the lyrics but add layers and meanings.

Disjuncture: there is little connection between the lyric and video. Or the video contradicts the lyric.

·         Music videos have easily recognisable features. For example, in an indie rock video the instruments will be focused on.

·         In some videos different instruments are represented by the different objects.

·         Videos try to appeal to as wide audience as possible without alienating the core target audience.

·         Videos that are from songs written for particular movies often incorporate image from that movie in the video.

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