RESEARCH FOR MUSIC VIDEO - Andrew Goodwins Theory

ANDREW GOODWINS THEORY

Andrew goodwin based his theory around the characterisitics of a music video, which he names "Dancing In The Distraction Factory". He focused his theory revolving around various elements of a music video that build up the characteristics in the video itself and also in the mind of the viewer.

"Music videos ignore common narrative as they are essentially advertisments. as consumers, we make up our own meaning of a song in our minds. a music video can anchoor meaning and gives the record company a method of anchoring meaning"
-Quoted by Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin believed that pop videos do not apply traditional narratives to pop videos. this is because the narrative they form is different to the narratives seen in films and novels.
The reasons for this are that:
    1. Pop videos are built around the song
    2. the main singer is usually used as both narrator and character
    3. the singer oftenly breaks the 4th wall which is when the singer looks directly in the camera. this is mainly         done to engage the viewer.

Andrew goodwin identified three ways in which the music video can be connected to the song itself
Andrew goodwin identified these Key features in his theory:

• Illustration 
• Amplification 
• Disjuncture

Illustration 

Illustration is basically the image created from the music in the video. it is a told story where the expressions of the lyrics match the illustration in the video. It gives a literal meaning in visual form without any contradictions, unlike amplification and disjuncture.
For example, in the video of UK Artist Pepstar - Russian Roulette

This video is a very good example of a music video that tells a story visualized directly from the lyrics. in the begining, it starts of as a film like introduction which leads up to events that lead up to the current situation. For example, when he says "just three weeks ago i was on the shopping spreeing", he is literally shopping. he then goes on to say he saw a girl and "tapped her shoulder" whilst literally doing it. Also, near the end, the girl screams "run pep run" but in the music video the story is visualized as she literally says it. This is a clear example where the expressions of the lyrics are identified through literal performance.

Amplification

amplification is when the video adds different layers of meanings but do not connect directly to the song. they may use both narrative and performance as connotations of the meaning.
For example, in Kanye wests video 'Homecoming'

In this video, we do not actually see the 'home' in reference to a house. We see people from kids to adults, men and women to suggest the society based in the area of where he lives. We also see different locations that are identifiable to the city, to make the 'Home' a familiar area. neighborhoods, a dark effect and location shots are taken to imply the feeling that his hometown brings, without relating it directly to the actual lyrics of the song. The meaning that the video brings is not direct from the lyric source, but creates its own meaning indirectly.

Disjuncture

Disjuncture intentionally ignores the content of the song and the general meaning. it tries to change the video to a whole different set of meaning, having a very little connection between the video and the lyrics.
For example, in the Dubstep video Guilt - Nero

In this Dubstep song, it is clear that the connection between the video and the song is very little. The song is called guilt and says in the chorus "you keep on talking but it makes no sense at all". However, there are no suggestions of verbal interaction between the people in the performance. Throughout, we see a pole dancer dancing and doing tricks, but it does not have a relation at all to the lyrics or story being told. Also, there seems to be a theme of flashing lights even though the lyrics does not implicate a lit up atmosphere. It is completely random compared to the lyrics being said, as it creates a whole different meaning. this is a clear example of disjuncture.