Andrew Goodwins Theory

Goodwin speaks about key aspects of music videos that we, the audience, should look for in a good music video.

• Star Image
• Intertextuality
• Sound and Vision
• Notions of looking
• Genre

Star Image

Artists use videos as a way of promoting themselves. So often you see a lot of close ups. For example Chris Motionless in Devils Night

Intertextuality

This is when there is a reference to a TV program or film. This is so that the viewer can make the connection as well as it might help with the understanding of the narrative.

like in Naughty Boy - La La La ft. Sam Smith referencing The Wizard of Oz,

Sound and Visuals

This is when there is a clear connection between the video and the lyrics in the song. With this there are 4 other things to be considered

• Disjuncture: No relation between lyrics and visuals.
• Contradict: When the lyrics and visuals contradict each other.
• Illustrate: When the visuals have a literal relation to the lyrics.
• Amplify: When the key meaning is manipulated to effect the audience. Relation between visuals and lyrics may be exaggerated.

Notions of looking

'Voyerism' When things such as male gaze is used so that the viewer is watching for his or her own pleasure. This is often seen when dance routines of women in videos and use of clothing.

Another element is when the video has mirrors or tvs incorporated within the video giving the direct feel of watching something.

Genre

The video should fit certain genre characteristics e.g. Rock - Live performance, darker and more Gothic visuals. 

Initial Thoughts on Own Music Video

We decided  on Kill The Freak as the band for our video because we thought due to the up tempo of the music genre and its clear beat we thought we would be able to make a fast paced and different theme to a music video. The theme of there songs really got us going with ideas for ways we can show the lyrics in a new way. 

Song Lyrics

I’m A Freak

Verse 1:

 It’s these voices in my head

They tell me what to do

 It’s this other side of me

 That I can’t control 

It’s a place inside my mind

 That I can’t set free

 It is undeniable

 It’s taking over my life

Chorus:

I’m disordered

I’m weak

 I am ruined

 And I’m a freak

 Verse 2:

 It’s my brain

 it doesn’t work

I get confused

 It’s a dark type of me

 That can’t be killed

 It stops me being alone

 When things get weird

 It is unpredictable

It feels so alive

 Chorus:

I’m disordered

 I’m weak

 I am ruined

 And I’m a freak

Interlude:

 What am I? I’m a..

 What am I? I’m a..

What am I? I’m a..

What am I? I’m a Freak!

Magazine Advertisements

I chose this advert because I like how simple it is but it still gets it message across. It has the Bands name at the top with its trademark font so any fan would instantly know it. It has the album name under the band name with date of release. The picture is the album artwork. This is simple but effective. Its eye catching due to the artwork and its informative by the text. Any more writing and this ad would be too cluttered. The young boy in the picture is shown to be holding the bands logo on a piece of string which is also a clear indicator of the band and clever thinking of the artist. The colours in the picture are dull back, grey and white but it works because its eye catching. This picture in bright colours for one aesthetically wouldn't look right and at the same time it would fit the Rock genre of the band.

Past Student Music Video

The video in itself looks very professional. The first ten seconds of the video I would say are the most professional looking. The opening shot is well lit and is very steady, it sets the scene and looks very professional.












The pan of them fighting is a really good combination of shots and is very smooth. Then the close up, cross processed, shot of the males face fits in very well. The close up of his eyes is a very shaky shot and is off centred. It’s a creative shot but could have been smoother.

Quite a few of the shots could have been smoother and the framing could have been better as well. Weirdly enough on the lip syncing shots the shaky and off framing kind of works and fits with the song. The close up of the writing at first is in focus and then goes off and on again. This could have been intentional to fit the beat but it looks off. The close up of him writing is very good though and a good angle. The lip sync its self is very good. There isn’t much of it but it works and fits with the narrative. The narrative at first didn’t seem to work because the music is slow and the couple where fighting. The slow motion helped but I felt that they should have showed something calmer. The use of lighting is done very well especially in the cross processed shots. The location was well thought out and fit well with the narrative. To improve the video i would have paid more attention to the framing and focus of the camera more and maybe had the fighting build with the the tempo of the music giving it a better effect.

Purpose of a music video

The Purpose of a music video is to;

• Sell the song. By making you remember the music.
• Give the narrative of the song a clear meaning.
• To be entertaining. It has to be entertaining or no one would watch it.
• To expand and expose the artists fan base.

In the end a music video is a promotional tool for the artist. Its all about CD or song downloads. The best way to get a hype about a song is to give it a massive video which gets everyone's attention.
There are certain genres that make their videos appeal more to their target audeince. e.g. rock have live performance,

Pop have male gaze, when the camera is in the view point of a man, for example focusing on bits that men like most about women.