Goodwin's music video analysis

In ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992) Andrew Goodwin explains that music videos have defining characteristics, such as:

(1) Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics

(e.g. stage performance in rock music video, dance routines for pop band)

(2) There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals

(this could be illustrative – being performed ‘literally’, amplifying – exaggerating the meaning or contradicting – goes against the meaning, perhaps ironically or satirically)

(3) There is a relationship between music and visuals

(either illustrative, amplifying or contradictory again)

(4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work

(e.g. the artist creates a distinct visual style for themselves, to allow intertextuality through their work)

(5) Frequent references to looking or watching, along with voyeuristic or erotic treatment of the female body

(depends on genre, and can also be applied to males in a video)

(6) There are often intertextual references

(e.g. referencing films, TV programmes, over music videos etc.)

I think that this information could be useful for when I make my own music video as a coursework piece, as it allows me to use ideas already used in proper music videos.

Types of music video

There are several types of music video, each having a different way of promoting the band or song. Examples of these are:

• Performance video – band ‘perform’ the song (e.g. Falling In Reverse - 'Raised By Wolves')

• Story videos – can be related or unrelated to song (e.g. Hadouken! - 'M.A.D')

• Hybrid performance + story – perhaps the most common, story intercut with band performing (e.g. Pierce The Veil - 'Caraphernalia')

• Animated - video is animated rather than using actors (e.g. The Flobots - 'Handlebars')

• One-take video - all the video is filmed in one take (e.g. OK go - 'Here It Goes Again')

• Artist absent - the artist does not appear in the video, often story videos as well (e.g. Funeral For A Friend - 'Roses For The Dead')

• ‘Random’ video – video is unrelated to songs theme (e.g. Motion City Soundtrack - 'Her Words Destroyed My Planet')

• Intertextuality - video references other forms of media, like film (e.g. Atreyu - 'Her Portrait In Black')

• Amplified emotions - video overdoes the emotions expressed in the song (e.g. Ed Sheeran - 'small bump')

• Humour - video is comedic (e.g. Blink-182 - 'All The Small Things')

• Extended video – video goes way beyond the length of the song (e.g. Michael Jackson - 'Thriller')

• Low budget – the video has low production values, either deliberately or by necessity (e.g. Get Scared - 'Sarcasm')

• High budget – the video is very expensive and has high production values (e.g. Thirty Seconds To Mars - 'The Kill')

• Subverts or contradicts central theme of the song – e.g. if the song is happy the video is sad or angry (very rare)

People required for a film

Films take huge amounts of preparation to create and there will be a lot of people needed to help plan, produce and edit the film. For this reason, a lot of people are 'hired' in the film-making process to help make the film. Some of these would be:


Director
Assistant Director
Producer
Planning & Scheduling
Legal & Financial
Accounts & Pay Roll
Distribution
Production Designer
Art Director
Costume Designer
Make-Up & Hair
Casting Director
Actors
Second Unit
Animation & Effects
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Gaffer/Lighting
Sound Production
Film Editor
Colourist
Sound Designer

This amount of people would only be required if you were making a full-length feature film. However, short films would require fewer people to take on more roles, to allow the limited budget to be used more evenly.

Genres Throughout History - Fantasy

1910 - 1920's
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1910)
- The Thief of Baghdad (1924)
- The Insects Christmas (1913)
- Dante's Inferno (1911)
- The Phantom Carriage (1921)


1930 - 1940's
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
- the Blood of a Poet (1930)
- Its a Wonderful Life (1946)
- Fantasia (1940)
- Bambi (1942)

1950 - 1960's
- The Seventh Seal (1957)
- Orpheus (1950)
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
- The Raven (1963)
- Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

1970 - 1980's
- Eraserhead (1977)
- Heaven Can Wait (1978)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- Labyrinth (1986)

1990 - Present Day
- Pans Labyrinth (2006)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- Monsters Inc. (2001)
- Toy Story (1995)
- The Lion King (1994)