Andrew Goodwin
Dancing in the Distraction Factory
Andrew Goodwin is a theorist who believed that are 3 different types of music videos. Illustration, Amplification and Disjunction.
Illustration Music Videos
An illustration music video is one of the most common music videos, it always cuts to the beat and lyrics illustrate the meaning and feeling in the video. The artist will dance and lip synch which is typical of illustration videos. An example is Price Tag by Jessie J. This is because the lyrics are illustrated through the images, for example at the beginning when she says 'Coconut man and moon head' a coconut man and moon head dolls appear in her hands. It can also be seen when she sings 'stop for a minute and smile' Again Jessie J appears on the screen smiling. Furthermore, in the chorus when she is singing 'It's not about the money money money' she is dancing underneath a money tree. This shows that the lyrics are very literal and is easy to understand as a narrative is not needed.
Illustration Music Videos
Another example of an illustration video is Red Dress by MAGIC! Whenever he sings 'Hey you with the red dress on' in the chorus the camera cuts to a shot of woman in a red dress. Also the video features many shots of different women in red dresses which relates to the title of the song and lyrics, therefore illustrating the connotations of the lyrics through the image of the red dress.
Amplification Music Videos
An amplification video is another common music video, it also cuts to the beat. It can use both narrative and performance to connote the meaning of the song. The artists sometimes take on fictional roles in the narrative. One example of an amplification is You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift. The music video is based around a girl who is in love with a boy who already has a girlfriend, but she wishes he would choose her instead. Taylor Swift plays several characters in the video including the lead girl and the girlfriend, the narrative helps the viewers to understand the song more showing them that the popular girl doesn't always get the guy.
Amplification Music Videos
Another example is Who's Laughing Now by Jessie j. The video features a younger version of Jessie and how she was picked on at school and nobody believed in her. The video shows her growing more confident and how those people that constantly dragged her down now want to be friends with her because she's famous. The first shot shows a young Jessie J in class being bullied by her classmates, terrorizing her by calling her names and pulling her hair. The next shot is still of a young Jessie J, this time she is a confident and powerful stance as she is getting famous and she is no longer letting the bullying get to her as she knows they are all jealous of her. The final shot is of a young Jessie J and an older Jessie J which shows the transition and how far she has come and the stuggles she has faced, but she overcame them and is successful. This video creates awareness of bullying.
Amplification Music Videos
Hall of Fame by The Script ft Will.i.am is another example as it inspires people to chase their dreams through the stories of a deaf girl who goes on to be a ballerina and a boy who becomes a boxer. The narrative therefore helps the viewers to understand the connotations of lyrics as they amplify the meaning and what is happening. The first two shots show the transition between the girl who is deaf, she starts off shy and is picked on for not being the same but then she becomes a successful ballerina. The last two shots show the boy who becomes a boxer, he is first seen sleeping on the floor with his mother kicking him to wake him up and then him in the ring after he has won a match.
Disjuncture Music Video
Disjuncture music videos are less common. The music is usually off beat and lyrics are usually not related to the video. Bands that make disjuncture music videos are usually already established and well known. The artists image is the opposite of what we expect and sometimes they do not even appear in the video. An example of a disjuncture music video is Born This Way by Lady Gaga. This is because it features a lot of abstract imagery, for example at the beginning when she says 'a race with bears no prejudice' a lot of eccentric art is used. Her image is also not what we expect as she wears unconventional and abnormal clothing. This can be seen during the first chorus when she sings 'oh there ain't no other way, baby I was born this way'.
Disjuncture Music Video
Another example of a disjuncture music video is Deep Down Low by Valentino Khan. This video features a lot of imagery which doesn't relate or match the lyrics of the song. This can all been seen, mostly in the chorus as it repeats the words 'Deep Down Low'. The first image shows a mouth that leads to more mouths, the second image is of a woman witch tenticles coming out of her eyes and the final image is of a man who has his face stretched. These all help to conform to a disjuncture music video as the images do not make any sense and are in no way related to the plot or story line of the video.
Disjuncture Music Video
Can't Stop by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers is another example of a disjuncture video. Even though the video features the member of the band it is full of random shots that show them holding bins and inside cardboard boxes. The first shot shows him standing at the edge of the tube lip synching, the second shot shows the same man
