Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Music Video Genre Task (Notes and Video 1)

I have chosen to analyse six music video's, I will do this through using Goodwins Rules and giving my own textual analysis.


Notes on Conventions,etc
1. Spectacle or concept
2. Narrative
3. Intertextuality 
4. Image
5. Romanticism/sex
6. Performance

Goodwins Rules:
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performance in rock video, dance routine in hip hop etc).
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (the words are interpreted visually either through a narrative, or figuratively through signs and symbols)
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (the editing of the visuals is closely linked to the rhythms of the music)
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 (a visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, mirrors etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).

Mika: 'We are Golden' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEhutIEUq8k)




There is a definite sense of a large scale performance which can seem chaotic at times, and non-stop. There are a variety of different effects used in this music video such as slow motion, and flashing lights/background colours in some shots. These colours contrast against what the artist is wearing also adding a unique performance.

There doesn't appear to be a strong narrative, apart from at the start and end of the music video where the artist starts and stops his own song.
The artists image is strong and quirky and the artist creates his own character within the music video. His behaviour appears to be wild and the focus is his body throughout the music video because of his constant change of clothes/appearance.


Goodwins Rules:
This music video demonstrates genre chartacteristics of pop as the artist is the main point of attention throughout the music video and the only person we see throughout it. There are quite a large amount of close-ups on the artist so that he keeps the attention of the viewer for the duration of the music video. The notion of looking can be seen through the use of Mirrors in which the artist looks at himself and his performance/appearance throughout the music video.


Textual Analysis:
A link between the lyrics and the visuals can be seen in this music video as the lyrics are unique and unusual which matches his on screen movements and actions.  The music is very upbeat in this music video and the visuals closely relate to this genre of music. There are close-ups of the artist through out the music video. This music video is definitely performance based.

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