ANDREW GOODWIN'S THEORY
(From "Dancing in the Distraction Factory")
The theory states the seven key factors that provide the essential frameworks for understanding and producing a music video. These elements often appear to facilitate the shaping of genre, theme, and overall aesthetics.
1. Strong links between genre and visuals - this first factor mentions the use of stereotypical genre conventions (depending on the representation of music type in which the song falls).
2. The existence of a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals - Goodwin stated the necessity of having the video add further meaning to the song.
3. The video will contain voyerism - Goodwin argued the proposition that music videos often exploit the idea of looking and being looked at. This commonly involves the sexualized portrayal of artists, usually female (done through revealing costumes, provocative choreography, and other choices of media language)
4. Demands of the record label can be seen. The label of an artist's main goal is to promote their name and strengthen their marketing, or branding campaign - use of star image and collaboration (e.g., product placement)
5. Intertextuality - music videos usually make references to other films and television shows.
6. Follow one of the main forms: Performance, Concept (interpretive), or narrative-based.
7. The video will reflect the music in tone, atmosphere, and pace - e.g., cutting-on-beat.
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ Application to analyse music videos:
꒷ 🍰 ˙ Ceilings - Lizzy McAlpine𖦹˙—
"Ceilings" follows the indie folk/pop genre, which was mirrored through the minimalistic and naturalistic visuals - scenes taken at a meadow area, then at a conventional apartment where the 2 lovers are shown sharing a bed. The color scheme is presented as earthy with warmer hues. This reflects production's intention to avoid flashy effects and extravagant set designs to keep the muted tone of the music video aligned throughout the sequence. This adheres to the first key factor, "connection of visual and genre."
Subsequently, a correlation between visuals and lyrics can be decoded. In particular, as the song comes to its instrumental peak near the end, a juxtaposition can be witnessed in the disappearance of the male character compared to the beginning of the music video, as the lyrics state "but it's not real, and you don't exist", referring to Lizzy's realization of her daydream. In addition, the scene where the 2 lovers are seen sitting next to each other, laughing and having a great time, the line goes "lovely to sit between comfort and chao," - presenting the physical act of sitting down while hiding a secret message of how the reality is much more disruptive.
Complying with Andrew Goodwin's 6th rule, "Ceilings" conform to the categories of being a combination of concept and narrative-based. The music video explores the mentality of being stuck in a dreamlike environment while also keeping the audience aware of the harsh reality. At the same time, the storyline follows a linear timeline: Lizzy began by being accompanied by her boyfriend, evoking comfort and love; at the end, her partner disappears, revealing the fantasy she had been painting all this time. Additionally, the tone and atmosphere of the music video are intensified by the cutting-on-beat editing, with flexible pacing according to the flow of the song (abiding by Goodwin's 7th element)
──★ ˙ Risk - Gracie Abrams 🍓 ̟ !!
The music video of Risk (by artist Gracie Abrams) belongs in the indie-pop category, and it complies perfectly with Goodwin's first key element of adhering to the genre's conventions. The video uses muted colour palettes, which amplifies the indie feature of the genre, while adding a pop of vibrant colours to create more dimensions and heighten the trait of pop. Similarly to "Ceilings", "Risks" focuses on more casual set designs and editing - suburban street and messy bedrooms - aligning with the authenticity commonly associated with indie.
Relationship between lyrics and visuals: As the lyrics state, "I'm gonna take (the risk)...", Gracie can be seen wandering through her room, contemplating whether the risk was worth it. This heightens the song's theme of stepping into vulnerability and allowing her intrusive thoughts to win over her consciousness. Furthermore, at the beginning, where the line states, "Look at me now, say I wouldn't do i,t but I hunted you down," was supported by the image of Gracie "stalking" the man, which not only directly reflects the obvious meaning of the line, but also consolidates the darker, almost comedic element of the song.
The editing and cutting of the music video reflect the tempo and pacing of the song - long, lingering shots between verses as Gracie's voice echoes in the track, then quicker cuts as the song builds up and Gracie's behavior becomes more chaotic.
Demands from the record label can also be observed through the heavy amount of close-up shots of Gracie's face, cementing her brand and image in the audience's minds. While there are numerous background actors and characters, the spotlight and central framing remain on Gracie, reminding the viewer of her influence on the song and the storyline, shining on her identity as an original singer/songwriter
Lastly, "Risk" also conforms to another of Goodwin's rules of being based on a certain narrative while having conceptual details to enhance the story. The linear development of Gracie's "insanity" as she gradually becomes more infatuated by the mysterious man to the point where she crashes a stranger's party and completely disregards her reputation shows a sharp and short plot line. At the same time, the music video includes several scenes of Gracie breaking the fourth wall, which act as conceptual elements of raising her authenticity: making it seem like she is directly addressing the audience and confiding in them.
࿔🍵⋆｡°° Back to Friends - Sombr🍡°⋆.*:･
Another Indie-pop song: Back to Friends by Sombr. By following its genre conventions, the music video included numerous abstract, symbolic elements, which play into the video being a combination of interpretive and performative. [1st and 6th key factor from Goodwin's theory]
Back to friends' visuals seem to focus more on adding deeper meaning to the lyrics rather than giving the viewers a physical interpretation of the words, which makes it more conforming to the indie genre. The incorporation of surreal images (mantis, lava, locust) represents fragility and destruction metaphorically, which deepens the song's resonance.
The editing rhythm matches the tempo and fluctuation of the song, which conforms to Goodwin's theory of the video reflecting the music's tone and atmosphere: softer moments are associated with longer, slower cuts, while more intense build-ups are accompanied by sharper, abrupt cuts at a quicker pace. Moreover, a large proportion of the music video was filmed in slow-motion, which further enhances the emotional depth of the song.
Star image (or demand from record label) was also an important component of the sequence. Sombr appeared at the very beginning of "Back to Friends", solidifying his identity as the owner of the track and the main focus of the sequence. In addition, in the performance scene, Sombr is seen wearing a greyish suit, making him stand out as the "star", the artist, making it easier to determine him apart from the band with their black dress code.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
MUSIC VIDEOS THAT SUBVERT THE THEORY BY ANDREW GOODWIN
— 𝜗𝜚. * • Yellow - Coldplay⊹˙∘•💫ᯓ
The music video rejects almost all of Andrew Goodwin's conventions, as the only thing appearing in the sequence is the main singer of Coldplay, Chris Martin, lip-syncing to the whole song at the beach at sunrise. The shoot seemed to be filmed with a sped-up track to "Yellow", and so when slowed down to match with the original tempo of the song, Chris Martin's movements looks more slowed and "delayed" while still being on beat, which could potentially be a contribution to the 7th rule from Goodwin: reflects the tone and atmosphere of the song, which is more laid back and sentimental. Another arguable aspect is being able to see the demand from the record label, as Chris Martin's face is the most recognizable from Coldplay across the media, and therefore, having him as the main and only subject seems to reinforce that statement. Apart from that, the music video of "Yellow" shows no visual connection between the lyrics and what is being observed through the screen; following that, there is also no exposure to voyerism or links to genre conventions.
— 𝜗𝜚. * • Elastic Heart - Sia ⊹˙∘•💫ᯓ
"Elastic Heart" music video proves to be another strong subversion of Andrew Goodwin's theory. Sia, the singer, does not appear anywhere in the music video, and the only thing that may remind the viewers of her is through the wig that Maddie Ziegler (the child dancer) is wearing: a signature look of the vocalist herself.
The choreography, despite being the main attraction of the music video, seems to be more of storytelling and highly interpretive of the deeper meaning of the theme through physical movement to contemporary dance instead of directly mirroring the lyrics and following the exact beat or tempo through modern-hop-hop dance - this goes against Goodwin's 7th rule. Moreover, as a product from the sub-genre of pop (electropop), the Elastic Heart music video does not include glamorous or flashy images frequently associated with the genre. Instead, it takes place in a raw, minimalistic cage setting.Regardingg Voyeurism, even though bodies are on display, the portrayal of the humanphysiquess isn'tmeant too provoke sexual ideas but to emphasize the nakedness of vulnerability, which is further strengthened by the unsettling and primal choreography- opposing Goodwin's statements.
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