.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Andrew Goodwin – identified 7 main aspects of a music video which audiences should look out for.
· 1) Links between lyrics and visuals – the visuals will illustrate, amplify or sometimes contradict the lyrics.
· 2) Links between music and visuals - these may compliment, contradict or amplify one another
· 3) Genre characteristics – including specific use of lighting, camerawork and props.
· 4) Intertextual references – to other music videos, TV programmes, films, etc.
· 5) Notions of looking – the objectification of women, themes of looking and voyeurism, encouraging the viewer to desire the artist and their lifestyle.
· 6) Demands of the record label - usually the representation of the artist, recognisable motifs for particular artists, etc.
· 7) Performance based, narrative based, or concept based – a video will usually fall into one of the above categories, although sometimes will be in more than one.
Roland Barthes – said that texts may be open or closed. Narrowed down the action of text into five different codes, which can be applied to any narrative – including music narrative videos.
· The hermeneutic code - the voice of truth. The code of enigmas or puzzles: The way the story avoids telling the truth, dropping clues and help create a mystery surrounding the narrative or character. This makes music videos very interesting.
· The enigma/proairetic code- the voice of empirics. The code of actions – any action proposed has to be completed in a logical order or sequence. The result of these actions form the plot of events within a text.
· The symbolic code- the voice of the symbol. Composed opposites or themes within a text, presenting something or someone that is the complete antithesis of something or someone else. Done in the use of contrast, where new meanings arise out of the opposing and conflicting ideas.
· The culture code- the voice of science. Looks at the audiences wider cultural knowledge, morality and ideology. Relates to the audiences and makes a video more interesting and realistic.
· The semantic code- the voice of the person. This points out to any section in the lyrics that suggest a particular meaning by a connotation which the story suggests. The connotation is what is symbolised.
Vladimir Propps – suggested that every narrative contains 8 different character types. They are called the "spheres of action". Many of these character types are identifiable in narrative music videos.
· The dispatcher – who makes the villain known and sends the hero on a quest.
· The magical helper – who helps the hero upon his quests.
· The princess – the reward at the end of the quest, who the hero adores – representative of new equilibrium
· The villain – which enters conflict with the hero in some way
· The father of the princess – who gives tasks to the hero, but Propps says that the father and princess are not often easily identifiable
· The hero – the protagonist to embark on the quest for better / the princess
· The false hero – takes credit for the hero's actions, tries to have the princess to himself.
Richard Dyre – suggests that icons and celebrities are constructed by institutions for financial game and to target specific groups of people. Celebrities are constructed to represent "real people" experiencing real emotions. Stars are created by the music industry as to serve a purpose- which is creating profit from an audience because fans idolise these stars and provide income through buying music and products.
· Audiences and institutions – Dyre argues that increasing the brand identity benefits the institution as they become a household name and increase sales in every aspect of media.
· Constitutions – Similar to the audiences and institutions aspect of his theory, saying that increasing brand identity around a star benefits constitutions.
· Hegemony – Known as culture – the idea that audiences relate to the star because they have a feature that they share, or something they admire within the star.
