Research: Andrew Goodwin Task

'The Structure of Music Video - Rethinking Narrative Analysis'

Andrew Goodwin believes that the traditional narrative structures do not apply to pop music videos becuase these structures are created for the use of novels and films - music videos approach a different angle of narrative. His reasoning for different narrative structures are:
1. Pop videos do not have traditional narrative structures (normailty-problem-resolution) because they are built around songs.  
2. The artist is used as a narrator as well as a participant.
3. The attempt to involve the audience in the performance and the exaggeration of performance by the singer often looking into the camera.


The repetitious nature of pop videos means that the video will often repeat images to reflect the song, usually the chorus.  This will also mean that the Intertexualtiy of the music videos of this genre will have pre-established expectations  that people will become familiar with. They are repeated on Tv, radio, through film and advertisements, continuously making the song very familiar. 
A music video will show the build up to climax or the constant repetition before fading away. This reflects the structure of music itself- the song must end and so pop videos have a form of closure and ending. 


The music videos that accompany songs are totally non-relative. The illustration of a song will sometimes extend or add to the meaning of the song itself. The music is promoted by the pleasurable viewing, this will then lead to the repetition of viewing the video. Sometimes these songs are there for the purpose of promoting other media such as film, and so the relationship between song and music videos can be placed into three categories:
Illustration: The story of the lyrics is reflected clearly in the video, sometimes through dance to emphasise emotion.
Amplification: When the song is not condtradicted by the new layers of meaning added by the video.
Disjuncture: When there is little or no relationship between the lyric or the video or where it had become a contradiction.


The features of a music video are easily recognisable through the actions of artists that are a trademark of theirs, through the object of female sexualisation - mens desire for women and sex. The genres which this is could be said as a convention is heavy metal and hip hop. Though some female artists use themselves sexually to gain attention. 
Some music videos are used to try to appeal to a wider audience by showing youthful images of an older band and by adding clips and images from movies if the song is used in the sound track.