(Research) Goodwin's Theory

Andrew Goodwin believes that Pop music videos don’t really follow the traditional narrative analyses that you would expect to see in this type of visual product. What I mean by this is that, in most visual TV based products i.e. Programs, cartoons, TV drama, ect; they all follow the same narrative structure. Take “The Simpsons” for example, in every episode there is always normality to start with, then a disruption of some sort and then always without fail; some sort of resolution to restore normality.

Godwin believes that some of the reasons for the difference in narrative structures are as follows:

· Pop videos are built around songs. So it’s not possible to come of with a concept for every single song that that will contain a traditional narrative structure.

·  Pop videos usually using the singer as both a character and the narrator

· The singer often looks directly at the camera; this is the director’s way of trying to make the audience feel as if they are involved with the performance. And also if the artist is repeatedly shown to be looking at the camera, it will make their face easier to remember. This means that the music video will be achieving its primary goal which is to promote the artist. 

However most pop music videos do have some sort of “beginning, middle and end” structure. For example a song builds up to(beginning) a climax(middle) or a constant repetition before fading away(middle/ end). This structure is very common in music videos seen as they strongly rely on repetition; weather it be a chorus that’s repeated or maybe even a certain base track.

Bearing all of this in mind Goodwin points out three main categories that relate to most music videos:

Illustration: This is when there is direct correlation between the song title and the music video; an example of this is below:

The reason why I think that this video falls under illustration is that the song title is directly related to the video; the song itself has quite a few lyrics pertaining to the love between two in a relationship and this corresponds with the video. At first glimpse of the song title the general idea that I got was something along the lines of “I will be next to you no matter what” and as you can see from the video, this is what it generally portrayed.

Disjuncture: This is normally when there is little or no correlation between the song title and the music video or when the lyric contradicts the video. In my opinion I believe that there is a fine line between amplification and disjuncture because what one person might see as a contradiction between the lyrics and the video; another might interpret it in a way that may seem as if the contradiction gives the song title layers of new meaning. Here is an example of a video that falls under the disjuncture category:

Amplification: This is when a music video adds layers of new meaning to the song title (without contradicting the title). An example of this is in Bruno Mars “Grenade”. The obvious initial interpretation of this song title is the grenade explosive. However the reason I think that the music video ads layers of new meaning is because throughout it they are showing him singing about a woman he would do anything for, but she wouldn’t do the same; i.e. catch a grenade.