Andrew Goodwin's music video theory

The conventions of a music video can be identified by a number of key features, and Andrew Goodwin devised a theory that each music video contains these key features.

• Lyrics - These are used to create a general feeling with the viewer, and could evoke an emotion, mood or sense of subject rather than a meaning.
  
• Music - The speed and tempo will establish the editing, with fast beats driving quick and jerky editing or camera shots. .
• Genre - Can be reflected in the types of mise-en-scene, themes, performance, camera and editing styles.
  
• Camerawork - Different types of camerawork can give a different meaning behind the video, with different movement, angles and shots, to convey a different message, e.g. a low angle shot can give a sense of power being the subject of the image.
  
• Editing - the most common form being fast cut montage rendering many images together, to make for quick viewing of which may be difficult to understand at first, leading to multiple viewing to gain more grasp on the clip.
• Intertextuality - Use of a reference within the video, referring to another form of media. Not all viewers may notice the reference in the lyrics/visuals, but those who spot a reference may gain some enjoyment from this.

Goodwin's theory is as follows:

• There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating what is being sung, or even contradicting it. For example, a sad song about a break up may show a woman crying to illustrate sadness in the lyrics.
  
• There is a relationship between the music and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating what is being played, or even contradicting it. For example a fast tempo in a song with a quick pace may be reflected in the video with a fast paced car chase.
  
• Genres are diverse in terms of music video style and shape the way in which the video is made, for example a pop singer may include dancing whilst singing in appealing clothing, and a heavy metal video may be dark with often frightening visuals such as flames or masks.
  
• If the band is signed to a record company, then the demands of the label may mean that the video must include lots of closer of the singer or lead singer or the band. This main artist may also partake in the narrative aspect of the video being the main character of a story.
  
• Voyeurism is used in some music videos, with the use of females dancing or moving in a suggestive way to provoke sexual appeal with some of the audience, helping to increase the number of views from people looking to see what attractive women in the video. This is also used in the systems of looking (examples are screens within screens or mirrors) or to show something which may not be real to the narrative yet the actors are watching on a tv.
  
• There are also often a number of intertextual references, to known aspects of TV, film, or other music videos, providing pleasure or satisfaction in anyone in the audience who spots it.