Andrew Goodwin's six key conventions-
He said that music videos demonstrate genre characteristics, for example how the performance in a metal video would be and how the performance in a girl/boy band. This is because if there is a pop singer you wouldn't see them rocking on stage, and with a rock singer you wouldn't see them dancing at their performance.
An example of a singer who would be dancing in their music videos is Olly Murs. Here is his music video for 'Heart Skips a Beat':
In this music video you can see that he is really joyful and he seems to be doing a few dance movements to show the side of his song. The song is about him and a girl who he is close to and she makes his heart skip a beat. To show this he had showed the joy throughout his dancing and filmed it in a skate park. In my opinion people are happy and have fun when they are skating as it is there hobby so that is why he filmed it there. A strength of this is that you can enjoy the song because you can see Olly Murs enjoying the song by dancing. A weakness of this is that you might not get the story behind the song as you are too focused on the artist dancing to the song.
A rock singer or band would most likely be head banging during their music video or telling a story. An example is 'Fresh Start Fever' by You Me at Six:
In this music video you can see how they have used motor racing to show the type of the song as they are trying to imply people not wanting to be there as they could get badly injured. So the story they tell in the music video links perfectly with the song. I feel that You Me at Six did not use themselves in the music video as they may not of been able to perform it due to the style of the music. A strength of not using themselves in the music video is that you are able to see the story behind the song well. A weakness is that they are not promoting themselves as much as they could be as they are not in the video.
Also, Andrew Goodwin said that there is a relationship between lyrics and visual, either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting. Illustrative music videos is where the actions in the music video match with the lyrics perfectly. This means the people or the actions within the music video act the lyrics out. Amplifying music videos is the same as illustrative music videos but it is less noticable, the video goes with the meaning of the video but the actual song/lyrics are not acted out. Finally, contradicting music videos mean that the music video has absolutely nothing to do with the song/lyrics. It is something that is completely different to what the song is.
An example of an illustrative music video is, 'Riptide' by Vance Joy:
This is a illustrative music video because everything that he says, for example, when he talks about the dark the music video has something dark in it. Another example is when he talks about something green he showed money, which was the colour green. This is very illustrative as everything that he sung matched what was shown in the video. A strength of using an illustrative music video is because you can clearly see what they are singing about. A weakness is that it would not attract many viewers as it is not as interesting as it could be.
An example of an amplifying music video is, 'Candy' by Robbie Williams:
This is an amplifying music video because the lyrics in his song are about a woman who is very self involved. He is her guardian angel. This is shown in the video by him following this woman around and getting rid of other men on the street so she is protected. The things that he did in the music video does not match the lyrics as the lyrics are about her being very self involved but in the video it shows that he is doing all the jobs for her.
An example of a contradicting music video is, 'Somebody that I used to know' by Gotye:
This is a contradicting music video because the song is about somebody that he used to date but now he says that she is just somebody that he used to know. The video is just him standing by the wall and there are patterns all of the wall behind him then the patterns start going onto him and there is the other girl who starts singing to him also with the patterns on her. Throughout the whole video there is nothing that matches what they are singing about.
Furthermore he also showed that there is a relationship between music and visuals, either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting. Previously I explained how illustrative is where the actions in the music video match with the lyrics perfectly but this time it will be different. The actions that are in the music videos will match the type of music that is played. An example is editing to the beat where the shots change on each beat. This means that the people will be showing the type of emotion from the music. Also, amplifying means that it is less noticeable to notice that there is a link between the music and what is in the music video. The video will go with the music but you may not notice it so well. This is the same for contradicting.
An example of an illustrative music video is the song 'Fireflies' by Owl City. This is illustrative because at the beginning the beat matches the editing of the lights turning on. It makes the video effective because it shows how the video relates to the type of music or beat. This is sometimes repeated throughout the song to show rhythm.
Furthermore, an example of an amplifying and contradicting video is, American Idiot, from Green Day. This is both amplifying and contradicting because in some parts of the music video the editing is amplifying the music where the editing is quick paced. Whereas, in some of the music video even though the music is quick, the video is in slow motion.
The demands of the record label will include the need for a lot of close ups of the artist and the artist may increase motifs bit by bit which recur across their work. This is saying that there has to be close ups of the artists in all the music videos to show the artist clearly. Sometimes this happens all the time as the artist starts to develop a liking of that use of editing. Rappers would most likely want to have close ups of their faces most of the time. This is because they would want to either show emotion or just show themselves clearly to be able to get known for their music. An example of this is Professor Green, Lullaby. In this music video there is a story behind the song which is showing in the video but every time that Professor Green is shown in the video it is a close up shot of him as it shows the emotion in his facial expression.
There is normally a reference to the nation to looking at a female body. This is when the music video is edited to make the audience attracted to the people or person in the music video. It allows the audience to be allowed to watch the music video freely and get something out of watching the video. A good example of this is the Shakira and Rhianna song, Can't remember to forget you. This is a good example as they are showing themselves off in an acceptable way for the viewers to watch them and feel good about watching the music video. In this video they are being sexual together which would draw the male audience in to watch. This is in a way a more advanced version of the Britney Spears and Madonna song, Me against the music. They have used very similar styles of dance or the way the video is filmed. They both are dancing up against the wall in different parts of the video, they are also dancing or laying in the bed. In my opinion they Shakira and Rhianna song is a more sexual video as there is actual touching and getting more sexual with each other. It is a way to be able to attract the audience without being too close to the artists.
Finally, the last of the key convention is that there is often intertextual references in some music video. This is where they would use other artists or another film or TV programme in their music video. An example of this is Katy Perry, Roar. In the beginning of this video there is Indiana Jones writing and the bloke is trying to look like he is Indiana Jones, this means that the song is trying to relate to the Indiana Jones theme. It also links to theme of Tarzan as she swings on the vine just like Tarzan did. Also, she is kind to all the animals and they like like her so she is in control of the animals just like Tarzan as well. At the end of the music video there is a use of the Idiana Jones writing again.
There are different forms of music videos such as digital or stop- motion animation, whether it is filmed in- concert which is live footage or if it is studio based or cinematic. Digital music videos are where the videos are just filmed normally with the clips cutting from one to another. Stop- motion animation is when there are loads of pictures which are took and put together to make one whole music video. An example of this is the song Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel. In this music video all of it is pictures which are put together to make the final music video.
You could also get music videos which have been filmed live at a concert so there would be a bit of an echo with the music but the song is still being shown. An example of this is the song Chandelier by Sia. She performs this song on the Ellen show where it is the exact same as the real music video with the same girl and same dance but Sia is there facing the wall.
A studio based music video is where the artists are in the studio and are in one place and not outside in different places. An example of this is the music video for Ariana Grande, Problem. This is all set inside with different backgrounds, but there is no exploring or wandering around outside.
Finally a cinematic music video is where the artist is not shown in the video as much as anyone else in the video. It is a music video where it tells a story throughout and uses other people rather than the artists themselves. This is so you can see the story clearly without watching the person singing. An example of this is the video for Stan by Eminem. In this video there is a clear story being told as Eminem has an idol that wants him just to say hello and reply to his messages and letters. At the end because Eminem did not answer his letters because he was busy, he ended up getting angry with his girlfriend and locking her in the back of the car and drove off the side of the bridge and died. This music video is also a narrative based as there is a story line.
Another style is pastiche, this is when people use other films or a generation in their music video, they will not necessary take the mick out of something. An example of this is the song Candy Man by Christina Aguillera. In this music video she is dancing and wearing clothes like she is in the 50's.
Another different style of music video is an impressionist where there video is artistic but there is no reason for it. An example of this is the music video for Somebody I use to know by Gotye. In this video they are just standing up against the wall with painting going over them as different shapes.
Another style is surrealist, this is when the music video just does not make sense. An example for this is the song One in a lifetime, Talking Heads. In this video the singer is just doing weird things which do not make sense at all and are not related to the song in any way.
Furthermore, another one is parody this is when people use other people in their music video and are taking the mick out of them. An example for this is the song Walk like Rhianna by The Wanted. In this song they are dressed up and are on a set as other people and are pretending to be them but they're not.
Finally, homage is the last style homage, this is when someone uses something in their videos which isn't really real but make it seem like it is. For example the song Thriller by Michael Jackson. In this music video there are zombies which are trying to get him and they start dancing, in real life this wouldn't happen.
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