Research : Andrew Goodwin's theory

Andrew Goodwin believes that the traditional narrative structure that is normally used in films and novels can’t be applied to music videos. Izetan Todorov  was a Bulgarian structuralist who published influential work on narrative. Todorov explains that stories begin with equilibrium: that is then disturbed by something/someone, the disruption is recognised and shortly after it gets dealt with which in turn restores back the equilibrium. Andrew states that the reason why pop videos might not follow this conventional narrative is because with music videos you have to approach the narrative from a different angle compared to films and novels. Main reasons for the different narrative structure are …

1.     Pop videos are built around songs and songs don’t really follow the traditional narrative structure.

2.     The narrator and the character in a pop video is usually both the singer.

Other main points on Andrew’s theory are that pop videos rely on repetition. It’s very important to repeat images like the song repeats lines or choruses. All this repetition of mise en scen will reinforce certain expectations on a specific genre.

A music video has to end , therefor as the 3 minute gradually builds up with repetition it all reaches a climax before fading away. Usually the visual of a music video may go beyond the actual meaning. There are three types of relations between songs and videos.

Illustration is where the video tells the story of the lyrics through movements or dance.

Example : Lily Allen - Alfie

This song is a mixture of Illustration mainly but also amplication which i'll be writing about as well. Pop is the genre we've decided as a group that we'll be doing for our own music video .

As we listen to the lyrics we here about a character called Alfie and what he get's up to , this music is 'illustration' because they have shots of Alfie doing exactly what the lyrics are saying .

Amplification happens when the video introduces new meanings that don’t contradict with the lyrics but add layers of meaning. I believe this music video is alo amplicification because the mise en scene gives off a sense of the perfect house wife and her spoilt son. The new meaning it gives is that women who live this idealic life and spoil there son will end up with a kid like Alfie.

Example : Ludacris - Runaway love

Yet again i believe as well as amplification this music video also uses Illustration . This music video has many meaningful ways of showing the message in the lyrics which includes different scenes to show why each girl ran and also a scene at then end where all the runaway girls and others are together. This gives off the message that 'you may think you're alone in this but there are others like you, let's join forces and we'll make it ok ., we'll all get through this".

Lastly 'Disjuncture' is where there is little or no connection between the lyrics and video or where the video contradicts the lyrics.

Example : Jay-z ft Kanye West - In paris

This music video has no link with the lyrics at all which is why it's disjuncture. The lyrics boast about many different things but none of it is shown , this video is just a perfomance in a live concert with many flashing lights.