RESEARCH: Andrew Goodwin's Theory

Andrew Goodwin 
'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' (1993)

The Structure of Music Video Rethinking Narrative Analysis

Andrew Goodwin said that traditional narrative analyses cannot be applied to music videos, as these approach narrative from a different angle to novels and films.
Reasons for different narrative structures:
1. Music videos are built around songs, which often do not have a traditional narrative structure (normality - problem - resolution)
2. The music video uses the singer as both narrator and character
3. The singer often breaks the fourth wall - an extension of live performance and an attempt to involve the viewer at home with the performance

Music videos rely on repetition. A music video might repeat images in the way a song repeats choruses or lines. The repetition in songs of parts/rhythms of other songs (intertextuality) makes the viewers become familiar with a certain genre and have certain expectations. The video would be played on TV, the song would be played on the radio and there might be an advertising tie-in, making the song very familiar through repetition.

Songs and videos do have a form of closure and ending. The 3 minute single that a video is based on must have an ending and this is often reflected in the structure of the music - it builds to a climax or to a constant repetition before fading away.

Some videos are autonomous from the music they spring from. The visualization of a song may go beyond the original meaning. Sometimes the video provides a visual pleasure that encourages repeated viewing, which therefore promotes the music. Videos might also be promoting other commodities such as films.
It can be said that there are 3 types of relations between songs and videos:
1. Illustration - where the video tells the story of the lyric - dance is often used to express the feelings/moods of the song.
2. Amplification - the video introduces new meanings that do not contradict with the lyrics, but add layers of meaning.
3. Disjuncture - there is little connection between the lyric and video/ the video contradicts the lyric. 

Music videos often have easily recognisable features (Michael Jackson giving a yelp and/or twirl in his videos). Another feature is the way women are presented as objects of male desire. This is particularly true of heavy metal and hip hop videos. Some artists (such as Madonna and Beyonce) deliberately present themselves for males to look at, but what is different in their videos is that they directly look back at the viewers through the camera and they cease to be passive.

In some videos, the different instruments in the music are represented by different objects (Rock the Casbah by The Clash - every time a piano plays, an armadillo is shown).

Videos also try to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, without alienating the core target audience. Videos which feature older bands show them in their younger days, but this would be in the 60s or 70s, so an older audience can still identify with them.

Lastly, videos that are from songs written for particular movies often incorporate images from the movie (Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On and the movie Titanic).