Andrew Goodwins theory on music videos

Andrew Goodwin's writing in 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' (1992)

1. Music video's demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g stage performance in rock video's)                Goodwin believes that most videos have genre characteristics i.e different genres of music have different stereotypes which play throughout such as a  dance routine in a pop song or a stage performance for a rock video

Dance routine in a pop video classic genre characteristics

  2. There is a representation with lyrics and visuals. The lyrics  are represented with images in the music

In the song  Ed Sheeran says he will be drunk tonight and we see him drinking 



 3. There is a relationship between the visuals and the music. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects  the music.


The song is quite slow and depressing so the video is dark and has a slow tempo to accompany the music

 4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work.

Michael Jackson was well known for wearing his glittered glove on one hand

5. There is frequent notion of looking (screen within screens,mirrors, stages, telescopes etc.), this just refers to the singer either looking into the camera at the audience or the singer pushing focus to another person in the video most likely a love interest



Chris Martin in this song is constantly looking into the camera in this video (screen within a screen)

6. There are other intertextual  references to films, TV programmes and other music videos.

In Little Waynes' ' 6ft 7 ft' video we see at the beginning a reference to  Christopher Nolan's 2010 film, Inception

The original scene from the film