Andrew Goodwin - Characteristics of a music video.

Andrew Goodwin in dancing in the distraction factory (1992) have identified the following features of  music videos.

Goodwin maintains music videos demonstrating genre characteristics eg Metallica stage performance in there music videos .  Normally heavy metal music videos consist of drums and electric guitars and a group of men on a stage with long hair screaming, and wearing the colour black frequently leather which really presents the heavy metal genre and appeals to their target audience.    

A boy or girl band typical music video consists of the group members dancing together normally in unison  the example i'm using is Take That These days.

relationship between visuals and songs Andrew Goodwin says there are three ways in which a music video can relate to a song. The first being illustrate music videos can use images to illustrate the lyrics being sang in the song to show the meaning of the lyrics in the music video this can also show the genre of the music. 

An example is neon lights by Demi Lovato 

The next way a music video an relate to a song is to amplify this is where it is made sue that music videos images do not contradict with the lyrics however they add an additional meaning which isn't initially intended by the song. 

This example is   i really don't care Demi Lovato 

Ignore this is where the meaning to the song is completely ignored Carly Rae Jepsen i really like you as you can see the music video is completely irrelevant. 

There is often inter textual reference to films, TV programmes and other music videos  a good example is The Wanted 2 Walks like Rhianna"

In this music video the boy band get strung like puppets to homage N Syncs famous Bye Bye Bye video. They homage the Backstreet Boys " I want it that way" by wearing white suits for costume to reference this music video. Another reference they make is Take That producing sexy dances in the rain with long rain coats showing the music video " Back for good". This music video was made up with lots of cheesy scenes from older boy bands with no other meaning than a girl having a good walk. This gives the music video a comical purpose due to the fact in which the song had no actual meaning but in this way they still have an effective music video. 

Godwin also said that in music videos there is frequently reference to the notion of looking eye to eye, telescopes or mirrors or screens etc..  which is also shown in these music videos shown above.