Goodwin and Mulvey theories

Goodwin and Mulvey theories

Andrew Goodwin’s music video theory states that every music video consists of these eight principals:

• Links between the music and the visuals: If a song is very electronic and upbeat the director may include a dance sequence to reflect the style. This is also the same in regards to the editing of a music video. If a song is very slow the cuts between shots may also be slow.
• Links between the lyrics and the visuals: Music videos will often illustrate props or actions in the mis en scene that reflect the lyrics of a song. An example of this would be the music video for Vance Joy’s Riptide which literally displays visuals that directly link to the lyrics. 
• Display of the typical genre conventions: Many music videos tend to reflect aspects of their specified genre in their visuals. For example, the conventions of the rap genre typically consist of low angle shots, cars and money.
• A variety of intertextual references: This is when a video will make reference to another media text. For example, the music video for Love Story by Taylor Swift makes reference to Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
• Notions of looking: When the actor or singer in the music video looks directly at the camera. This creates the illusion that they are letting the audience inside the life thus feeling involved in the action.
• Voyeurism: Essentially voyeurism is the idea of looking at something for sexual satisfaction. Women are more often treated in this way through the use of camera angles and fragmented body shots.
• Demands of the record label: The artist’s record label will require certain things from their performer. This may be a lot of close-ups or for them to maintain a certain image throughout her music videos.
• Music videos are either performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based: All music videos will fall under the category of performance (where the actors dance or play in a band to the song. Most commonly seen in heavy metal videos where the band will be in front of a live audience), narrative (where the music video will tell a story or message to the audience) or concept (where the video presents an idea which is displayed in the mis en scene. This doesn’t have to be related to the music).

MULVEY

• Mulvey’s male gaze theory states that media texts are created through the eyes of a heterosexual male – women are viewed for the pleasure of men. 
• Some argue that far from being equal Women status has only appeared post feminism because of women’s importance as consumers. They are vital in a capitalist society.