Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin - Dancing in the Distraction Factory 

Andrew Goodwin came up with a set of key features of all music videos in is book Dancing in the Distraction Factory, this is a book which was published in 1992. Not all of the features are in every music video but there will be one or two in every video. He says that the narrative for the video either illustrates the lyrics, contradicts the lyrics or amplifies the lyrics.

He identified aspects of videos that audiences see. These include:

1. Thought beats (seeing the sound)
2. Star image
3. Narrative and performance
4. Relation of visuals to song
5. Technical aspects

Genre Characteristics

Andrew Goodwin came up with different genres of music video. Theses will show certain codes and conventions depending on the genre of music. These genres are:

1. Stadium Performance
2. Studio Performance
3. Narrative
4. Conceptual
5. Location

Star Image

Goodwin also speaks about how videos contain artist close ups which links to the idea of star image. He talks about how record companies demand that their music videos include lots of shots of the artist because this is a form of advertising and helps audiences feel closer and more connected to the artist. 

Some artists may have their own style which is shown through all of their videos. This is where Goodwin talks about star iconography. This is when audiences are able to recognise and relate a particular aspect of a video to a certain artist. Star iconography is promoted through artist branding, style and branding values.

Lyrics and Visuals:

Andrew Goodwin wrote about the relationship between lyrics and visuals can can either be one or all of the below:

1. Illustrating - Where you can visually see the link between the lyrics and visual
2. Amplifying - A more metaphorical contextual meaning 
3. Contradicting- Uses disconjunture and subverts away from the lyrics having any connection with the visuals. 

Looking Voyeurism:

Some music videos contain the concept of voyeurism and looking, depending on the genre of music depends if it contains it. The audience will be shown something that the video would not normally see, this might be an intimate scene in a bedroom. Voyeurism can be used to sell the artist's music through the sex appeal. This could be nudity, near nudity or revealing clothes, it can also be shown through the camera movements and camera angles. Goodwin talks Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory and speaks about the voyeurism and how this attracts the male audience. 

Intertextuality:

Intertextuality is looking at other texts such as other music videos, films or TV programs, and uses references for the texts. Goodwin also talks about how intertextuality is an attempt to blur historical things. This is the conventional ideas of the past, present and future and how they are made to seem contemporary.