Goodwin's and Laura Mulveys analysis of Music Videos

Goodwin's and Laura Mulveys theories are different ideas and theorys of thinking. Here this explains them...

Andrew Goodwins Theory

Andrew Goodwin's book 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory', he talks about theories within media texts and especially music videos. His first point explains 'genre signifiers', talking about how you can tell what genre the music video is by certain characteristics within it, for example a dark looking music video, with people dressed in dark clothes and playing guitars under dark lighting signifies a rock genre music video.

His second point, states how lyrics on songs are linked into music video visuals. For example, some artists choose to make their video similar to lyrics. His third point says that sometimes links are made between the music and the visuals, for example an increasing bass or aplifying sound.

His third point states how the cameramen have to provide a lot of close up shots of the lead singer or main artist. This is because if the audience see a lot of them, then this attracts the fans of the artist, and it will automatically grab the audiences attention.

Fourth says that 'voyeurism' is used a lot in music videos. 'Voyeurism' meaning spying sexually on a female, objectifying them, making them look inferior to you, making them look like she is just there to be pretty and dress sexually. For example, in videos, the camera would be in the male star of the videos perspective looking at a females body when she walks in a room, this is objectifying woman, and this is used to attract audiences in music videos.

His fifth point says that in many music videos, he has found a lot of intertextual references. Intertextual references make the audience feel clever, this is a reason that artists do it, but also to show their creative side.

This is Andrew Goodwins theory of music videos, here's Laura Mulvey's 'gaze' theory...

Laura Mulvey's 'gaze' theory is a theory that states that media is produced through the eyes of men. For example, in films and music videos there are a lot of under-dressed women flaunting themselves. This is done to attract an audience, but it is also done because this is what society has led to, this is what people are used to, under-dressed women walking round trying to impress men. This is why Laura Mulvey's gaze theory suggests every type of media is produced through the eyes of a man.