Andrew Goodwin wrote a theory on music videos, in which he decribes key features which distinguish the music video as a form. The several key features which he distinguishes a music video are
1. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. (With visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics) The visuals either illustrate, amplify or contrast the music.
2. Particular music genres may have their own music video style and iconography. ( Such as live stage performances in heavy rock)
3. There will be a demand on the part of the record company for a lot of close-ups of the main artist or vocalist (usually done to sell the band/artist's image)
4. There is likely to be reference to voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of females but also in terms of systems of looking. (screens within screens, binoculars, cameras etc) This generally fits into the saying "sex sells".
5. There are likely to be intertextual references, either to other music videos, film and TV texts.
POWER - Kanye West
The music video for 'POWER' was directed by the artist Marco Brambilla. Kanye West describes it as a 'moving painting' rather than a music video, which would make sense considering how the video is only a fraction of the actual song. The video starts with a portrait-view headshot of Kanye West staring intensely into the camera with illuminated eyes and wearing a large, low hanging gold chain with an equally large pendant of Horus. The large low hanging gold chain represents iconography in this genre because most rappers wear large chains and a lot of them, so this is pretty common within the rap community. As the music begins, the camera slowly pans out in one continuos take to reveal West standing at the end of a hallway of black columns and surrounded by partially-dressed female characters . Some kneel before him: embrace: four figures wear ibex-like horns; and some are inverted, pouring water that flows upward. Two horned, staff bearing figures loosely resembling interpretations of Isis and Hathor, stand on either side of West: each strikes slowly the ground with their staff in time with the music. The sword of Damocles hangs over the rapper's head, while other slow moving figures appear ready to strike West with blades. The song's lyrics amplify the visuals by showing the rapper in a place of 'power' and as the lyrics say 'No one man should have all that power' you are shown the looming sword of Damocles above the rappers head and the two slowly approaching figures attempting to strike West. This song isn't too different from others in its genre however the video itself is one unlike any other, not only in its genre but in any other genre, the video style is best described as 'a moving painting'. there is a close up of the rapper at the beginning of the video but I don't think thats to sell the rapper's image but to rather have the rest of the picture emerge slowly and to match the music. In this video there is a lot of intertexual references, they are all mainly to do with Ancient Egyptian culture as represented by the Horus around West's neck and the two staff bearers this scene represents the rapper as God which refers back to the name of the song "POWER". There is also a slight mix of Ancient Roman culture as depicted by the looming sword of Damocles. Also there are references tarot cards such as "The Lovers" which is a scene of two women embracing each other, and this is also a reference to voyeurism. All of this was referenced and compared to Andrew Goodwin's theory found in his book 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory'.
Closer to the Edge - 30 Seconds to Mars
This video was directed by Bartholomew Cubbins. The video contains concert footage from about 30 performances during their world tour. The full version video shows each location played at until a certain date, fan commentary and some backstage footage. At certain intervals of the music video there are lyrics that come on screen the lyrics are transparent but still visible. The lyrics are put in time with the music either when the fans are saying "No" or when the main vocalist, Jared, is saying "Closer to the Edge". This amplifies the lyrics' intensity and thus amplifies the visuals also. Music videos by some rock bands are of the bands playing at concerts, this video shows multiple concerts the band were playing at and reference to a sense of iconography as well as Jared jumping into the crowd and surfing the crowd which is iconic in this type of genre. Crowd surfing is seen multiple times over the course of this video and it shows that the video stays true to its genre. This video does sort of try to sell the band to the audience by showing frequent close-ups of the frontman Jared's face since he is considered to be the most attractive of the group as said by Goodwin in his book 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory'. There is no reference to voyeurism in this music video because all of the people being filmed are aware that they are being filmed, there is also no intertexual references in this music video either.
Smack My B*tch Up - The Prodigy
The only lyrics in the entire song and music video were "Change my pitch up, smack my b*tch up" and those lyrics amplified the visual of misogyny. The viewer is lead to believe that the song is about misogyny with the visuals and the lyrics "smack my b*tch up" but at the end of the video it is revealed that the main character whom we have been following through the entirety of the video is actually a woman herself so the concept of misogyny is diminished and replaced with the viewer re-thinking the lyrics to mean to do something intensely, like being on stage or they reference the use of heroin or to attempt to generate shock value. The video doesn't follow any other, in fact it was heavily criticized for its explicit use of alcohol, drugs, sex and for this fact it has no intertexuality in the sense that it doesn't reference to any other music video, film, TV or text. The video is filmed entirely through a first person view so there is no close-ups of a direct reference to Goodwin's theory found in his book 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory'. The video to "Smack my B*tch Up" is directed by Jonas Akerlund. The video depicts a night out in the city filmed from a first person perspective, portraying drinking and driving, snorting cocaine and a hit and run incident. The protagonist takes a stripper home and has sex with her. As the stripper leaves with her things, the protagonist glances in the mirror, is revealed to be a woman and passes out on the bed.
