Goodwin's Music Video Theory

Goodwin’s Theory

 

Music theory is important to analyse to understand certain elements that are universal to music videos. It also allows the audience to further understand the themes and concepts that the songs and music videos are trying to portray. 

Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992).

Goodwin produced a theory of music videos that included seven stages to it as follows;

• Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).
• There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
• There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
• The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
• There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescope, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. 
• There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, branding, etc).
• Whether the video is primarily performance based, narrative based, or concept based and how elements of each are used in it. 

Ed Sheeran – Give Me Love Music Video Analysis

Ed Sheeran's song Give Me Love is of an Indie genre. Various characteristics of this music genre are presented in the music video as it is of a slow pace and reflects emotion throughout as it relates to the idea of love. This is evidence of point 1 of Goodwin’s Theory. However Ed Sheeran is rarely present in the music video so certain characteristics such as the artist being seen playing the guitar are not present.

Throughout the Give Me Love music video the lyrics and visuals directly relate on a number of occasions to amplify the story that the song and video is telling. The song begins with the lyrics ‘give me love like her’ as the image of a woman is revealed. This is suggestive that she is significant to the story being told in the song and therefore provides the audience with an insight into the remainder of the music video. Further into the video the lyrics ‘I just wanna hold ya’ are accompanied with the image of two wooden figures in a hugging position. This evokes a sense of passion and the idea of love which is a main aspect of the whole song. The lyrics; ‘give me love’ which is the title of the song, are directly linked to the visuals in the music video. It relates to the idea that the woman in the video has become cupid and is seen ‘giving love’ to those around her. Additionally towards the end of the music video the lyrics ‘the taste that your lips allow’ relates directly to the visuals as the audience are presented with everyone affected by ‘cupid’, kissing. This further illustrates the theme of love that is present throughout the video.

On the first beat of the music the visuals change to that of when the audience is first presented with the woman in the video, who is hidden behind a wall. The visuals after this are prolonged and slower which correlate with the fact the music is slow. This allows the audience to concentrate on the story being told in the video and to become familiar with the woman. As the music begins to increase in pace, so do the camera shots. This is apparent when the woman discovers she is becoming cupid and therefore evokes her emotions of distress and confusion to the audience. Throughout the music video there are various occasions when the camera shot changes at the same time as the beat in the music. This is mainly used to allow the music video to flow evenly, especially when the location changes. For example when the woman goes from the location of inside to outside when she becomes cupid. It is also evident that once the woman becomes cupid the visuals of the arrow hitting people are exactly when the beat in the music happens. This is to connote the impact of how the arrow will affect each individual. 

Throughout the music video the artist Ed Sheeran is rarely present in the visuals. However two camera shots are employed of Ed Sheeran in the cafe, one medium shot and one shallow focus, which allow the audience to distinguish the artist of the song. Nevertheless this deviates from the 4^th point in Goodwin’s’ theory.

During the music video, which is primarily based around the female, there are a number of camera shots which can be seen as voyeuristic treatment of the female body. This is mainly apparent when the woman is on the bed and first realises something is happening to her. There is a sequence of shots employed, with her back towards the camera, of her pulling her clothes, which on occasions, reveals her bra. This can be seen as voyeuristic treatment as the audience are presented with the female in minimal clothing in the video. 

During Ed Sheeran’s Give Me Love music video intertextual reference is only apparent at the end. Branding is evident through the employment of the Ford car as an emergency service vehicle. Therefore the video is not used to entice the audience to gain interest into any products that it may feature.

Ed Sheeran’s Give Me Love music video is primarily narrative based. This is because the artist is only evident in the music video on two occasions, and therefore does not provide a performance element to the video. The narrative that is presented to the audience provides the ideas of love and lust. The theme is told through the female character that gains cupid like attributes and helps people to fall in love. The fact that the music video is more narrative based means the audience can be entertained and build a relationship with the woman which helps them to understand the story running throughout. 

Goodwin’s theory will assist me with my research and planning for my own video as I am now more aware of the elements that are combined to create a music video. I will be able to plan my video and include various aspects to create a music video that would be of a high standard and that would appeal to my target audience.