By Benjamin Tyrrell

Andrew Goodwins Theoretical Framework

The Andrew Goodwins theoretical framework is 5 key aspects when analysing music videos. These key areas are: Synaesthesia Seeing the sound Narrative & Performance The Star Image Relation of visuals to song Technical aspects of music video

Synaesthesia Seeing The Sound

Synaesthia is when you are able to visually see the sound being replicated in the music video. How the music is replicated generally depends upon the genre of the music that is used. For example if the genre of music that is being used is dance, then the pace of the music will be quite fast meaning that the pace of the video editing will have to be quite fast as well. While if the genre of music used was chillout, then the pace of the music would be a lot slower, and so the pace of the video editing would have to be a lot slower as well, so that the video matches the music that it is playing to.
Another way that synaesthesia is used in music videos is through the use of cutting to the beat. Cutting to the beat is used a lot in music videos as the video generally looks a lot smoother and better when the shot has been cut on the beat of the music that is being played alongside the video. The use of matching the pace of the video editing to the music, and cutting the shots to the beats of the music all helps with the synaesthesia of the music video making it look a lot more smooth and interesting.

Narrative & Performance

The narrative is the storyline of what is being shown in the music video, and the kind of story that it is telling. An example of the narrative could be: the artist doing a simple task, the artist could be playing on and emphasising a particular emotion, or the artist could be visually telling a story that has a beginning, middle and end. The narrative of the video is used to provide the audience with another kind of entertainment for them to focus on; keeping the audiences interest. While a performance is when the artist is performing the song, and the way that it is being performed; the video could be showing the artist performing in a concert, in a random location outside, in a warehouse or it could be sowing the artist performing in multiple different locations in the same video. By seeing the artist performing in the video, it allows the artist to build a greater connection with their audience.

The Star Image

The star image is when the music video specifically focuses on the main artist. The artist is put as the front man, the main performer, and who the music videos story is about. This allows the artist to really promote and sell themselves to their audience by making it look like they are actually performing and singing to the person watching the music video. It also make it look like the song actually relates to the viewer, engaging with the audience more. The star image also relates to the brand image. This is where you associate the artist with certain qualities, which predominantly come from the content of artists music videos.

Relation of visuals to song

The relation of visuals to the is how the song is able to relate to the video and for the video to then promote the song. There are three different ways that the video is able to promote the song that is being used. The first kind of video that could promote the song is an ILLUSTRATE music video. This is when the video uses a set of visuals to depict the meaning of the lyrics or gene that has been used. The second kind of video that could be used to promote the song is an AMPLIFY video. This is when the meanings and effects that are portrayed in the lyrics of the song are manipulated and repeatedly shown throughout the video. This drums the meaning and effects used in that video into the viewers minds, so that every time you think of the meanings and effects that was used, you remember about the music video and therefore the song. The third kind of video that could be use to promote the song is an DISJUNCTURE/CONTRADICTION video. This is when the video does not relate to the song in any way, the songs meaning is completely ignored.

Technical aspects of music video

The technical aspects of the music video is how all of the different parts of the music video form and hold together. This includes the use of camera work, speed, movement, angles, mise-en-scne, editing, sound and special effects. The camera work focuses on the speed, camera movement, the editing and the post-production; this helps in portraying the music videos genre and conventions. The lighting and colour is used to set the mood of the music video, as well as to make it look and seem more dramatic by putting emphasis on the key moments of the song. The mise-en-scne allows the video to appear more authentic and professional by allowing the visuals to flow more easily and not stutter to the viewers eye. The sound and special effects is when the music videos shots are cut to the beat and rhythm of the music to make to video more interesting and entertaining.

Chris Parr Discussing The Importance Of A Music Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3XEWnEgSv4 Chris Parr discusses why music videos are important to artists and why they would want to employ them in with their music.

The Purpose Of A Music Video

The can be multiple purposes of a music video. One of the ways that a music video could be used, is to evoke a certain feeling with the audience. This then causes them to have an emotional connection with the video and so the song, this in turn allows you to remember the song a lot better and make you want to listen to it a lot more. Another purpose of using a music video would be to allow the audience to get a better understanding of the lyrics of the song. This would be done using a narrative music video as it allows the audience to visually see what the song is about, and the story behind it. The purpose of a music video could also be for the artist to entertain the audience by showing off any other talents that they might have. A music could also be used so that the artist is able to sell both CDs and DVDs allowing them to make more profit. The music video could also be used to increase the exposure of the artist making them more well known and popular, as well as expanding the artists profile of what they have been able to produce.

Sales Of A Song Due To Music Video

The sales of a song has the ability to be greatly increased depending upon its music video. If the music video is not that popular or it only has an average amount of views, as with every other music video then it will not increase the sales that much. But if the music video is good quality and becomes very popular then it could skyrocket the sales of that song. An example of this would be the music video for Here it goes again by OK Go. The music video was so original and memorable that the popularity and sales of the song increased greatly because of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA

Artists Popularity Due To Music Video

The artists popularity also has the ability to help out and increase an artists popularity. An example of this would be Gangnam Style by Psy. The music video and song was his first one, and it managed to go viral and receive billions of views. This skyrocketed the popularity of him and his work, which helping him become well known around the world, thanks to the music video for his song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Compare Songs Where The Videos Arent As Popular

The music videos for songs can also have the possibility of being really bad and making the song and possibly the artist as well, very unpopular. For example Eric Prydzs Call on me music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fCqg92qks#t=49 This music video does not portray the artists image in a good way at all, as all that it is really showing is womens bodies in lycra while they are dancing/exercising, but with lots of sexual innuendoes. As a result of all this the music video became very unpopular with the public, causing the artist to lose popularity.

Importance Of Music Channels & DVD Downloads/Sales

Music channels and DVD downloads/sales are also important to the artist as it allows them to sell the visual accompaniment as well as the actual music. This then provides the artist with another source of income, especially if is from the music channel, as the income from that will continue as long as the music video is being aired, which can last for very long periods of time.

Synergy Songs For Films

Songs and films are able to work together fairly well for each other. On one side songs can be featured in films, so that when people go and watch the film they also automatically hear the song as well, which in turn promotes the artist because their work was featured in a film. While on the other side the songs music video could show some, or a particular scene from a film , which promotes the film to the people who are watching the music video. This essentially joins two different audiences together, and promotes the film, and the song to both of them.

Synergy Songs For TV Adverts

Songs and TV adverts are also able to work well together. Artist are able to use product placement in their music video to help and advertise and promote certain products. For example if the artist is seen to use a product by a certain brand, then the audience are then far more likely to want to get that the product from that brand, or that specific product that was used, as that was what the artist was seen to use.

By Benjamin Tyrrell

Background Info Artist & Song

Artist: Lorde
Birth Name: Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor Born: 7 November 1996 Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand Occupation: Singer-Songwriter Trivia: Yelich-O'Connor adopted her stage name due to her fascination with "royals and aristocracy", but felt the name Lord was too masculine so added an 'e' to make it more feminine.

Song: Royals
Released: 19 March 2013 Length: 3:10 (original version) Genre: Art Pop, Minimal Pop Trivia: The song had been drafted by Lorde in a half-hour and then refined with cowriter/composer Joel Little, the single's producer.

Background Info - Director

Name: Joel Kefali Occupation: Half of a music video team duo with Campbell Hooper called Special Problems. Previous Work: Music Videos for: The Mint Chicks, Kimbra, Gin Wigmore, and The Naked And Famous.

Camera Work
The camera work of Lordes Royals music video is that she and the director Joel Kefali wanted to focus the music video more on capturing the mood, and the teenagers life. As a result of this the pace of the music video was generally a bit slower than most, and the shots were longer as well.

Art Pop Genre Conventions

Blends the melodies of Pop music with unconventional or experimental elements: the use of progressive structures unusual time signatures abrupt tempo changes vocal experimentation a symphonic, orchestral and theatrical performance frequent addition of diverse Electronic elements

Relationship Between Lyrics & Visuals

This is as ILLUSTRATE music video as visuals are showing the overall meaning behind the lyrics that are being used. For example: Near the start of the music video , the lyrics And Im not proud of my address, in a torn-up town, no postcode envy are used, while the music video is showing empty streets, and not much life. This allows you to physically see what some of the lyrics are depicting. When the chorus starts the lyrics And we'll never be royals (royals), It don't run in our blood, That kind of luxe just ain't for us. are used. While the video is showing some teenagers living in an apartment without much wealth at all. The video is accurately depicting what the lyrics are describing.

Relationship Between Music & Visuals

The music video does cut to the beat during certain points in the song. The shots are cut to the beat when there is a small succession of drum beats, or electronic riffs. There are no solo instrument spots in the song, so the music video cannot tailor for this. The speed of music video does change in accordance with the pace of the song, so that both the song and video flow together nicely and do not appear to be out of sync with each other.

Artist Close-Ups & Star Image Motifs

The artist is not put into the actual narrative of the music video. Although there are some shots where the music video cuts to a mid close up of the artist singing into the camera. This would be used to help connect better with the audience. This is her first music video, and as a result, it cannot be compared to any previous music videos.

Narrative
The narrative of the music video is about the life of teenagers from a poorer background wanting to have the riches of a royal person, but are stuck with very little wealth instead.

Representation
The music video is supposed to represent an often overlooked aspect of the live of teenagers who come from poorer backgrounds.

Video Style & Iconography

The video style that is generally used for pop videos is an illustrative music video where the narrative shows what the lyrics mean. This is accurately shown in Lordes Royals music video Pop videos are also known to be more colourful, and to have an upbeat mood to it. Although Lordes Royals music video does not have as an upbeat atmosphere to it as most pop videos do, it also does not include that much colour into the music video, which is unlike most pop videos.

Mise-en-scne
The mise-en-scne for most pop music videos is colourful club like outfits. But in Lordes Royals music video she has decided to use a lot more plain and dull clothes so that it matches the setting of the music video as that is trying to show the meaning behind the lyrics.

Editing
The music video was edited to be more smooth and relaxed, by having a simplistic style. This allowed you to focus on the narrative of the music video a lot more. This was shown through the transitions being more simplistic and smooth; it only used cut and dissolve transitions. The lighting and colour of the music video was also edited so that the lighting of it was fairly light, and colour of video has also been edited to be slightly unsaturated a well.