Andrew Goodwin believes that traditional narrative analysis (using such ideas as Todorov) don’t really apply to pop videos. There are a number of reasons for this but it isn’t because pop videos are trying to be avant garde – it is just that they approach narrative from a different angle to novels and films.
The reasons for the different narrative structures are as follows:
· Pop videos are built around songs – and often songs do not pose traditional narrative structures (normality-problem- resolution)
· The pop video uses the singer both as narrator and as a character
· The singer often looks directly at the camera – this is an extension of (music hall) performance and trying to involve the viewer at home with the performance.
In addition, Andrew Goodwin also say’s that Pop videos rely on repetition. Often the video repeats images in the way the song repeats choruses or lines. Also the repetition in songs of parts or rhymes of other songs (intertextuality) means that we become more familiar with the genre and have certain expectations. Lastly the video would be played on T.V, the song would be played on the radio and there might be an advertising film or T.V tie-in making the song very familiar through repetition.
Furthermore, pop songs, and therefore videos, do have a form of closure and ending. The 3 minute single that a video is based on must end and this is often reflected in the structure of the music – it builds to a climax or to a constant repetition before fading away.
Some videos are autonomous from the music they spring from. The visualisation of a song may go beyond the original meaning. Sometimes the video provides a visual pleasure that encourages repeated viewing which therefore promotes the music. Sometimes the video might be promoting other commodities such as films. Therefore it can be said that there are three types of relations between songs and videos, these are;
- Illustration: this is where the video tells the story of the lyrics ‘Pap don’t preach’ (Madonna) for example. Dance is often used to express the feelings/moods in the song.
- Amplification: occurs when the video introduces new meanings that do not contradict with the lyrics but add layers of meaning.
- Disjuncture: this is where there is little connection between the lyrics and video or where the video contradicts the lyrics. Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ is an example of this. The song is about self-realisation but the video is full of radical world events
Here is a music video that demonstrates amplification;
– Just Jack, Starz in Their Eyes
Also, here is another video that presents disjuncture;
– Example, Changed The Way You Kiss Me
Andrew Goodwin also states that Pop videos often have easily recognisable features, for example, Michael Jackson commonly used to shout out ‘oh’ and/or twirl in his videos. Another feature is the way women are presented as objects of male desire. This is particularly true of Hip Hop videos. Some artists such as Beyonce and Madonna deliberately present themselves for males to look at but what is different in their videos is that they directly look back at the viewers through the camera and they cease to be passive.
Furthermore, in some videos the different instruments in the music are represented by different objects, e.g. in the video to ‘Rock the Casbah’ by The Clash, every time the piano plays, an armadillo is shown walking along, e.g. 0.48 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ9r8LMU9bQ&ob=av2e
Videos also try to appeal to as wide an audience as possible without alienating the core target audience. Videos which feature older bands often show them in their younger days – but this would be in the 60’s and 70’s so an older audience can still identify with them.
Lastly, videos that are from songs written for particular movies often incorporate images from that movie in the video e.g. Seal ‘Kiss From a Rose’ features images/clips from the film ‘Batman Forever’
- Seal, Kiss From a Rose
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