What are the key aspects of your chosen form of media?

What are the key aspects of your chosen form of media?

My chosen form of media for my year 13 media a level course work is music videos. Music videos all have something similar to them that when seeing them as the audience you can tell that they are music videos. Each video has a cover picture, whether is from a setting (or one of) found in the music video, showing all of the dancers, main singer or the group of artists or whether it's a lyric video and the cover is a picture of the artist face (Rita Ora- Your Song Lyric Video).

On the cover of each music video the length of time is shown at the bottom right corner along with the sign of the supporting distributor or music video collaboration company at the bottom left corner on the cover picture (i.e. 'VEVO' and 'W').

The theorist Andrew Goodwin (1992) put together a list of key features and aspects found in all music videos. The first feature Goodwin claimed to appear in music videos is the relationship between the lyrics and the visuals shown in the music video (illustrating, amplifying or contradicting). An example of this is 'Americas Suite Hearts' by Fall Out Boy; the story line doesn't work with the lyrics.

The second claim he made was that there was also a relationship between the music and the visuals (illustrating, amplifying, contradicting or cutting visuals in time with music). An example of this is shown in the music video 'Walks like Rhianna' by The Wanted, where at one point the beat to the music work with the flashing on the lights behind the artists.

Goodwin also claims that music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (Stadium Performance, studio performance, location, narrative based or concept based). Examples of this theory is shown in Clean Bandits 'Symphony' and James Arthur 'Safe Inside' where the artists set-up is in a studio/stadium setting.

Goodwin express that one repeated feature is a close up of the main artist/singers face, this is due to the record companies requirements that the artist is strongly featured in the music video (artistic branding, celebrity culture, artistic portrayal or implications on looking good).  

Similar to the last point, Goodwin believes that 'star inconogrophy' is something developed in each artists music video (branding, style or brand values/unique selling points). This point can be applied to Michael Jackson's music videos, where he repeated certain dance moves and wore a particular style that is now seen has 'his movements' and 'his clothing style'.

Goodwin also identified that in every music video a concept called Voyeurism is used, this means that the audience see something that they would/ should not usually see (nudity/ near nudity/ revealing clothes, exhibitionism, an intimate location i.e. Bedroom/bathroom or frame within a frame).
Lastly, Goodwin recognised that there is intertextuality working most music videos (involving either other music videos, films or TV programmes).