Research: Diverse music videos

Diverse music videos are videos that usually go against conventions and are targeted at niche audiences rather than the mainstream audience. Particular genres of music are prone to creating diverse music videos, for example, rock, alternative, and some dance genres are likely to create music videos that are likely to create a response from the audience, and the mainstream audience are likely to react with confusion and uncertainty due to them being familiar with conventional music videos that include common themes and easy narratives. 

Diverse music videos are also likely to be concept and performance based, with the concept being unclear, causing the audience to find it difficult to identify with. 

Famous directors of diverse music videos include: 

Chris Cunningham: 

Chris Cunningham is a British video artist, and has directed many diverse music videos for popular artists. He has worked with the likes of Madonna, Aphex Twins and Bjork etc, with their videos winning music video awards. For example, his video for Aphex Twins, 'Windowlicker' was nominated for the 'Best Video' award at the Brit Awards 2000. He also directed Madonna's 'Frozen' video which became an international hit and won the award for 'Best special effects' at the 1998 MTV Music Video Awards. Cunningham has been extremely successful in his work and as a result he has transitioned between the film and TV industry. Cunningham's music videos can be associated with Hebdige's theory which states that there are subcultures evident within our society, which are little cultures in their own rights and beliefs. Cunningham's music videos reflect his as they appeal to a niche audience. 

Examples of popular videos Cunningham has directed includes:

        Bjork- 'All is full of love'

Cunningham directed this diverse music video, which included robots, and a distinctive narrative which consisted of a two robots finding love. The star image was extremely unique, however focused on the artist and was a pure and honest representation of her. The relationship between the images and the audience is uncommon as it leaves the mainstream audience react with uncertainty and confusion, however, Bjork's loyal fans are likely to watch the video and appreciate her work and her as an artist due to them identifying her as a unique artist with a unique style. Bjork explains that the music video revolves around love and lust which is evident throughout the video, as the two robots find love and make love to each other. This video challenge common conventions due to lacking characteristics, such as real characters being evident in the video and the music matching the visuals. I believe the video is different and intrigues the audience because it shows obscure and experimental imagery, leaving them in awe and wonder, it /also fulfils its purpose which is to revolve around love. The theme of love and lust is portrayed in an unconventional manner, which is more interesting and was thought out well.

Aphex Twins- Come To Daddy

 Cunningham directed Aphex Twins' music video 'Come to daddy' which is a niche music video, that is based on rebellion and riot. There is no sign of a narrative with a clear beginning, middle and end. The characters are obscure and surreal which consist of an old woman, her dog, and male dwarfs dressed as females, which is confusing and may be perceived negatively by the mainstream audience, as they may see the content and images as disturbing. Therefore, this music video is targeted at the Aphex Twins' loyal fans and a niche audience who are able to understand their work. Although the music video does not appeal to a mass audience the video was still perceived as successful as it was nominated for 'Best video' at MTV Europe Music Award and for 'Best Visual Effects' at MTV Video Music Awards. I believe that the music video fits into the category or diverse music videos as it does not consist of popular conventions, instead it does the complete opposite and there is no real message behind the video. The music video can be considered as controversial due to particular images, such as the dwarfs being dressed as females, and their 'daddy' wearing almost nothing.

Aphex Twins- Flex

Cunningham also directed Aphex Twins music video 'Flex' which is also a diverse music video made for a 15-minute film loop. The characters of this video are a couple who seems to be deformed and naked, in a curled up position. There is no clear narrative or performance, as there is no star image visible. The couple are fighting and having sex at the same time which reinforces uncertainty for the audience. The images create a confused response from the mainstream audience, and they react by feeling uncomfortable by the images displayed. However, the Apex Twins loyal fans are likely to see this as normal than his other music videos due to a lack of exposed content. This video also causes controversy due to the content being inappropriate for the mainstream audience, as it consists of naked people and physical contact. Therefore, the film was given an 18 certificate by the BBFC.

Cunningham has reoccurring characteristics within his work which are evident in the above music videos, these include: 

• Unclear star image 
• Deformity 
• Low key lighting 
• Lack of star image
• Weird locations 
• Works with niche genres of music (Rock, Indie, Alternative)

These characteristics are not likely to be found in mainstream music videos, and therefore, this is what makes these diverse music videos different. Despite receiving criticism for particular choices he has made in the music videos, Cunningham is also seen as a successful director as his videos have been appreciated and nominated/ rewarded for their effects and outcomes. In my opinion, Cunningham's work proves an important point, that music videos do not have to make sense and stick to conventions in order to be successful, he proves that being different, unique, and reflecting  are enough to make a music video successful. Although some of decisions are weird and do not make sense, I believe his work is artful.

Michel Gondry:

Michel Gondry is a french director, screenwriter and producer and has been responsible for creating diverse music videos for popular artists. He has worked with mainstream artists including; Chemical Brothers, White Stripes, Kylie Minogue, The Rolling Stones, Daft Punk, etc. These artists wanted diversity evident within their music videos to make a change to appeal broader audience. This theory particularly applies to Kylie Minogue who created music videos that were mainstream and appealed to the mainstream audience, but then decided to seek help from Gondry to target her video at a different audience culture. Gondry's work has been extremely successful, for example, the successful collaboration with Bjork led to him directing seven of her music videos, including 'Human behaviour' and 'Bachelorette'.  

Some diverse videos Michel Gondry has directed includes:

Kylie Minogue- Come into my world

Gondry directed Minogue's music video, 'Come into my world' which was diverse due to the repetitive performance and the star image being unique. The characters consist of the female artist who is performing, by singing and dancing and then cloned numerous times, with the narrative repeating itself each time. The artist’s representation is subtle and stripped back which differs from her other music videos, in which the artist looks more glamorous and dressy. The prolonged use of cinematography also makes the video diverse, along with the special effects which required 15 days for producers to complete. Despite the video being different it still appeals to the mainstream audience due to being from a popular genre: pop. This music video was honoured with a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2004. I think the video was diverse, and resulted in a successful outcome as the effects enhanced the video making it likeable and unique.

Gary Jules- Mad World 

Gondry also directed Gary Jules's music video 'Mad World' which is portrayed as a low budget video due to the lack of mise en scene and basic editing. The video is repetitive, rhythmic and subtle with the pace of song matching the editing, which involves no cuts. Star image is evident with the artist singing from the top of a building looking over the people creating the different pictures, although the camera does not specifically focus on him. The music video is concept and performance based, with no narrative evident. The music video proved to make success as the song was included in the commercial to the video game, 'Gears of War' in 2006, and also peaking to third in the UK Singles (official chart company). Despite a basic location and a lack of glamour involved, the video is portrayed as diverse due to being different from mainstream videos, and the repetition that occurs. 

Daft Punk- Around The World 

Gondry directed Daft Punk's music video, 'Around The World' which is a  concept based video that consists of various groups of dancers dressed up in different outfits and dancing to the song. There is no star image evident, however, the video intrigues the audience due to the various colours that make the video look bright and upbeat. The video is diverse as it is from a niche genre: french house, and differs from mainstream videos which usually consist of a star image and are performance based as well as concept or narrative based. Gondry used 'Around the World' as his first attempt to bring organised dancing to his music videos, and he portrayed each group of dancers as representing a certain musical instrument, for example, he claimed that the skeletons represented a singing voice and the mummies represented a drum machine which is an intelligent idea and reinforces the diversity of the video. This music video was extremely successful as it reached number one in the dance charts and was awarded an MTV music award for 'Best Video' in 1997 and a Grammy Award for 'Best Dance Recording' in 2000. 

Reoccurring characteristics evident within Gondry's work includes: 

• Low budget locations
• Clever visual twists
• Visualisation of instruments 
• Repetition
• Concept based videos
• No/ Simple star image

These niche characteristics are what make Gondry's videos so diverse and different from mainstream videos. These characteristics have enhanced his work making him more successful and ensuring that his work is rewarded with awards. In my opinion Gondry's work  differs from other directors as he uses simplicity to make his work successful and effective. This proves that it is not all about expensive locations and lots of mise en scene that makes a video so successful, it can just be efficient cinematography and basic skills that enhances a video. 

Out of the two directors, Gondry is my favourite one as his work is diverse yet can still appeal to a niche and mainstream audience, due to it not being overly controversial or overly inappropriate. He uses simplistic location and clever narrative or ideas which appeal to me and find it interesting, whcih is also effectively portrayed to an audience, giving it more emphasis and allowing excitement to build for an audience. 

Advantages and disadvantages of diverse music videos: 

Advantages: 

• Creates hype for the audience
• Portrays individual style-  Allows directors and artists to be creative and unique when making the music video. 
• Visually appealing- Diverse music videos are likely to be more appealing to the eye due to their different characteristics and effects contrasting with mainstream music videos. 
• Infinitive film making style 
• Reinvent an artists star image- If an artist feels their music career is in jeopardy, creating a diverse music video is likely to reinvent their image, forming their popularity again. For example, Kylie Minogue turned to Gondry to reinvent her image, and to seek popularity again. 
• Entertaining- Diverse music videos are more likely to be entertaining to watch due to them differing from mainstream videos, and containing artful effects. 
• Mentally challenging
• Gives the artist an intellectual sense
• Artist can have a niche audience
• Abstract comes to life

Disadvantages:

• Controversial content- In order to make particular music videos diverse, directors may add controversial content that could cause criticism, and could lead to the music video failing. 
• Some people may not understand- If the video is diverse and does not make sense, some people may not understand the content or themes. 
• Videos may not gain viewings from a mainstream audience- Diverse music videos usually appeal to the niche audience, due to them being from niche genres. 
• Risky- Diverse music videos can be expensive to create and it could be risky as it may not be successful. 
• Video can be at risk of getting censored- If the video contains controversial content the video may be at risk of getting censored, preventing it from being viewed by a mainstream audience. 
• Distressing visuals- The music videos may contain distressing images that the audience may be uncomfortable watching. For example, this is evident in Apex Twins, 'Come to Daddy'. 
• Can ruin an artists reputation- If the music video is to diverse for the audiences liking, and it proves to be unsuccessful, an artists reputation can be ruined rather than enhanced. 
• Certain audiences may find the diverse videos bizarre

Should diverse music videos stay away from mainstream music culture? 

People argue that diverse music videos should stay away from the popular culture and mainstream audiences. This because of the many disadvantages that come with the diverse music videos. However, I believe that diversity in the mainstream music video industry deserve to be identified for their unique nature, rather than being categorised as mainstream. Right now, the mainstream music videos dominate the charts, which makes the niche audience feel neglected. In addition, many mainstream music videos still have aspects of diversity therefore it is hard to label these and shouldn’t be banned from the mainstream culture as they take an active part in the evolution of music videos.

Conclusion:

Overall, I have learnt that diverse music videos exist and contain niche characteristics which   distinguishes them from mainstream music videos. After researching Cunningham and Gondry's work, I have identified certain similarities they portray within their videos which is using their imaginations to create diverse videos. I believe that in my music video I will make sure that i will try to follow Gondry's techniques and video style-making since I find it interesting and will appeal to my target audience. I will also ensure that I challenge some of the conventions of the rock genre to allow me experiment for my final product. This is because i would like to create something different which stands out from mainstream music video as well as appealing a broader audience.

Research: Mulvey’s Male Gaze

The 'Male Gaze' is the way in which females are portrayed within a music video to an audience. Females are portrayed as objectified due to the camera capturing their assets including their boobs and bums attracting and entertaining the heterosexual male audience. This is likely to make the female audience angry as they are likely to believe that this portrays all women in a bad light suggesting that all women are vulnerable and objectified in comparison to males who are instead perceived as having full control over females. However, some females may disagree as they believe that showing some aspects of the female body empower a female status as they feel comfortable to show off their body part. 

There are three ways in which feminists perceive this theory, they consider: 

1. How men look at women
2. How women look at themselves
3. How women look at other women

Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' (1975)

Laura Mulvey is a British film theorist who created a theory called the 'Male Gaze', which is involves her thinking around females in music videos being perceived from a heterosexual males perspective. This is portrayed through the camera being from a heterosexual males perspective, capturing females assets in a sexual manner which appeals to the heterosexual male audience who are likely to be entertained by the music video. The male gaze suggests that females are captured as looking sexually appealing and their sexual assets being on show, through the use of numerous close up's and mid shots, portraying them as objects and having no real identity. Therefore, females are are regarded as passive as they are vulnerable and dominated by the males within videos and the male audience who gain pleasure from watching them,  which suggests that males are perceived as active.

Examples of  'Male Gaze':

Enrique Iglesias ft. Usher & Lil Wayne - Dirty Dancer

In the 'Dirty Dancer' music video, the male gaze is evident as there are numerous close ups of various females personal assets while they are pole dancing in front of the artist. This is further reinforced as females are wearing raunchy bikinis and underwear objectifying them, and causing them to lose their independence and power, as they are simply being perceived as sex objects by the male artist and other males at the party who are watching them. This portrays the male artist as more superior and in control of the situation as he is smothered by the females who are trying to seek his attention. The females are objectified as the artist looks at the females in a sexual manner and the lyrics also support his actions as they relate to females stripping for the male artists benefit.

Robin Thicke- Blurred Lines 

The male gaze is evident in 'Blurred Lines' as there are girls starring in the video wearing minimal clothing, simply wearing underwear, and one female not wearing a bra, in comparison to the male artist who looks dominant as he fully dressed, looking smart as he is wearing a suit. The females are captured through mid shots and long shots allowing the audience to see their female assets clearly in comparison to the male artists who are portrayed as overpowering the enjoying the female attention. The male artists are also portrayed as looking at the females in a sexual manner, reinforcing their dominant nature, in comparison to the females who are portrayed as inferior as they dance around naked, trying to gain attention from the males. 

 

Sean Paul - She Doesn't Mind

Male gaze is evident in this following music video as there are numerous females, wearing revealing clothes. The females are perceived as acting sexual and are objectified as they twerk and dance on the male artist, who is portrayed as having ultimate control, as he is surrounded by the females who try to impress him and grab his attention. The artist is wearing black clothing and jewellery, promoting his significance and power in comparison to the females who's female assets are shown through the use of close up's and mid shots. although there are more females and only one male, he still maintains full control as they try to satisfy him kissing and touching him, evoking their dependence and lack of power which they crave to fulfil by competing to win over the male artist.  

Shakira ft Rihanna - Can't Remember to Forget You

Mulvey's Male gaze is evident in this music video, as the female artists in the music video are wearing revealing clothing and their body language and movements are sexual as they show off their personal assets by lying over a bed together and bending over walls. This is captured by the camera which emphasises the females sexualities, which express satisfaction from the male viewers as they see the females taking advantage of the situation they are in. Although the females are perceived as being in charge by serving the milkshake, with the males being the customers, the males still maintain the dominant role as the females are providing the males with what they want, allowing the males to benefit from this. Therefore, this music video maintains the male gaze and the gender roles, which include the male being powerful and dominating  the female, while the female is vulnerable and in the males hands. 

Criticism of Mulvey's Male Gaze

• Only see it from a male heterosexuals perspective- This suggests that the theory only applies to heterosexual males, not taking other audiences such as lesbian females, homosexual males etc into consideration. The theory assumes that only heterosexual males would be interested in the females sexual assets.

• Female opinion is ignored- Certain females see the male gaze as disrespecting their sexuality and ignoring their opinions, as it portrays females as objectified and in promiscuous manners. 

• Doesn't consider all women- All women differ from one another, however, the male gaze suggests that all women are the same, as they are all promiscuous and objectified in general, lacking respect for themselves. However, this is not the case in reality, as females starring within the videos are usually models and famous artists. 

• Men can also be gazed at- The male gaze only focuses on only females assets, and does not take into consideration males. However, males are also be gazed upon in music videos with their sexual assets displayed, although it is not identified.  

• Some people enjoy being looked at- The theory suggests that the male gaze is a problem in music videos, however, this is not always the case  as females starring in the video are likely to enjoy being looked at and therefore are star in the video. If they saw the male gaze as an issue and felt uncomfortable they would not be in the music video. Therefore the male gaze is not as much of an issue to the females in the videos as the theory makes out.

I believe Mulvey's male gaze theory is reliable as it draws upon realistic representations of females within music videos, as females are simply perceived as sexual objects rather than being perceived for who they truly are which is significant artists who have talent. I also agree that the use of cinematography impacts the way females are regarded, as the camera uses close up shots to capture the female artist/ characters body parts, including their lips, bum and boobs in order to draw the male audience in, grabbing their attention. I also agree that females are perceived as passive as their body is being flaunted unnecessarily through camera shots, portraying the females as objects in comparison to males who are the active party due to them gaining pleasure and satisfaction from what they see. Therefore, Mulvey's theory is valid and the 'male gaze' is evident in a majority of mainstream music videos. 

Conclusion:

Only certain music genres use this theory including the Hip hop, R&B, Dance, Rap, Pop, or Bashment genre, which are all targeted at younger target audiences, who are more likely to be males, and regard the 'Male Gaze', being an active audience. These popular genres are also more likely to promote social ideologies through their lyrics and narratives which highlight fun, young lifestyles which the younger target audience can relate to, therefore, believe that the 'Male Gaze' is appropriate to include in their videos. If my chosen genre is an alternative one that is unlikely to have the male gaze within existing music videos, I do not think I will include it. If I have females starring within my music video I will ensure the camera captures their personal assets in a way that satisfies that heterosexual male audience, but also ensure I do not focus on this aspect and lose focus as I must take my entire target audiences interests into consideration. therefore, I will portray my female as lacking full power, but it would be interesting to go against the male gaze and make my females superior and the males inferior, making the camera capture the males personal assets, satisfying the female audience. However, I have not made a definite decision due to not clarifying my genre as of yet. 

Research: Channels

Music channels are TV programmes which generally transmit music videos by popular artists and bands in the music industry to the audience. Music channels are important because they allow the audience to watch music videos rather than just listening a song alone, this promotes a music video ensuring that it receives more viewings and that there is a larger fan base for artists. This is important because it allow the music video to be promoted in different platform which is called synergy. It also allow to promote the artist and become more popular in the industry as well as in the society.

Music channels today

There are many music channels on today's TV to suit a mass audience’s expectations. This ensures that the audience has a larger variety of music genres to choose from, and are able to watch music channels that satisfies them most. In the past there was few channels to choose from, limiting the audience’s choice, and preventing them from being picky, however, the increase in music channels has been beneficial giving the audience greater choice, and leading to larger audience appeal. The increase in music channels is also beneficial for artists who can become more popular and gain a larger fan base due to their music videos being played repeatedly on these channels.

Music Channels:

Music channels are not only catering for music videos nowadays, but TV shows as well. This is to make music channels appeal to a larger, mass audience who can relate to the content. For example, MTV, was known as a popular music channel, however, have now began to show TV shows as well as music videos as they have recognised that there is a larger audience appeal now in comparison to the past, therefore, they must cater for all their audiences and show content that their audience find appealing and entertaining to watch. TV shows played on MTV include Catfish: The TV Show, Teen Mom, Ex On The Beach, Geordie Shore. MTV appeals to the female audience, aged 16-25. However, MTV now has sister channels which show different genres of music genres.

MTV'S sister channels include:

• MTV dance- Plays club music which appeals to 18-25 year olds.

• MTV Live- Shows concerts and festivals

• MTV Rocks- Play rock music and sub genres which appeals to 25- 40 year old males.

• MTV Base- Play hip hop music, from popular artists such as Chris Brown and Beyonce, and appeals to audiences from ethnic minorities, aged 16-25.

•  MTV Hits- plays pop music in the charts, and appeals to the younger audience (5-20 year olds).

Neglect music genres and why?

Despite there being a variety of music channels today, particular music genres tend to be under represented as a result of them being niche genres, appealing to niche viewers rather than the mainstream audience.  For example, alternative R&B and hip hop music are underrepresented genres as their music videos are rarely shown on popular music channels, such as 4Music and MTV due to them having controversial content within them, and only being appropriate to watch after watershed hours to a niche audience (18-30 year olds). Jazz music is also under represented on music channels, as it is a niche genre, and usually appeals to the older generation (45 years and over) who are unlikely to watch music channels in comparison to the younger generation who have a greater interest in music. Moreover, despite grime music becoming more popular and widely listened to by the younger audience, it continues to be under represented on music channels in comparison to classical music for example which has its own music channel. People who create their own personal music videos used to be promoted on AKA, however, are now under represented as this is no longer available, and as a result, YouTube is the new platform for new/ upcoming artists.

Advantages of having so many music channels…

• Promotes artists- An artist become recognised when their music videos are played on various music channels.
• Creates a relationship between the artist and audience-  The audience are able to relate to the artist through their music videos.
• Established fan base- Artists music videos are played on various music channels increasing an artist’s popularity and providing them with established fans.
• Provides entertainment for the viewer- The viewer has a choice of what to watch, and gain entertainment from watching music videos they enjoy.
• Allows audience to sweep- Due to music channels being blocked together, the audience are able to sweep through channels watching the channels that they like most.
• The music industry becomes more successful and earns more money- Having multiple music channels allows the music industry to make more money, as their artists become more popular and increasing the push for more music to be produced from the audience.
• Artists earn more money- Having their music videos played on various music channels, increases an artist’s earnings.

Disadvantages of having so many music channels…

• Under representation- Having lots of music channels can result in certain channels receiving less viewings, and therefore being under represented.
• Importance of artists is less- The music industry has lost its stars, as the popular stars have become too mainstream, making music repetitive.
•  Less engagement and views- Music channels are not as popular as other channels and therefore fail to receive as many viewings as them. The audience also lack engagement in music, preferring to each TV shows which are more entertaining.
•  Less videos are played on these channels- Music channels are no longer playing music as much and try to appeal to a larger audience by playing Shows and festivals as well, however, his goes against their traditions and conventions causing the audience to rebel.

Conclusion: What channels do you think your music video will play on and why?

I think my music video will play on MTV due to it having sister channels which promote a variety of genres, and appealing to a mass audience. Therefore, whatever the genre of my music channel, it is likely to fit into one of the MTV channels, gaining viewers and enabling my music video to gain a fan base. Moreover, I think my music video will play on the radio station channels, such as KISS, which also promotes popular music videos and has an existing fan base, ensuring that my music video will gain viewings from the mainstream audience. However, if my music video is of a niche genre, a radio channel may not be an appropriate channel to play my music video on as it may appeal to a niche audience.

Research: Goodwin’s Theory

Andrew Goodwin identified certain features linked with music videos that he proved to be reliable after testing various music videos. Goodwin's theory is likely to apply to all mainstream music videos and some niche music videos. The features he has identified are evident within most mainstream music videos, even if they do not include every single feature. The features involved within Goodwin's theory include:

• Genre Characteristics
• Relationship between lyrics and visuals
• Relationship between music and visuals
• Star image
• Notion of looking
• Intertexuality
• Performance/ Narrative/ Concept
• Technical elements

-Genre Characteristics: Music videos often reflect their genre through the use of specific characteristics making them conventional. Each genre contains differing conventions including:

Pop genre- Young people, popular culture, unrealistic, exaggerated.

Rock- Dark, passive aggressive, black leather clothing, male dominated genre.

• Hip Hop- Promiscuous women, fancy cars, mansions, expensive costumes. 

• R&B- Topless male artists with tattoos and jewellery, females with minimal clothing, provocative lyrics, dancing.

• House -  Up beat song, low budget location and performance based 

- Relationship between lyrics and visuals:  A connection is shown through the visuals relating to the lyrics. Either being illustrative; explaining the lyrics visually, amplifying, exaggeration of the lyrics linking to the video and lastly contradicting; being the opposite visual to the lyrics heard.

An example of a music video showing a relationship between lyrics and visuals Includes, Lana Del Rey's music video 'Born to Die' which contains lyrics describing how love has destroyed her life. She says 'We were born to die', the visuals support these lyrics as the video contained a narrative consisting of the artist dying at the end of the video. 

- Relationship between music and visuals:
Visuals show a connection to the actual music. If the music is upbeat, so are the visuals, whereas if the music is monotone, so are the visuals.

For example, in Panic at the Disco's music video 'LA Devotee' the music is up-beat and fast and the visuals reflect this as we see different shots complimenting the sound.

-Star image: The music video includes many close-ups of the artist, demanded by the record labels to make them popular and identifiable.

For example, in Passenger's music video, 'Let Her Go', the artist is perceived frequently through the continuous use of close ups surrounding him, giving him full control and allowing the audience to identify him and his music effectively. 

- Notion of looking: This is when there is particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body, women that are seen as a sexual object. There are a huge amount of music videos that use the notion of looking nowadays, particularly songs in the R&B, and hip hop genre.

For example, The Weeknd's music video, 'Or Nah' contains a huge amount of notion of looking as there are various females who have minimal clothing and act in a promiscuous manner. The camera focuses on the females specific body parts to ensure that the notion of looking can be adapted. 

- Intertextual references: In many music videos there are often links with other films, TV programmes or other music videos etc. This Is called intertextual reference.
  

-For example, in the 'Vogue' music video by Madonna, intertextual reference is evident. Not only we see references about the popular magazine Vogue, but also about Merilyn Monroe hairstyle and bold lips.  

- Performance, narrative or concept based?-  A music video is likely to either be performance based, narrative based or concept based, however, it is unlikely for all three to be evident in a video.

- Performance- Focus is solidly on the artist/band allowing the audience to perceive them properly without the distraction of a narrative.

For example, the music video 'Uptown Funk' by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson consists of pure performance as the artists are perceived to be singing the song without a narrative involved. This allows the audience to identify which singer sings which part of the song and the audience can listen to the song and the lyrics effectively without being distracted by a narrative.

- Narrative based- A narrative based video  has a story that is related to the lyrics of the song and this is portrayed through the characters acting it out.



For example, Justin Bieber's 'What do you Mean' music video includes a narrative consisting of Justin Bieber being the protagonist of the video rescuing his love interest from kidnapping. 

-Concept based- A concept based music video usually revolves around a  single idea which is obscure and surreal for the audience further attracting  them and, encouraging them to want to watch the music video. The video is likely include special effects.

An example of  a concept music video includes The Chemical Brothers's video 'Wide Open' where the viewers see a woman dancing and then become like a mannequin with holes.

• Technical Elements: Technical elements consist of the use of micro elements including cinematography, sound, editing and mise en scene within a music video. All music videos are likely to have technical elements which will make their music video conventional to it's genre.

I analysed Twenty One Pilots's music video 'Car Radio' and identified Goodwin's theory within it, in order to see if his theory was reliable in all cases.

My research into the two music videos proved that Goodwin's theory can be applied to all  mainstream music videos even if all the features are not evident in the videos, It is likely that more than one will be as these features  are what make a music video effective and conventional to the music industry. Both of the analysed music videos include all the features from Goodwin's theory, although the 'Strip' music video does not include an intertextual reference unlike the 'Miami' music video. Intertextual reference is the least obvious feature, and some references are difficult to identify in the way they are portrayed. Despite intertextual reference, the other features differ in the way they are presented in the music videos, however are evident. Overall, the music video that applies to Goodwin's theory most is Will Smith's, Miami music video, as this video includes all of the features the theory identifies, suggesting that this is the more conventional music video out of the two. 

Opinions on Goodwin's theory

Goodwin's theory has positives and negatives. 

Positives:

• Easy to apply to all music videos, even if a music video does not contain all the features, they are likely to contain at least two.
• Allows you to consider and analyse all aspects of a music video.
• Allows you to break down the content of a video.

Negatives: 

• Very reliant on the mainstream music and popular culture. This is evident in 'The Weeknd's' 'Tell you friends' music video, which is from the alternative R&B genre which is niche. As a result, this music video has a lack of features from Goodwin's theory, as it does not contain intertextual reference or the notion of looking due to the video being based on his life experiences rather than being made in order to follow the common conventions.

• It can be questioned as to whether Goodwin should even be credited for his theory as the features he states are natural to mainstream music videos. For example, iconography such as guitars and drums are conventional to the rock genre and are therefore commonly found in rock music videos, however, without these instruments the music would not have the same impact. Therefore, his stated features are likely to come naturally to directors of music videos most of the time without them having to consider Goodwin's theory. 

In my opinion, Goodwin's theory is reliable in that he identifies conventional features within his theory which are popular and easily found within music videos, therefore, at least one feature is likely to be evident in many music videos despite their genre of music and popularity in the music industry. Although the theory has some negatives such as being reliant on mainstream music and it being questioned as to whether Goodwin should be credited for his theory, I believe that his theory is useful and should be used when creating a music video, as it will ensure that a music video follows conventions and will prevent the video from lacking popularity. 

Conclusion

My research into Goodwin's Theory has allowed me to identify that the theory can be applied to all music videos as the features Goodwin identifies are all useful and make a music video conventional to the music industry. As a result of this research, I will ensure  that I take Goodwin's theory into consideration and use particular features he has discovered within my music video, even if my music video is not mainstream, as these characteristics are all significant and are conventional to music videos. I will ensure I have conventional genre characteristics evident  in order to promote my video to my target audience and ensure it is easy for the audience to identify the genre of my song, for example, if my genre is hip hop, I am aware that my target audience are teenage and adult males who can relate to particular themes, and therefore, I will ensure my music video identifies themes such as poverty and relationships. When i create my music video I will also try to ensure that my music video is made of narrative, performance or concept to make my music video more unique and appealing to a larger audience. I will also try and include intertextual reference within my music video, as this is not a common feature evident within all existing music videos, therefore using an intertextual reference that is linked with my song choice, can create audience reaction, which is likely to make my video more popular.