Theorists: Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin identified that there are several different key features in a music video
(in his opinion) These are:

: A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating, amplifying or contrasting with the lyrics.

: Genre-related style and iconography present

: Multiple close-ups of the main artist or vocalist/s

: Voyerism often plays a major part, especially in relation to females

: Intertextual references to other media texts may be present

A music video in which think relates to all of the features to Goodwins theory is The kill by 30 Seconds to Mars.

As is obvious, it provides us with an immediate intertextual reference to a well known film, The Shining.

In relation to this though, as I will discuss in more detail later on, this video also follows the sctructure of the film itself, this of course being a propp narrative. This is obvious to people who have actually watched the film, but even without it being a reflection of the film, people who hadn't watched it would still be able to follow what was going on, even though it is very entropic. The characters have been changed in the music video, as I think it would of been difficult to decide who would play what role, so instead of basing themselves on the characters of the film, they each took a part of the film and applied it for themselves. For example, the lead singer takes part of the lead character ( Jack Nicholls) and plays out the part of the film where he is sat in a bar. In relation to Goodwins theory though, i think that there are many examples that the lyrics have a clear relationship to the visuals; 'Come break me down, bury me, bury me, I am finished with you'. This begins to show as he is throwing a ball at the wall by himself, seemingly in a mad kind of way, so we get the impression that he is going insane, which aswell goes along with the narrative. The genre of the music is very 'emo' and dark, which I think fits Goodwins theory of genre-related style. The music video is very dark, and almost creepy, which definatly fits in well with the music. There is a touch of sexuality in the film, but interestingly not just linking into the voyeurism in relation to women. This is probably the only feature in his theory which the music video would not comply with completely, as there is a touch of homosexuality. But there is still a sexual relation to women though, as a women is in a bathroom with nothing but a bathrobe around her, and she and one of the band start kissing. There are many close ups to the main singer all throughout the video; at the beginning in the car, the middle while he throws the ball and goes wandering around the hotel, and at the end when he is on stage.

I think I agree with goodwins theory, although not all music videos I have researched or watched have intertextual references, and not always do the lyrics go well with the video.