Media Theory | Music Video Theorists

In todays lesson we were given the task to research some famous media theorists going by the names of Andrew Goodwin and Carol Vernallis and their concept of voyeurism in music videos.

Starting with Andrew Goodwin, in his book on the rise of MTV, Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992), identifies a number of key features which distinguish the music video as a form. He had a theory that there are six key aspects of a music video that as an audience, we should look out for. They are as follows:

1. A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. The visuals thus illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music.
2. A relationship between the music and visuals, with the visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music.
3. Genre-related style and iconography present.
4. The stars image - consisting of multiple close-up shots of the main artist(s) or vocalist(s).
5. A sense of voyeurism is often playing a major part, especially in relation to females.
6. Lastly, intersexual references to other media texts might also be present.

Using Goodwin's theory I will now apply it to a music video of my choice to demonstrate. I like the set up of this video, the minimalism and bold text. I feel this video follows Goodwin's theory closely with the women used in a sexual manner giving it a sense of voyeurism. The video I've decided to choose is Robin Thick's 'Blurred Lines' (unrated version)

 Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' portrays Andrew's theory well. As 'Blurred Lines' is of the R&B, dance, pop genre it is natural to assume the way the director goes about shooting it. Like many pop videos today, such as Jessie J's 'Wild' the blank backdrop is used often to represent a clean, fresh and modern approach to these genres music videos. 

While analysing I noticed that the director infused both illustrative and entropic elements into his music video. I've print screened some examples to discuss. In the first image the lyrics that coinside with the moving image is "But you're animal, baby it's in your nature." While this is being said one of the stars, model Emily Ratajkowski, mouths the onomatopoeia "meow" relating back to the lyrics and also initiates women having a natural animal instinct about them.

Through out the video the audience are watching 3 women parade around topless in nude underwear in a ignorant yet seductive manner towards the stars Pharrell and Robin. The next screen shot I decided to capture was during the lyrics "Just let me liberate ya." to liberate something/one is to set them free. In this case one of the topless women is holding a sheep which is a domestic farm animal. Domestic being used in the terms of someone/something being house bound, house trained in a sense of being on a domestic leash. This suggests to the audience and contradicts what is being said to the women about giving her a sense of freedom. As if the stars are trying to win the women over by saying positive things while the director hints otherwise.

This leads to the next lyric "And that's why Ima take a good girl." Here we see Robin Thicke in bed with a women who is embracing him tightly while he is casually turned away from her fully clothed. Referring back to the previous caption and Andrews's theory of voyeurism and women being sexual objects as we are watching them from a high angle in bed. In music videos it suggests that the men are in higher power as they are fully clothed, and thus able to get a 'good girl' and make her 'bad' 

"Shake your rump, get down." Here is another lyrics and visuals relation as Robin Thicke indicates the words "get down" by pointing his finger to the floor and his eyes are looking at her behind. Over the visuals is an interextual input to the social networking site Twitter "#THICKE" encouraging word of mouth and commercialising the stars.

Now, looking at Carol Vernallis theory about editing for music videos. Vernallis is a lecturer at Stanford University and her areas of specialisation consist of Film and Media Studies: Contemporary audiovisual aesthetics, Youtube, music video and postclassical cinema. Some of Carol's ideas consist of:

• The difference in film and music video editing.
• Roles of editing in narrative.
• The meaning and continuity.
• How image and sound are synchronised throughout editing.
• How close-ups and the appearances of celebrities work in the music videos.
• Finally, how editing reflects on the music.

A brief overview of her concept:

Continuity Editing - Broken edits are used to draw attention to the screen and pulls the eye to what is happening.

Edits - Drawing attention to them deliberately in order to catch the audiences interest. Such things are special effects and wipes.

Jump Cuts - This technique is used frequently in music videos to speed things up as songs are usually only around the 2-4 minute mark. 

Master Shot - These are also known as the base track. It gives the video structure.

Camera -  You'll find the camera consistently moves in time with the beat of the music to give it more rhythm. 

For this theory I'll be applying it to music video 'I Don't Care' by Icona Pop as I feel it demonstrates an identical representation to Carol's approach on music videos.

Time line:

0:14 - 0:22 The camera shots are cut quickly to match the beat of the music, making it fast paced and entertaining.

0:22 - 0:27 Special effects are used in the Bokeh style faintly over the stars enticing the audiences eye and keeping the audiences interest.

0:30 The stars are used to initiate the use of the word "shit" by cleverly matching it to the time of the music and making it look like the sound "shh". This reflects on the songs theme and meaning to the song and the frequent use of the words "I love it" and "I don't care"

0:51 -0:53 Both main singers are in shot in a Queen 'Bohemian Rhapsody' style effect. Through out the video lots of Bokeh effects are used and specific shots have been used to keep it fresh and up tempo. 

0:55 Several close ups of the stars used. Bringing a sense of intimacy for the audience, as if with the stars.

1:03 Although it's not text, using some sort of symbolised 'text' in the music video relates back to an editing narrative which Carol states is a key significance for music videos.

1:21 more text symbolism is used. Matching exactly to the beat of the stars singing. Also featuring their faces.

1:47 There are a lot of 'fillers' during the music video of random things going on during the song is playing. For example the two stars in a cab not singing but chatting and showing something from their bag. It adds a sense of reality to the music video as if on a real night out.

2:22 Editing effects applied some more to increase interest for audience. I particularly like this effect as it gives our eyes a lot to concentrate on, keeping us hooked.

Icona Pop finish on a very smooth continuity cut of a man clapping the close of the video. It then pops up some text that happened also in the beginning of the video symbolising 'the end' or 'fin' as the group are French.