Key Features Of Music Videos

In 1992, Andrew Goodwin published a book called 'Dancing In The Distraction Factory', after years of research into music videos. In this book he came up with a number of 'codes and conventions' for music video - a range of elements that many music videos have in common.

Goodwin's theory identified these key features:

1) Music videos demonstrate certain genre characteristics
     - For example: stage performance in metal/hard rock video
     - Dance routines for boy/girl bands
     - 'Throwing signs' in  early hip-hop videos
     - Scantily clad women or 'bling' for gangsta rap videos

2) There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
     - Often illustrative but could amplify or contradict the lyrics

3) There is a relationship between music and visuals
     - Often illustrative but could also amplify or contradict the music

4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist

5) The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)

6) There is frequent reference to the notion of 'looking' (screens within screens, filming, cameras) and particularly voyeuristic (pleasure through looking) treatment of the female body

7) There are often intertextual references - mostly to film, television and popular culture

These features are useful to follow when creating my music video, especially the relationship between lyrics, music and visuals as I want to heavily include that in  my video. I don't intend to follow close-ups of the artist as the artist won't appear in my video and it will deviate away from the usual genre stereotype for dance music videos as I am  creating a narrative piece. I don't intend to referdence the notion of 'looking' especially with my female character as my intention is to show her as a strong women who takes her life into her own hands.