Music Promo video research

Seth Tumwa

Goodwin’s TheoryIn his book ‘Dancing in the distraction factory’ Andrew Goodwin identifies the following features of music videos:• There's a relationship between lyrics and the visuals • There's a relationship between the music and the visuals, the lyrics (e.g. sad

song with sad lyrics and vice versa)• Some music genres may have their own music videos style and iconography

(e.g. hip-hop with girls, cars and gold jewellery) • There is often a demand for a lot of close-ups of the main artist or vocalist from

the record company to establish the artist on screen and identify them with the music

• Likely to be a reference to voyeurism (notion of looking) usually fro females but also in the methods of actually looking (e.g. screens within screens or cameras

• Likely to be intertextual references either to other music videos (usually to seminal videos) or to films and TV texts

Video 1 – Justin Timberlake Suit & Tie • https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=7tWvTW16atE

Music Video Analysis

Mise en scene

• Video itself adopts a vintage style • Refers to being "being handsome and well-dressed". Mainly

through the line ‘as long as I’ve got my suit and tie’ which ties in with the costume that Justin Timberlake wears throughout the video, a suit and tie, representing this suave/slick appearance, its clear that this subverts to Godwin’s theory where he states that there is a relationship between lyrics and the visuals.

Genre: R&B

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suit_%26_Tie

Camera angles, shots and movement

• The video subverts to Godwin’s theory of music videos as the main focus of the video is on Justin Timberlake himself with many close ups of his body and face, making him identifiable with the song and establish him as the main vocalist

• The intertextual reference is very clear in this music videos. Most music videos in this decade and in the last few decades would not tend to use a black and white filter and feature an old school/vintage style so the intertextual reference is to old music videos where artists did where a suit and tie on stage during a performance, accompanied by a live band, for example

• I believe there is also an intertextual reference to film

Notion of looking: Timberlake watches the girls as they run past him from the stage, in their cabaret-like costumes, smiling to himself as if he ‘likes what he sees’

Black and White filter consistent throughout the whole music video, intertextual reference to old music videos before colour images were even possible to be shown

Suggests they are back stage as this is an old light to keep the area lit as its dark. The curtains also suggest they are back stage as they are waiting behind them, perhaps waiting to go on stage

If you look closely you can see that this isn't just any stage, it is within what appears to be a bar/club and Justin Timberlake is one of the acts that gets paid to perform there, linking to the cabaret dancers who have just ran off stage past him. Intertextual reference film perhaps, old films where dancers and singers perform at a club while people come to drink and sit and watch them perform.

Consistency of black and white, like old music videos

Video 2: Route 94 - My Love

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS46C2z5lVE

Music Video AnalysisReference to drug abuse close up of the girl putting pill into her mouth - reference to drug abuse which is a huge occurrence in nightclubs

References to alcoholism with the girls drinking and this idea that you have to drink to have fun

The video takes place in a nightclub and is displayed as a heat pattern throughout the video, this in a way makes you focus more on the people in the video and what they are doing but detaches you from them, as you can’t connect with their features (e.g. eyes) therefore you see them as just characters in a video partying in a club. 

If you can’t guess that's the music video takes place in a nightclub there are some obvious signs, for example at eh start of the video, there is no heat patterns and he can see the main character waling down a street towards the club at night as it is dark and street lights shine behind him. after this a bouncer nods to him and allows him into the club and if you look around at the scene that takes place e.g. there is a DJ present, people are dancing, drinking alcohol, kissing and generally having a good time it makes it obvious that they are in a nightclub. 

Notion of looking recurs throughout the music video, and it is always aimed at women.

Women seductively touches her own body in this close-up

Conforms to Goodwin’s theory, with a subtle link to the lyrics of the song, ‘ My love, and my touch, up above, made with the warmth of my’ which suggests that she runs the mind games on the man she is referring to with her touch and the relationship they share is electrifying. In these shots a notion of looking is shown with the man staring at the girl from a distance and she almost plays a game with him, making him look over then walking away after gaining his attention, leading him to the dancefloor and seducing him

Seminal Video

Michael Jackson – Billie Jean • Music video recorded in 1982• Directed by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones • Pop/R&B Elements clearly shown: upbeat music & dancing

in the video • Narrative structure, follows how Michael is accused of

getting ‘Billie Jean’ pregnant but in the lyrics Michael denies the claim. Michael is followed by an investigator for the whole video who tries to take pictures of him/find evidence to support Billie Jeans claim but in the end Michael gets away and the investigator gets arrested after not finding any evidence against Michael.

Goodwin’s Theory

In his book ‘Dancing in the distraction factory’ Andrew Goodwin identifies the following features of music videos:•There's a relationship between lyrics and the visuals •There's a relationship between the music and the visuals, the lyrics (e.g. sad song with sad lyrics and vice versa)•Some music genres may have their own music videos style and iconography (e.g. hip-hop with girls, cars and gold jewellery) •There is often a demand for a lot of close-ups of the main artist or vocalist from the record company to establish the artist on screen and identify them with the music•Likely to be a reference to voyeurism (notion of looking) usually for females but also in the methods of actually looking(e.g. screens within screens or cameras•Likely to be intertextual references either to other music videos (usually to seminal videos) or to films and TV texts

LyricsShe was more like a beauty queen from a movie sceneI said don't mind, but what do you mean, I am the oneWho will dance on the floor in the roundShe said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the roundShe told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a sceneThen every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the oneWho will dance on the floor in the roundPeople always told me be careful of what you doAnd don't go around breaking young girls' heartsAnd mother always told me be careful of who you loveAnd be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truthBillie Jean is not my loverShe's just a girl who claims that I am the oneBut the kid is not my sonShe says I am the one, but the kid is not my sonFor forty days and forty nightsThe law was on her sideBut who can stand when she's in demandHer schemes and plans'Cause we danced on the floor in the roundSo take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice(Don't think twice, don't think twice)She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at meThen showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby

People always told me be careful of what you doAnd don't go around breaking young girls' heartsShe came and stood right by meJust the smell of sweet perfumeThis happened much too soonShe called me to her room

Billie Jean is not my loverShe's just a girl who claims that I am the oneBut the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my loverShe's just a girl who claims that I am the oneBut the kid is not my sonShe says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my loverShe's just a girl who claims that I am the oneBut the kid is not my sonShe says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one,(you know what you did, (she says he is my son)breaking my heart babe)She says I am the one

Billie Jean is not my loverBillie Jean is not my loverBillie Jean is not my loverBillie Jean is not my lover (don't Billie Jean)Billie Jean is not my loverBillie Jean is not my lover

Close up of Michael’s face in this frame which Identifies the artist

Pillar glows as Michael leans on it, suggesting everything he touches ‘Lights up’/’turns to gold’ he has the power to make little things a big deal, perhaps relating to the song itself about the story of Billie Jena being bigger than it needs to be just because it involves Michael Jackson

Iconic white shoes and bright socks with trousers exposing his ankles, a style that Michael promoted

Red bow tie, pink shirt and black trousersRed: connotations of danger but also passion, desire, and love which could be associated with the rumours of him and Billie Jean

Conforms to Goodwin’s theory that There is often a demand for a lot of close-ups of the main artist or vocalist from the record company to establish the artist on screen and identify them with the music

Scandal – Suggests a story has been made up around him, the tabloids cant get enough of it so they write articles about the story whether it is entirely true or not.

Newspaper headlines, relation to lyrics and song ‘Billie Jean’ suggesting an importance to her name

Relation to lyrics: “Billie Jean is not my loverShe's just a girl who claims that I am the oneBut the kid is not my sonShe says I am the one, but the kid is not my son”The detective is following Michael wherever he goes trying to find some evidence to support Billie Jeans story or find something to incriminate him and make him look bad.

Two Shot of Michael and the detective.Private investigator: evident through costume: Long brown trench coat, brown hat, black shades, black trousers and black shoes – an outfit that is often associated with investigators (e.g. in charterers like ‘Inspector Gadget’ the costume is very similar) Brown: connotations of security, protection, material wealth and being serious

Evident through movement in shots: He sneaks around and never lets Michael see him & runs away whenever there is a risk of getting caught

Conforms to Goodwin’s theory that there's a relationship between lyrics and the visuals

Trying to catch Michael out like paparazzi, find evidence/ a story to stick on him, but Michael gets away and escapes the attempts to incriminate him

Full of cameras perhaps to represent the paparazzi and everyone trying to get stories put of his life

One camera tries to snap a photo of Michael. Catch him out and have evidence to implicate him

Recurring colour of black (all the cameras are black) with a dark background Connotations of black: power, mystery, fear and the unknown

Repeats the idea that everything Michael touches/everything associated with him ‘turns to the gold’/gets better/ ‘Lights up’ Costume of the homeless man changes from dirty, dark coloured clothing (black and brown), to a fresh white suit, white socks, white shoes and a red bow tie.Connotations of White: Purity

Iconic lighting of pavement whenever Michael steps on them

Michael is often shown to be dancing whether it is on stage or in his music videos and this relates to that, Michael dances for the majority of the video, entertaining his audience. This was a fairly new concept, most videos didn’t feature a lot of dancing from the artist like this at the time

Iconic hip thrusts, spins and fancy footwork of Michael Jackson.Moves which were likely to have been inspired by artists like Elvis Presley

‘Yellow Brick Road’ similar to the Wizard of Oz, perhaps Michael is on a journey. Every tile lights up as he steps on them

Iconic lighting of tiles, inspired use in modern music videos and films

Conforms to Goodwin’s theory that some music genres may have their own music videos style and iconography, in this case the pop/r&b genre often features dancing