Andrew Goodwin's '6 Points'

While writing in 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' (Routledge 1992), Andrew Goodwin identified 6 key points in music videos.

1. Genre characteristics - Music videos present references and stereotypes to the genre the song or band are in. For example, a heavy metal video will traditionally  feature a stage performance, where as a pop video may feature a dance routine of some sorts.

2. There is a Relationship between lyrics and visuals - This could be either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting.  How does what you hear relate to what you see? Are they dancing in time to the music? Does the editing cut on the beat of the music?

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals - Either illustrative, amplifying, or contradicting 

4. The star image of the artist - The demands of the record label will require lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). Features to determine this include; artist close ups, artists logo or iconography 

5. Voyeurism - There is frequently reference to notion of looking or spying (screens within screens, mirror shot, frame-within-frame, unconscious exhibitionism, private view, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. Voyeurism = pleasure gained from watching (ideally when the object is unaware of being watched ). This is similar to gender theory, e.g. Laura Mulvey and the 'male gaze' 

6. Intertextuality - There is often intertextual reference. For example, a reference to a well known image or phrase from another media text. E.g. Madonna's Material Girl/ Marilyn Monroe's Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.