Video Deconstruction Analysis

Deconstruction Analysis

Throughout deconstructing 6 different genre music videos, I found several generic conventions that all music videos keep too. I also found genre specific generic conventions which were unique to each genre music video.  Andrew Goodwin put forward several generic category  that music videos all follow.

    The first category is: "Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics". I found this in all the music videos i deconstructed. In each video the clothing of the artists represent their genre style. The music video "Gotye - Somebody I used to Know" subverted this generic convention as the artist wasn't wearing any clothes. However the purpose of his nudity was represent the creativity within the Indie genre which then helps this music video fit into the above category.

    The second category is: "There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals". I found this in all of my music videos. For example in the music video "Eminem - When I'm Gone", during the lyrics: "Have you ever loved someone so much, you'd give an arm for? Not the expression, no, literally give an arm for?" Eminem lifts up this sleeve of his t-shirt to reveal a tattoo on his arm. Another example in one of the music videos I have deconstructed would be in the music video "Kanye West - Stronger".  There is a jump cut during the lyrics:"You can be my black Kate Moss tonight". The music video then cuts to a medium close up of a Asian young woman. She is pretty just like Kate Moss therefore representing the lyrics of the song.

     The third category is: "There is a relationship between music and visuals". The best example of this within the music videos I have deconstructed is in the music video "Hollerado - Americanarama" This music video is one long continuous shot of a group of people in a grid holding up different visuals throughout  the song to make it look attractive and creative. The different images and patterns they create happen to the beat of the music, lyrics or guitar chords. This is to help represent the 'rocky' beat within the song and creates a relationship between the music and the visuals

    The forth category is: "The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work. The use of the close up camera angle is evident across all of the music videos I have deconstructed despite their genres. This use of close up shots helps to sell the artist using their appearance and clothing to the target audience. A example of a artist who has developed motifs within their work is Gotye. He only became very well known worldwide with the release of his song "Somebody I Used To Know" which was the one i deconstructed. The second most watched music video on YouTube by "Gotye" is "Gotye - Hearts a Mess". This music video uses animation just like in the music video of "Somebody I Used To Know" that I deconstructed.

    The fifth category is: " There is frequently reference to the notion of looking and a particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body". The first part of the statement I did not find much evidence to support. However the second part about the voyeuristic treatment of the body I did find in some of the music videos I deconstructed. However the representation of women did seem to vary from genre to genre.  In the R&B genre music video I deconstructed, "Beyoncé - Run The World (Girls)", the woman within the music video are dressed provocatively throughout. Generally in the rap genre woman are represented in a similar way to the R&B genre. However the rap genre video I deconstructed " Eminem- When I'm Gone" this wasn't the case and it subverted conventions. The reason for this is because even though he was singing about a female he was singing about his daughter.

    The sixth category is: "There is often a interextual reference". I found evidence for this in the pop genre deconstruction of the music video " Carly Rae Jepson - Call Me Maybe".  From my own general music knowledge I identified a music video which was very similar to "Call Me Maybe". This was the music video: " Bowling For Soup - 1985". It had a almost identical location to Carly Rae Jepson's video; a suburban  street. The chorus for both songs was also preformed in a garage.