Goodwin's theory- Alex Clare

A2 Media studies

Music video 2

Alex Clare- too close

Goodwin’s theory  

The music video, which I have chosen to analyse, is, Alex Clare, too close. This video is a concept-based video, which also has elements of performance included.

    This video has aspects of the alternative rock elements within the whole video.  Some of these being that there is a heavy base line, which is stereotypical aspect of alternative rock. I would say that apart from that this is the only stereotypical code, which is used in this music video. Otherwise I think that this video challenges the stereotypes of an alternative rock video. Some of the ways, which this video challenges, the stereotypes would be; that the video itself isn’t a DIY video as it is a concept based video rather than a stereotypical performance based video. He also doesn’t use any instruments nor has any footage of anyone playing an instrument. This again challenges the stereotypes and makes the song different compared to the stereotypical conventional alternative music video.  This music video still appeals to a target audience, because it still contains some generic conventions during video, another reason why people might still watch this would be because this is a concept video it is different and not something, which is currently being done by any other artist right now. This would make this video stand out as the audience would be left with questions by the end of the video this might give them an incentive to want to watch the video again as there may be certain aspects of video which the audience may want to see again or what may interest them. I think that these aspects of the video, which would appeal to this audience and would make them, want to watch the video again and be interested by what is happening during the video. 

    It is clear that there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. Even though this music video is a concept-based video, I think that this works well with the lyrics, as they can also be screen as a metaphor. This is clear with one of the lyrics ‘it feels like I’m to close to love you’ the camera then cuts to a scene with the two fencing players fencing against each other. This could be seen as a metaphor as the fencers are almost too close to each other and they don’t want to be so they are fight the need to be too close to each other. This is also what the lyrics are about of the song further developing this relationship. This is also different to the typical stereotypical video, which is sometimes used in songs about relationships between two people. I think that this is because quite often I’ve noticed that a lot of them tend to be narrative based, I think that’s why this video looks different.    

   

    The song is in sync with the editing, as they both move at the same speed. This is illustrated where the song gets faster and more up beat the fencing becomes a lot faster and aggressive.  This is also apparent at the start of the song where the song is really slow and the edited is also slow. An example of this is used at the start of the song where Clare looks up at the camera this is moves slowly as the same beat as the song. This engages the audience as the beat and the editing match, in some ways in keeps the audience in suspense and warns them that something is going to happen. This is done through the use of the camera shots and angle used, the music also helps to alert the audience that something if going to happen, an example of where this is used would be at the start of the song where Alex looks up and the music is slow the editing is slow and the camera show used is an over the shoulder angle, this lets the audience see what direction Alex is looking in. thus informing the audience that something is going to happen in that direction.   

    Close ups are used throughout this music video; this conforms to Goodwin’s conventions. This is used throughout the whole video; from the start of the song is a good example of where this is used. The first shot is of Clare looking into the distance, and the camera based on his shoulder. It is then used again for the next shots where there are close ups of the fencing mans hands, of him putting his gloves on and getting prepared. Other close ups used at the start are of the fencers mask. This all happens before the artist actually starts singing, as well as this most of the close ups happen before the audience actually get a look at the characters from a long shot or any other different angle. This can connote to the audience that all these close ups will all be more important later on in the song. Other close ups are used when the characters are moving and the camera show the footwork.

    It is clear that in this music video that the video conforms to stereotypes, codes and conventions of Goodwin’s theory of the notion of looking. This happens throughout the whole video, the characters don’t ever look into the camera once, and don’t have any awareness that there is any kind of audience watching or that there is a camera on them. One example of where this is significant is at the start where the fencers are getting ready to fence each other and they are putting their fencing gloves on, as this is not a task that would usually be watched.       

    There is one convention that is not conformed to and that would be the intertextual references, as there is no promotion of any brand or anything that could be seen as branding or promoting. Everything used in the video doesn’t include any brands. Everything, which is used in the video, tends to use its own unique style, for examples the fighters outfits, these are different to what the tradition dress of this would look like.

    This music video is split into all of the different style of music video the first being concept as this would be the main one. Most of the video is concept by about 60%. The second being largest style for this music video would be performance based and this takes up about 30% of the video. This then leaves the remaining 10% of the video being narrative based. This is because although the video is a metaphor it still tells a story to the audience watching, and they can also figure out what the story of the song would be from watching the video. The reason why most of the video would be concept based would be because the whole song is a metaphor and this is clear once the audience listens to the song the will be able to hear how the lyrics link to the song in terms of what the two main character are doing as they are almost fighting with each other to avoid getting close to each other, this is the metaphor of the song and Clare has decided to show this physically with the characters he has used. The reason why 30% of the video would be performance is because throughout the duration of the video including the start and finish the camera often goes back onto Clare just watching him singing, this happens frequently between shots of the fighting, this then shows a representation of Clare as a character and how he wants to be prescribed by his audience. Throughout this whole video it shows Clare to be a casual person, this is shown by the way he is dressed. This then furthers the idea of Clare selling his voice more than him trying to sell him as a brand.         

 Have looked at where Goodwin’s theory is evident in this music video this has now allowed me to decide where I might want to use any of these conventions within my own music video. Having analysed this music video above I think that I might include a narrative and a concept based music video. I would also like to link the lyrics and the visuals together, as I think that this helps the audience to understand the artist better and get into the mind of what the artist is thinking and how they wanted the visuals to be and how they want the audience to see the song. I also want to genre characteristic to be evident within the music video I produce I think that this is important as then this can appeal to my target audience more and the genre of the music video is more evident. The last conventions of Goodwin’s theory which I would like to include is to have some type of intertextual references depending on what type of narrative which I chose to have I would like it to have some sort of intertexual for example just showing off a brand a little bit in a subtle way and not making it obvious as I think that this could look good. But of course this all depends on what song I chose to do and the genre of music which I end up doing as well.