John Stewart's theory

John states that music videos are influenced by the aesthetics of a TV commercial. These include many different close ups of the face to highlight the stars face, as well as lighting to create a setting or different mood, and to focus on the star.

He also sees visual references in music video from different sources, although the most frequent are cinema, art, fashion and photography.

His description of the music video as "incorporating, raiding and deconstructing" is essentially the essence of intertextuality,  using something with which the audience may be familiar, to generate both nostalgic associations and new meaning.

He came up with the idea that the video allows more access to the performer than a stage performance, and the Mise-En-Scene in particular can be used to create an aspirational lifestyle for the viewer.

For example;

The music video "Focus", sung by Ariana Grande, directed by Hannah Lux Davis, and produced by Brandon Bonfiglio includes aspects of a TV commercial. There are many close ups of Ariana, with bright lights on her face, and there is even a close up of a Samsung phone, commercialising the product, as well as her. The close ups of Ariana also match the song as the camera is "focused" on her, adhering to John Stewart's theory, focusing on the star. There are also visual references as the music video involves Ariana sitting and crouching inside a circular area, which has visuals of a camera lens. This also complies with John's theory as it has visuals of photography and art. This in itself creates a setting for the video. There are also wide shots of Ariana kneeling in a box like area, which adverts are main attention to her so we are "focusing" on her. The lighting is also quite bright so we can clearly see her. Additionally, throughout the video we see her wearing different outfits. This complies to the theory as it involves visuals of fashion. The video includes flashing lights at Ariana, connoting that she is in a fashion shoot, thus conveying visuals of photography.

Laura Mulvey and "The Male Gaze" in music videos

Laura Mulvey describes the "male gaze" as when in a film, the audience is put into the perspective of the heterosexual man. A scene may focus on the curves of a woman's body, putting the viewer in the eyes of a male and encouraging objectification of women. This theory is only presented if the female body is highlighted with close ups, tracking shots, slow motion, zoom-ins and tilting up. The theory suggests that the female only exists in relation to the male and that the male gaze leads to hegemonic ideologies in our society, reinforcing gender differences in society. Mulvey argues that the audience, including other women, is encouraged to identify with the male characters and how they treat women, leading other women to take the male gaze and view women in the same way as a man would, thus objectifying other women.

Examples of music videos that demonstrate aspects of the male gaze would be "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus and "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke.

Different Styles of Music Video

There are three different types of music video. Firstly, there is performance based. This is where the artists show they can play musical instruments. An example of this would be the music video for 'Cousins' by Vampire Weekend.

Secondly, there is the narrative driven music video. In this type, the video tells us a story which usually involves a character or the artist. An example of this would be the music video for 'Hurt' by Christina Aguleira.

Lastly, there is the abstract type which doesn't tell a story and involves randomly put together images, usually making it seem strange. An example of this would be 'Unconditionally' by Katy Perry.

The Purpose of a Music Video.

Analysis of Telephone in relation to Goodwin's theory

The tracking shot of Lady Gaga walking centre through the prison, dressed uniquely compared to everyone else conveys how she is not normal and is the main protagonist of the music video. The camera tracks on a Steadicam, showing all the women pressed up against their cell bars, evoking their sexuality and making them seem like animals in cages. When Beyonce says, "Told you she didn't have a penis", this links back to the rumours of her being a transgender female, thus empowering her and proving a point. This is reinforced by the medium close ups of Lady Gaga kissing other women, as she does not care what other people say and she does as she pleases. Moreover, there is a visual of her speaking in the telephone as the song says "hello hello baby", therefore the lyrics match the visuals. There are quick cuts which are in time to the beat as she is singing really quickly. There is an inter-textual reference as the name of the car is "pussy wagon" and this is the same as in the film, "Kill Bill". As she is looking into a Polaroid camera, the quick cuts reflect the quick snaps of the camera. The mise-en-scene of the rural diner is also featured in the films, "Pulp Fiction", "Kill Bill" and "Natural Born Killers", suggesting that she is tough, just like the characters in those films. The unnecessary cleavage shots and close up shots of her other private areas illustrate how she is extremely sexual and conform to the male gaze theory. There are deliberate jump cuts, cutting to the beat of the song with a telephone ring noise. There is a sense of colours and iconography as the use of bright blues, pinks and yellows make you know that it is a pop song.

Analysis of Bad Blood in relation to Goodwin's theory

Bad Blood by Taylor Swift

The music video immediately introduces Taylor's strong independent female style through the opening long shot of her throwing a man onto a table, creating an iconography. We then see a close up in the first ten seconds of Taylor doing her lipstick, introducing her as the protagonist of the music video. The lyrics cut to the beat on first lyric "cause baby now we got bad blood" with a point of view shot of Taylor looking up, conforming to Goodwin's theory and the camera reflects a male point of view with multiple shots of Taylor's bare body parts, including her shoulders and chest. Additionally, the male gaze is reflected as she is lying on a car in a revealing outfit. The camera also pans up her body while she is wearing another revealing outfit, and lying on a white table. Moreover, actress Hailee Steinfeld grabs Taylor's arm on the beat and a girl punches the wall on the beat. As well as this, Gigi Hadid's mirror pops open on the lyric, "hey!". This shows how the music video cuts to the beat of the song. On the lyric, "you made a really big cut", Taylor smashes a massive hole through a brick wall , therefore the lyrics match the visuals. The music video also pays a reference to Charles Angels as both the video and the TV series involve young women who are detectives and fight people whilst wearing provocative clothes. Lastly, there are elements of narrative and performance combined as it shows Taylor lip syncing to the song, whilst acting in a narrative driven piece where she is training with her team to fight the enemies.

WELCOME TO A2! Andrew Goodwin's conventions of a music video

Andrew Goodwin says:

There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals
Music videos cut to the beat of the song
Particular genres may have their own video style and iconography
Music videos have close ups of the main artist
The artist develops their own iconography in and out of their videos
The camera is used to reflect a male point of view through the male gaze to sell women sexually
Music videos pay a reference to other films for example Bad Blood by Taylor Swift compared to Charles Angels
Most music videos follow a pattern of having a narrative and performance elements combined
The narrative follows the verse and the chorus matches the lip-syncing