Music Video Codes and Conventions.

Andrew Goodwin developed a theory of music videos, covering six key areas which are vital to cover in order to ensure an effective video is executed: 

1- Thought beats, structure and speed and beat should represented visually. 
2- Narrative and performance, videos serve as an advertisement, must be easy to repeatedly watch 
3- Star image, promote the artist.
4- Relation of visuals to song. disjuncture, to ignore, amplify or illustrate. 
5- Technical codes. 
6- Reference to the notion of looking

Thought Beats. 

Thought beats define the processes of allowing the song's structure, speed and beat to be visually represented throughout the video. In this example, thought beats are cleverly timed through the medium of several explosions and 'Rube Goldberg' type engineering. The explosions occur in time with each cymbal crash, often striking a nerve with the view in terms of aesthetic satisfaction. What makes this video different is that it was shot in real time, then slowed down to match the song. New equipment was developed specifically for the filming of the video, and an engineer on set said is required more mathematics to calculate than the Manhattan Project. Although this is an extreme example, it accurately demonstrates the level of time and commitment that goes into capturing thought beats accurately. As well as lip syncing. 

Narrative and Performance. 

Arcade Fire's 'We Exist' is a great example of narrative and performance, as the two concepts are literally interlinked. The context of the song, and its literal title 'we exist' serves as a statement to society. In the video, it is a trans woman who is seen to be proclaiming 'we exist' on behalf of the LGBT community. The first half follows a narrative sequence, showing her struggle to come to terms with her gender identity, before accepting it, and then channelling it in the second half, a live performance in front of an audience. This video is nice example of narrative executed effectively, as the nature of the video is entrancing, and the two words 'we exist' are almost the only things we hear as an audience, their reinforcement making them particularly effective. The video serves as a message inflicting advertisement, not directly promoting a product, but rather, a cause. 

Star Image. 

Lana Del Rey's 'Love' accurately inflicts star image by giving her the most screen time as the artist, having her create direct eye contact with the audience, uniting them as one and manipulating the viewer into liking her as a person, thus liking her music. Del Rey's video is tasteful in the sense it is not abundant in nudity or any graphic image. The narrative used in the sequence is soft, with a 70s feel, and 35mm film grainy texture; it is nostalgic, subconsciously presenting Lana is a figure of comfort and maternal protection. There are virtually no faults of explicit nature or controversial iconography that would give an audience any reason to dislike the video or consequently Lana as a person. The star image is fulfilled. 

Relation of Visuals. 

Another OK Go song, 'Get Over It' is filled to the brim with relation of visuals, as each emphasised word in every verse is reinforced with a corresponding image. The line 'scumbag' is visualised with an image of a bin-bag, 'milk still spills' with some spilt milk. 'We ought to buy you a Cadillac' with a Cadillac. Relation of visuals is an important technique in the construction of music as it gives the audience visual and audible connections, reinforcing the line of the song, inevitably making the song itself far more impactful and catchy. The contextual style of this video is particular used punchy iconography to its advantage by timing them with the harsh, aggressively toned words in the verses of the song. Use of visual explanations amplify and illustrate the meaning and tonality of the song itself.

The Notion of Looking.

The notion of looking is often referenced when exploring Star Image, as performing in front of projections or screen of oneself, as well as making direct eye-contact with the audience. In this example, Brandon Flowers and The Killers are performing their song whilst a screen behind them plays a series of visuals, the most eye-catching one being a live recording of themselves. Creating a sort of inception of performance. Flowers encapsulates many of Goodwin's theorem in this video, other examples being Star Image, by using his sex appeal to engage the audience, he appears mysterious and angsty. As well as Thought Beats as he either stamps his feet or points his microphone in time to the two drum beats before the chorus, this is arguably a sort of 'get ready' indicator to the audience, inciting a sort of hype and energy that really engages the viewer/listener.

Intertextuality.

Intertextuality is used to define how a band or artist can reference other videos in popular culture often to pay homage or draw narrative links and responses. For example, in the linked video, The Kill, by Thirty Seconds To Mars, the band members essentially replace the characters in Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'- a cult classic. By establishing relatability between the film and their song, they have engaged the attention of The Shining, and popular classic film fans.