Andrew Goodwin suggests music promos can interpret or use meanings in the song lyric in certain ways. There are five points to his theory, one being the Demonstration of genre characteristics, two being Illustration, three being Amplification, four being Disjuncture and five being Intertexual reference.
Demonstration of genre characteristics:
This is where something such as props that relates to the genre of music is used within the music video. For example a music video that includes a stage performance is mainly used for a metal music video, a dance routine is usually used for a boy/ girl band which shows all members within the band together doing the routine. A performance video shows the vocalist in one or more settings, such as a recording studio or a stage performance. A good example of this is Green Day's American Idiot music video where they do a stage performance. This type of video uses a variety of shots and camera movements, this makes the music video more interesting to watch although it is harder to produce because there are so many shots and camera movements.
Illustration means that the promo basically illustrates the ideas/ narrative in the song lyrics, for example in Eminem's music video Stan. This type of music video has a narrative and the artist sometimes lip-syncs the lyrics in the video. Illustration means that there is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals and in this music video the relationship is clearly shown. This type of video is easier to produce then a performance video, it also includes a narrative which relates to all the lyrics within the song. By relating the lyrics with the narrative it makes the music video more interesting as well as makes the audience feel like they are watching a short film or video. This music video is linear which means that it is in chronological order, the video links with the lyrics so that in the video he is acting the lyrics as well as lip-syncing the words at certain points in the video. This type of music video adheres to the conventions of a illustrative music video which makes the audience want to keep watching to see what happens. The music video is multi stranded as it has many storylines, for example the character Stan's story and Eminem story. I think that this music video follows Todorov’s theory of narrative as there is a state of equilibrium at the start of the music video, then there is a disruption when the girlfriend comes into the bathroom and calls him by his name. Then there is a recognition that the disorder has occurred and an attempt to repair the damage of the disruption when he writes a letter and when he drives to go and see Eminem. Finally there is a return or restoration of new equilibrium after the car goes off the bridge.
Amplification:
Amplification uses a key idea/ image from the lyrics and develops it into a concept within the promo. A link remains between the lyric and the promo. For example Kanye West's music video for homecoming, this is a good example as it shows his home as well as him walking around the city that he knows well. this type of music video doesn't relate to all the lyrics within the song however the song is related to within the music video. This music video has an artistic feel to it and features many different locations this makes the music video stand out to the audience as well as makes it memorable. At the end of the music video it fades out, this means that the video has a closed ending which means that it has a conclusion and doesn't end on a cliff hanger. The video is non-circular as it doesn't ends where it started, the video started showing the audience the location/ a moving train and it ended with Kanye. This video is also multi stranded as it contains many stories this is shown through the use of different characters within the video. This music video is classed as amplification because some of the lyrics relate to what's going on in the video.
Disjuncture is when the promo bears no resemblance to the lyric or its meaning abstract; often seen as unconventional/ “arty” videos; creates a new range of meanings for the song. Good examples of this are all of Sia's music videos as they do not feature her. Rihanna's music video for Rude Boy is also a good example for disjuncture because throughout the video there is an artistic feel an there is no relation between the lyrics and the video. The video also uses synaesthesia because it focuses on colour in order to make the video memorable for the audience and it also makes the audience listen to the lyrics which adheres to synaesthesia as it evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a colour. This music video is also singular stranded as there isn't multiple story lines, however this video does not include a narrative this makes it more memorable for the audience as there is only one sort of setting throughout the video. This music video does include many different visuals and colourful backgrounds, it also includes some of the lyrics when the chorus starts to play this makes the audience remember the lyrics. I don't think that this music video follows Todorov’s theory of narrative, however it has a closed ending.
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