Research : Analysing A Music Video Using Andrew Goodwin's 6 Features Of Music Videos

The music video I have chosen to review for Andrew Goodwin's 6 features is DELS - 'Burning Beaches' in the urban category of the music videos, the award winning song for being the best budget video by 'The UK Music Video Awards'

In his book Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992) Andrew Goodwin points out 6 characteristics and features that can be found in music videos. 

1.   Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).

2.  There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

3.  There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

4.  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 (a visual style).

5.  There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6.  There are often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).

(From Andrew Goodwin, DANCING IN THE DISTRACTION FACTORY, 1992.)

1. I agree with Andrew Goodwin's 1st point in his book where he says that music videos demonstrate characteristics of genres.In DELS 'Burning Beaches' you can clearly see that the Urban genre has been demonstrated and shown throughout the video. A lot of urban music is related to black people particularly as this type of music is usually made by them as they tend to be more involved in rapping and R&B. In the video, you see a black male throughout and see him lip syncing along with the song. This is a clear demonstration of the urban genre being represented in this video.
2. Goodwin's second feature of a music video implies that lyrics and visuals are related at times. This can be sen straight away within the video as the lyrics say 'I'm a tired soul'. Whilst that is said, a shot of a man sitting effortlessly in a car seat is shown. This could be seen as a link as he could be a representation of the 'tired soul'. He also seems to be giving little care and attention to the woman who is talking to him. This makes the link a lot stronger as well showing he is tired of caring.
3. You can tell that the music video reflects parts of the music due to the darkness throughout the video. The music is quite slow and reflects a dark mood about it whilst the video does the same due to the characters wearing dark clothing and the lighting being very dull. Not only do the characters reflect a bad and depressing vibe but the lake does as well. The lake is extremely dark and just adds to the feel of depression throughout the video.
4. Although a lot of videos like to have the main spotlight on the artist who is singing, this video is not quite like that. The video primarily focuses on other objects like the lake and petrol pump but still the artists does get some screen time.
5. As we can see straight away within the start of the video there is an example of 'looking' as we are shown a cars rear view mirror showing a person in the reflection. After that we also see a reflection from the window at the back of the car. The 'looking' scenes within the video help to add a more creative and innovative way of seeing different angles of people within the video. The voyeuristic use of the female body is not found much at all within this video. We see a woman under water who seems to be drowning and unable to escape. This suggests that she is trapped and vulnerable to danger but doesn't show woman off like they usually do in urban videos where they are wearing little clothes and are dancing a lot.
6. This video doesn't remind me of any artists that i know of who have made a video similar to this. A lot of current artists who make videos tend to include expensive settings with exotic cars and women who wear close to little clothes. This video is quite the opposite as it is in a very dark and quite rural area where little is going on. The car we see is not an expensive Ferrari or Lamborghini and is just a standard looking car.