Andrew Goodwin says that traditional narrative analysis (using ideas such as Todorov) do not really apply to pop video because they approach narrative in a different angle to novels and films.
The reasons for the different narrative structures are:
1: because pop videos are built around songs and songs do not tend to follow a traditional narrative structure (normality - problem - resolution)
2. because the pop video uses the singer as both the narrator and ‘character’
3. the singer often looks directly at the camera which tries to involve the viewer with the performance.
Pop videos have a lot of repetition in them. The video repeats images just as the song repeats choruses or lines.
Pop songs have a form of closure and ending. The 3 minute single that a video is based on must end and it is usually reflected in the structure of the music - it builds to a climax pf the constant repetition before it fades away.
Some videos are autonomous from the music they come from. How we see the song may go beyond the original meaning. Sometimes the video provides a visual pleasure which promotes the music and encourages viewers to watch it over and over again. Sometimes the video may be promoting films. Therefore, it can be said there are three types of relations between songs and videos and these are:
Illustration: This is where the video tells the story of the lyrics.
In this video, when Leona Lewis sings the lyrics, "I keep bleeding love", we see a woman crying as she falls against the door as she shuts the man she loves out the door. This shows that she is in love but it's painful which refers to 'bleeding love'
Amplification: Where the video introduces new meanings to the song. (Adds layers of meanings)
In this video, jennifer hudson is saying she doesn't like being in an over protective relationship. Instead of showing the problems her and her partner are going through, she is showing that she is doing something for herself as she gets ready to go out. This adds on a layer of meaning which implies that you should be the boss of your own self and have independence.
Disjuncture: This is where there is little connection between the lyrics and the video.
Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' video is a good example of disjuncture because she is singing about a romance but all she is doing is dancing around in different costumes in weird settings. For example, in one base shot, she is in a bathtub with short pink hair and big eyes as if she was trying to look like a baby. This does not relate to a bad romance therefore it would be classed as disjuncture.
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