From deconstructing existing music videos I have found there there are several generic conventions that all music videos use and follow. I also found that each specific genre has conventions that are unique to that genre. Andrew Goodwin said that there are 6 categories of conventions.
1. 'Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics' - I found that this was true in all the music videos that I deconstructed. Each video included conventions of their genre for example the music video "Move- Little Mix" included a dance routine which is very conventional of a pop music video from a girl band. This generic convention however was subverted in the music video "Who You Are- Jessie J" by the lack of sexual appeal which is usually displayed by female pop artists. The artist was made to look vulnerable in this video rather than sexually appealing and confident.
2. 'There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals' - An example of this that I found was in the music video "When I Was a Youngster- Rizzle Kicks" in which the whole video reflects the lyrics of the song. For example when the lyrics "the second I got old enough to buy myself a cider can" are sung the visuals show the 2 artists in a door way with one of them holding a can of cider. This generic convention was subverted by the music video "One For The Road- Arctic Monkeys" as the lyrics and visuals do not match up. Although this challenges Goodwin's theory it it typical of the video's specific genre.
3. 'There is a relationship between music and visuals' - The best example of this from the music videos I have deconstructed is from "Survival- Eminem" in which the video shows many clips of the artist performing live. To keep the video interesting the video cuts between different venues and in time to the beat of the music. Although the cuts do not happen consecutively at a certain time, when they do use a cut it is on the beat if the song. This creates a link between the visuals and the music.
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' - The use of close ups is popular within all the music videos that I have deconstructed no matter what their genre is. Close ups are especially used in "1+1- Beyonce". The majority of this video is close ups of the artist which helps to sell the artist using her appearance. Beyonce in particular is known for her appearance and other talents rather than just her music, and so the close ups give the audience the insight and extra viewing of her that they desire. Beyonce consistently uses sexual appeal in a her videos including this one, an example of an artist using a motif.
5. 'There is frequently reference to the notion of looking and a particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body" - I did not find much evidence of the first statement in my deconstructions however I did find evidence of the second statement. Generally the women in the videos I deconstructed were presented as being dressed provocatively, for example in "1+1- Beyonce" however in the pop genre video I deconstructed "Who You Are- Jessie J" the female was represented very differently. Despite her being almost naked at one point in the video, the artist is supposed to look vulnerable rather than sexually appealing.
6. 'There is often intertextual reference' - I found evidence of this in my rap genre deconstruction of the music video "Survival- Eminem". Part of the music video shows clips of the artist Eminem performing live. From doing a small amount of extra research I found that this was not the first time Eminem has done this in his music videos. Also, from my own general knowledge of music videos I know that it is quite common that artists show their live performances, much like they do in another of the music video I deconstructed "I Will Wait- Mumford and Sons".
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