Goodwin’s TheoryAndrew Goodwin’s theory relating

to making a music video.Relating to

Good Charlotte’s – ‘The River’

1. Music videos demonstrate certain characteristics

Goodwin says that with different genres there are specific aspects that help represent the genre of the band and the song.

Good Charlotte’s – ‘The River’; is a rock song, conventions that normally link with this genre are;-Bright Colours-Life Themes-Band Performance-Direct Address-Narrative

2. There is a strong link between the lyrics and the video.

‘The shadow of L.A’

These lyrics link to the video literally as the band are in the shadows and pictures of L.A float in the background. The context links to the band members lives and the song narrative.

‘you’re gonna grow up fast underneath these lights’

‘Underneath these lights’ is literally performed, and relates to Matt Sanders the singer who is from a family where he had to grow up in L.A in he papers before his career took off, As some children have to in L.A.

‘Baptised in the river, I see the vision of a life and I want to be delivered’

The song throughout has religious connotations and during the beginning of the chorus the band are singing in a dried up river bed in the centre of L.A. Context is involved with the history that the poor were baptised in rivers rather than church.

3. There is a link between the music and the visual

At the fast paced beginning verse, the drum beat speeds up and as this happens simultaneously five screens flash up similar but varied images. They speed through like a flip book of photographs and slow as the chorus comes in.

In the bridge of the song there is a long note where the only instrument playing is the guitar this low note holds and all of the lighting dips on the band and there is a dull plain screen light behind.

The heightening of the song is juxtaposed by the lead singer (Joel Madden) stopping all actions and entering a praying position. The visual coupled with the music almost creates an ominous feeling like church music.

4. The demand for the record will increase

the number of close up shots of the artist

Throughout the whole video there are repetitive shots of the duel lead singers (Joel Madden and Matt Sanders) as each of their verses begin so do the close ups of them on the dark podiums. The rest of the band members have varying shots most have one or two close-up shots with the majority being medium to long range shots. The two locations switch between a dark room where the artists are on podiums through to a dried up riverbed which uses a long shot of the band to create a diegesis for the video.

5. The Artist may develop iconography that recurs across their work.

Throughout Good Charlotte’s music videos there is always an element of dark lighting. I believe this highlights the band members themselves and in turn helps them to promote the clothes which they wear (a brand designed by the twin members Joel and Benji Madden) I think that this could be a subtle way to advertise what they are wearing and draw the audiences attention to them specifically.

Good Charlotte – ‘Lifestyles Of The Rich And The Famous’

Good Charlotte – ‘Girls And Boys’

Good Charlotte – ‘The Anthem’

6. There is a frequent reference to the notion of looking.

Looking at most of Good Charlotte’s videos, with the genre punk rock, I noticed that direct address was frequently used in some parts of the song. This is used because it is appropriate to the genre and gives a certain atmosphere that the band would want to create. With this in mind when looking particularly at the video ‘The River’ the lead singer looks at the camera a few times, however because it is not a regular direct address this almost creates the feeling that when their is an interaction it conveys and enhances the meaning of the lyrics and video.

7. There are often internal references – mostly to film, other artists or pop

culture.

Whilst looking into internal references I found that with the pop-punk-rock culture the artists often relate themselves to other acts specifically with Good Charlotte and ‘The River’ the bad has teamed up with two members of another hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold this helps present them to a wider rock audience. The band promote themselves on having siblings within and specifically twins. In one of their songs ‘Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous’ there are references to various contextual people at the time such as the trial of OJ Simpson and politicians that have made headlines through crime.