Narrative Essay

The definition of ‘narrative music video’ is not the easiest to define. However, Diane Railton and Paul Watson state in their book titled Music Videos and Politics of Representation that: “As the name suggests, the narrative video is defined by the fact that it tells a story. It can do this in a number of ways, but ways which nevertheless activate forms of visual narration that, on the one hand, variously illustrate, complement or extend the lyrical content of the song, or, on the other hand, function independently of it.” This definition by Railton and Watson proposes that while a narrative music video does tell a story, it does not necessarily have to tell the story of the lyrics of the song.

With Tzvetan Todorov theory of equilibrium in mind when describing my music video I would say that it does follow his theory; however the manner in which the theory is displayed to the audience shifted from the original idea. Due to the video starting with the attempt to repair the disruption identified in the breakup scene resulting in the current state of disequilibrium the video follows a non-linear structure.  Todorov’s theory usually follows the structure of the equilibrium, disruption, the recognition of disruption, attempt to repair and then the new equilibrium. In our video the equilibrium is the happy relationship between the male lead and the female, the disruption of the girlfriend with her new lover with the recognition of disruption of the boyfriend finding the two; and finally the new equilibrium of when the boyfriend becomes the ex-boyfriend and finds new peace with the fact that he is better off without her and her disloyalty.

Another theorist I would like to mention is that of Vladimir Propps who suggest the theory of character types; that being that there is seven main characters that every narrative follows but ours just includes six. His characters as listed in my music video are as follows: the ‘Princess’ that needs saving which can be defined as the boyfriend being helpless and needs to be rescued, the ‘Hero’ being the same person of the ‘Princess’ as he saves himself from the relationship - this is much like Taylor Swift’s music video of Shake it Off as she too starts as the ‘Princess’ but later is revealed to be her own ‘Hero’ as she becomes her own dominate figure, this is representing the power of women even if they are alone. Other characters include that of the ‘Villain’ the girlfriend, the ‘False Hero’ of the new lover and lastly the ‘Helpers’ which are the group members who are seen singing as well.

Andrew Goodwin has a theory that states that there are three categories about the relationship between what is portrayed in the lyrics and what is on screen at the time of the music video. Illustrative music videos are purely upfront visual representations of what is said in the lyrics. Amplified music videos take the meaning of the lyrics and amplify them creatively to give them a surreal twist. Contradictory or disjuncture music videos are totally abstract, and the visuals bear no relation to the lyrics, music, song title or artist, and therefore oppose the other two categories. I would say that my music video is illustrative, as the lyrics of Shine are about a young male who is struggling with his love life, desperate to escape or be rescued and only now just realising it, just like our male lead.

My group used a closed structure as it is a convention of music videos and it is more satisfying for the audience to have closure. It is vague in the sense that we don’t know where this boyfriend is going to do next, but we have the clear ending to the storyline and conclusion as we know he has moved on from this relationship.

Claude Levi-Strauss produced a theory known as binary opposition, which in music videos applies to the idea of juxtaposing two notions which don’t agree with each other to create internal clash for the character. The binary opposition in our video is love versus hate, as the boy loves the girl, but she hates him and feels the need to cheat on him, and he is filled with hatred upon catching them and when he leaves her. He then goes out to the beach where he learns that he can be happier without her.