Last week in a media studies lesson we went over some narrative theorists and their ideas. I decided to look into how music videos might relate to these theories.
Todorov's theory suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure:
- Starting with equilibrium, where all is balanced and fine.
- Progressing with a conflict which disrupts the equilibrium.
- And then a resolution to the conflict, whereby equilibrium is restored - albeit a different equilibrium to the one it started with.
There are many music videos which might follow this structure. Using Rihanna's We Found Love as an example.
Rihanna's video starts with happiness with her boyfriend as they are shown to love each other and get along very well. The conflict starts when the two start using drugs - although the effects seem good at first, the two begin to argue and the relationship starts obviously straining. At the end of the video, Rihanna leaves the man in the room as she takes her clothes with her - showing that she is closing the door on her life of drugs and so there is somewhat a resolution.
Despite this example, I'd have to argue that most music videos do not follow this structure of events. There just aren't that many examples you can think of which have a clear equilibrium - then conflict - then new equilibrium structure.
Most videos either use a different structure of events or do not use any at all. Katy Perry's Roar starts with the conflict already being presented as Katy Perry and what looks like a tour guide find themselves trapped in a jungle after their plane crashes - where they must survive the harsh conditions. Things get from bad to worse as the tour guide is killed, and Katy is alone. She ends up adapting to the conditions and becoming some form of a ruler over the jungle and its creatures - establishing an equilibrium.
Barthes is another theorist on narratives, and some of his ideas can also be applied to music videos. He believed that there are 5 codes that enable an audience to make sense of a narrative:
- Action - A narrative device in which a resolution is produced through action e.g a shootout. This can even be shown in Katy Perry's Roar, as the resolution is reached after the tense 'roar-off' between Katy Perry and the tiger. It can also be found in PSY's 'GENTLEMAN'. Although the video is so over-the-top to take any real idealistic values from it, the conflict appears to be Psy's attitude towards women - he loves to annoy them by pranking them and so he can't seem to build a connection with them - that is until one woman stands up against him and starts pranking him back (e.g. knocking his chair over as he is about to sit on it) - this action seems to spark something as it seems that Psy just wanted a woman who he could have a laugh with - and equilibrium is established as the two seem to have formed a couple.
- Enigma - A narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a puzzle or riddle to be solved. Works to delay the story's ending pleasurably - It may be fair to say that there aren't all that many music videos which use enigmas - as there simply isn't enough time to present robust and/or exciting enigmas to audiences - as well as the fact that you're limited to the music and lyrics for the audio of the video - eliminating most possible uses of dialogue.
- Symbolic - (Connotation) - There are actually many music videos which use symbolic meanings. Music videos are often too short to deliberately spell out an ideology. Ideologies are also sometimes very hard to put in a straightforward manner and require symbolic meanings for interpretation. An example of symbolic meaning in music videos would be the controversial Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball music video. In the video, Miley's lack of clothing could have other purposes than to try to make Miley Cyrus sexually appealing. Some might argue that her lack of clothes is symbolism for Miley expressing her true, raw feelings in the video. They might also argue that the wrecking ball crashing into the building connotes how she feels - as if everything is crumbling.
- Semic - (Denotation) - These are the raw codes of the music video. The mise-en-scene, costumes, settings and everything that is actually in the music video. These are analysed for meanings and symbolic meanings to make connotations. This would be the wrecking ball crashing into the building - while the connotation is what this really means.
- Cultural - A narrative device which the audience recognizes as they're part of the culture. For example in Rihanna's "We Found Love", the addiction to drugs and their foul effects would be recognized by audiences perhaps of a more western culture as they can relate to the narrative.
Diegesis is a theory which applies to narrative events as well as sounds. A diegetic narrative event is something that happens on screen or which is shown to audiences, while non-diegetic events are things that take place off screen - before the film began or between scenes or even simultaneously in another room, which are assumed to have happened. This really can apply to music videos. In videos such as Frankmusik's 'Confusion Girl' we can assume that the male and the female formed a relationship before the video begun. This gives you an advantage because typical music videos are around 4 minutes and you won't always be able to fit in all elements for a narrative - meaning you have to find ways to allow audiences to assume what has happened.
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