In Andrew Goodwins book 'Dancing in the Distraction Family',(1992) identifies a number of key features which distinguish the music video form.
The key features he identified are as follows:
- There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (the visuals illustrate, amplify or contradict the music.)
- There is a relationship between the music and the visuals. (the visuals illustrate, amplify or contradict the music.)
- Particular music genres may have their own style music video. (the video represents a steriotypical genre.)
- There is a demand on the part of the record company for close ups of the main artist.
- There is likely to be a reference to voyeurism particularly in the treatment of females, but also in systems of looking. (screens with screens, binoculars, camera's, keyholes etc.)
- There are likely to be intertextual references, either to other music videos or to films and TV texts.
