Music Video deconstruction

The music video I have chosen to analyse is Amy Winehouse - Back to black, as I feel it covers most of Andrew Goodwins theory's on music videos.

The music video begins with a medium monochrome shot of a dimly lit room, to the left of the shot we can see a wooden table and single chair at which one man wearing a suits sat facing to the left. To the mans right in the centre of the frame we have another man who is sat alone on a sofa facing towards the camera, like the first man he too is wearing a suit while he also wears a hat. Finally to the right of the frame sits Amy Winehouse in an armchair facing left as well, she appears to be wearing a black formal dress and smart shoes. The three of them appear to be waiting for something due to their formal attire and lack of movement they are each facing different directions and there are no apparent interactions between them, as well as each being sat on a different type of chair; dining chair, sofa and armchair and as such positioned at different heights. The shot appears to have been composed as a homage to the film noir genre due to it being shot in atmospheric black and white, with 1950s furnishings, whilst the people present are also wearing clothes evocative of the period and appear gathered in a sombre mood.

which could be considered to fit with the idea that this is both a power ballad and an R&B video.

Also as a possible illustrative relationship between music and visuals we can see quite early on in the video several people holding instruments such as a saxophone, bass and in the case of this picture a trumpet. Also throughout the song as part of the beat we can hear a bell toll which helps to illustrate the idea of a funeral procession.

Similarly the relationship between the visuals and the lyrics is also exemplified strenuously throughout the video through the use of the line "We only said good-bye with words, I died a hundred times" especially when coupled with the montage of the funeral procession. and the other heavy signifiers surrounding death.

Another of Goodwin's criteria which is met is "the demands of the record label" and their need to include frequent close ups of the artist. As well as show any persistent visual styles or motifs which appear throughout the work of the artist. Such as in this instance being Amy Winehouse's tattoo's which have become one of her visual trademarks.