(Pop Music Video Analysis) Katy Perry - Thinking Of You (With Goodwin's 7)

"Music videos demonstrate certain genre characteristics"

Goodwin's 7 states that  genre and its music videos maintain certain 'characteristics' which define its genre. "Thinking Of You" by Katy Perry conforms to the genre of pop and there are a number of idiosyncrasies which contribute in making it a pop music video.

• A key convention of pop music videos is the element of performance within the video, meaning that the video is either entirely performance-based, or if it is a narrative/conceptual video, then there will still be scenes with the artist(s) performing the song. The music video for "Thinking Of You" is narrative and even though Katy Perry is playing the role of a character in the music video, scenes of her performing the song are interspersed throughout of the video. Because of this, the video conforms to Goodwin's theory of certain genre characteristics (in this case, pop) being demonstrated within music videos.
• Neutral colour schemes are also a prominent feature in pop music videos. "Thinking Of You" is set in 1940s where these colour schemes were a vital element of society. This is more significantly shown in the flashback or 'memory' scenes within the video, which depict a happier time, hence the use offer brighter and vibrant colours.

"There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals"

"Thinking Of You" is a narrative music video which portrays a story that is told in the lyrics of the song. The lyrics describe a couple that is separated through war with the female participant trying to move on and find someone new, even though she still thinks of her previous partner.

The lyrics are reflected through the visuals of the music video, as it tells the story of a couple separated by war. The video showcases the past and present events of the female character's life, as she struggles to maintain a new relationship whilst still thinking of her previous partner, her attending the soldier's funeral and interwound flashbacks of the couple before he is sent off to war. There is a heavy relationship between the video and the lyrics as the video demonstrates and represents the story that is being told in the song's lyrics.

• As the lyrics "I guess second best is all I will know" are heard, the video cuts to a panning shot of the female character's new partner. This is referring to the idea that there will be no one better than her previous partner, and she can't stop thinking about him.
• Again, as the artist sings "I am thinking of you", the music video cuts to a flashback of her and her previous partner, symbolising who she is really thinking of.
• When "...and bust in the door" is sung, the female character actually leaves the house and closes the door behind her as she leaves for the funeral of the soldier. This is symbolising a contrast between the video and lyrics, as at the same time of her wishing he would open the door, she is actually closing it.