Vance Joy Riptide - Postmodernism

To what extent could this music video be considered postmodern?

Vance Joy Riptide music video is a postmodern music video. There is an example of intertextuality in the music video. The mise-en-scene suggests the conventions of of a western film and also supports Barthes' referential code. There is a long shot of a desert-like setting and a cowboy wearing stereotypical costume associated with a cowboy for example a cowboy hat. Also, the use of the horror imagery deliberately positions the audience in a distressing situation. There is a close up of a woman being dragged out of bed. The woman looks very distressed (evident from her facial expression) as her eyes and mouth open extremely wide to emphasis the emotions she is feeling. Also, just before the scene finishes she reaches out to the camera to suggest that she's looking for help. Another example of a horror film convention is when the stereotypical attractive 'horror film' victim breaks free from being tied up to a tree. This connotes the event of a kidnapping or a violent threat. There is a medium shot showing the woman escaping from the rope. This event of a woman repeatedly being dragged off the screen by unseen forces and a character going missing in a dark graveyard. There is an example of voyeurism when there is medium shot showing a blonde woman removing a one-piece yellow swimsuit. There is also a slow zoom on to her naked back. This is also an example of intertextual reference to some of the early James Bond films and the film 'Baywatch'. It positions the audience in a voyeuristic perspective which forces the audience to consider Van Zoonen's notion of a male gaze.

Applying Goodwin's theory to Riptide

The first point made by Andrew Goodwin was that music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. Vance Joy Riptide is under the genre of indie folk. Most indie folk music contains a frequent use of long shots which often show the artists performing in a concert or playing an instrument. This music video challenges this point because we never see the artist Vance Joy as an important character in the music video. Also, in most indie folk music video there are a lot of establishing shots showing scenery (an example being the country side). In this music video there are various establishing shots one being the establishing shot at the beginning of the music video showing a blue sky. The second part of Andrew Goodwin's theory is the fact that there is frequently reference to motion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. There is evidence of voyeuristic treatment of the female body as in one shot a woman with her body to the camera undressing out of her swimming costume and there are a number of instances where we see disembodied, isolated sections of woman's bodies such as bare feet running away or feminine hands being dragged out of shot. The third part of Andrew Goodwin's theory is that there is a relationship between music and the music/lyrics. This music video supports this point and is why this music video is so unique. Everything shown in the music video relates to the lyrics being sang. The opening line "I was scared of dentists and the dark" is interpreted explicitly with a shot of the female looking "scared" with a metallic contraception in her mouth that suggests she is in a dentist's chair and followed by a shot of a light swinging in a darkened room. The overt graphical representation of the lyrics is largely repeated throughout the video. The fourth part of the theory is that the demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across the work. This part of Andrew Goodwin's theory is challenged by the music video as the artist Vance Joy is only shown in the music video a few times and when he is shown the shot used is a medium shot. The final part of the theory is that there is intertextual reference. This music video references feature films. The opening shot makes use of cinematic style credits about the music and is presented with a title at the bottom of the screen. This title is graphically similar to a "billing block" or "credit block" which is often seen on film posters or in trailers. The video also frequently references the western and thriller genres but most notably uses horror genre iconography. One example being females repeatedly being dragged off screen by unseen forces and a character going missing in a dark graveyard.