Narative theory in Ne-Yo Mad

Narrative theory in music videos.

Narrative theory is the way a story is told within in a music video. Ne-Yo’s song mad a classic RnB song in which follows the open narrative structure as the music video never comes to an end and denoted story does not conclude. Mad follows Andrew Goodwin’s music video theory in a variety of ways the first is disjuncture. This ideology  is connote at the start of the music video following a diagetic artist between two characters used in the music video following a jump cut then scene is then switched to a medium of a boy being hit by a car. 

(Jump cut from alive to dead,


Although emotional, this ideology completely juxtaposes the connotations of this music video. However this song also follows the illustration ideology as the music video remains synergetic to the non diagetic synchronous sound for the remainder of the music video. The following RnB song also follows a episodic narrative this is denoted as the music video is broken up into many sections that lead to the overall ending of the music video. These sections of the music video are clearly denoted to the target demographic as the all similarly juxtapose the ideology while the chorus is synergic to the non diabetic sound; this is connoted further through

Todorovs theory, This ideology is connoted through a series of long shots and zooming shots with denote a series of a unfortunate events such as funerals and fights. . The song mad does not follow the typical structure and instead begins in a state of disequilibrium the whole music video then stays in this state until the end where the music reaches form equilibrium again denoted through the violence and emotions coming to an end. 

Furthermore Barthes enigma code theory is used as the different ideology’s behind the story leaves the audience asking questions about the relevance behind all of these smaller connotations such as why did the child die and does that have any synergistic connotations to the numerous fights in the video?

The long shot in which denotes the two characters on either side of the wall connotes Barthes theory of the symbolic code. The wall connotes the emotional distance the characters feel. They want to be together but can’t bring them self together due to the constant arguments that are occurring. The wall ideology also conforms the binary opposites theory as the medium shot in which follows the long shot denotes the girl crying while the man is acting normal. The ideology confirms the stereotype that men are stronger than women, it also denotes that the artist is trying to show the characters as being weak and strong.