Ed Sheeran The A team analysis - Molly

Ed Sheeran- The A Team music video analysis!

This particular music video uses a narrative structure throughout the video and there is no performance from Ed Sheeran himself in the video. The video is constructed in a circular way, as the video starts at the end. This attracts an audience as they want to learn about the girl and see what her story is. The video seems to tell the story from another persons perspective, someone watching over the girl and her life. The target audience for this video I would say is a younger generation as Ed Sheeran is a young artist and the video features a young girl. I think the age range the video is aimed at would be between 15-25. The song is about drugs and dealing with addiction and the effect drugs can have on a young life.

 

In the video there are a lot of close ups of the protagonist. This helps to create a feeling of sympathy from the audience to the girl featured in the music video, the fact that the lyrics link to what we are seeing also helps with this as we are seeing a wasted life and a girl struggling. The   protagonist has no power in the music video and she uses drugs to take her away from the reality of the life she is living.

The music video begins after it has been made clear to the audience that the girl has died because of her addiction to drugs. This scene is shot in colour and the rest of the video is in black and white, this could show that she is finally happy and in peace. The music itself finally starts and as it does we see a shot of the girl, alive, lying wrapped in a sleeping bag on a park bench. This tells us more about her as a character and suggests to us she may be homeless and have little money. This is how the audience realises that she is the protagonist and so the main feature of the music video.




We are shown that the trees have no leaves on them by this long shot, which shows the audience that it is autumn and so builds a further feeling of sympathy for her as we then know she will be very cold.

We then see a close up of her pulling the blankets further round her, trying to keep warm, which further creates a feeling of sympathy and leaves the audience asking questions like what happened to her?

The mise-en-scene also helps to tell the girls story as the girl looks bedraggled wearing ripped tights and a coat that appears to be a mans and is way too big for her. We can also make out that she is wearing make up which shows that she is still making an effort for something which we find out about later in the video.





The video is shot in black and white which helps to represent the bleak and depressing life she is leading and the fact there seems to be no joy to her story. The video pulls focus in a lot of the shots in the video to show the bleak reality of her life





This shot represents that looking up to the sky gives her an escape and a sense of freedom from the life she is leading. This shot contrasts with all the close ups of her we see as they enclose her and make her seem trapped and as though she is trying to escape.

A Team music video

 



Analysis of first 30 seconds of 'Style' video - Molly

Analysis of first 30 secs of "Style" video! (Inspiration for our music video).

 Shot 1

 

The music video starts off with a close up shot of the side of Taylor's face,

this instantly lets us know that she is important in the video not only for

being the artist bus has a big role in the video also. The background starts off dark

but gets lighter which makes her look as though she is glowing and portrays her

as almost angelic which helps again to portray her starring role in the video.

 

Shot 2

 

There is a fade into the next shot where we see an image of a man cut into the image

of Taylor's head. This image I believe is to show who is on her mind and who she

may be always thinking about. This shot could also show a happy memory and Taylor

thinking back to happier times. The blue sky and the sea contrast with the grey background

around Taylor and helps to draw our attention to the man, maybe meaning he

is also a main feature in the music video.

 

Shot 3

 

The next shot sees the grey background and Taylor fade and we see the man stood with a

cave as a background. The beach and cave is the perfect setting for a romantic memory

that Taylor Swift is looking back on, and the fact we can see the man's back may

represent that we are seeing things from Taylor's perspective and what she saw.

 

Shot 4

 

The video then cuts to a view of the back of the mans head. We can't make out any features,

which helps to keep the man mysterious. The fact that both the man and Taylor have

been framed and filmed alone suggests that they may both be the main feature

of the music video. The fact they were both filmed alone may also suggest there

might have been a separation between the two.

 

Shot 5

 

The next shot is an extreme close up of the top half of Taylor's face. It is blurred, although

you can make out what looks to be a figure of someone stood behind her. This could

represent the memory of the mysterious man and the fact that she can't forget him.

 

 

Shot 6

 

The song hasn't actually started before this shot so leading up to this point the story has been

building and we have been introduced to the main characters. As the music starts, there

is this shot of the grass moving in front of the water with a pink/purple filter which

helps to create a romantic feel within this shot. We can see the reflection of the sun on the water

which helps to connote a happy time rather than something sad.

 

Shot 7

 

The next shot is a mid shot of Taylor looking back at the camera, which may suggest

we are seeing things from his point of view and his memories now instead of hers.

She is dressed in a white shirt, which carries on the motif of her being angelic and

could also represent purity and innocence in a new relationship.

 

Shot 8

 

The video then cuts back to the man at the beach but this time it is his hand and the side

of his leg. Taylor and the man still haven't been framed and filmed together yet,

which may highlight that they are both thinking of memories and possibly

back to happier times The man is in the dark, but outside it is light. This could suggest confusion,

or being in the dark about something or that whatever has happened with the characters

can't be fixed.

 

Shot 9

 

The next shot is one of Taylor holding a necklace which the camera slowly focuses on.

The fact the camera focuses on the necklace represents that it may serve some significance in their relationship and that it is of importance to her. The fact that she is holding it instead

of wearing it may represent that their relationship isn't as strong as it used to be.

 

Shot 10

This is another close up of Taylor, but this time it is her whole face. She seems to be stood

in a misty forest and there is fog/mist over her face. We have seen Taylor close up quite

a few times in the video in comparison with the fact we haven't seen the man yet. This could suggest that Taylor is of more importance in the video and maybe she is trying to forget about him.

 

Shot 11

 

This is the first time we actually see the mans face in the video. He looks sad in the close up

and seems to be alone in comparison with the close up of Taylor where there

seems to be someone stood behind her. The shot is very similar to the first one of Taylor which

opens the music video. The purple background may represent hope and a light at the end of the

tunnel as the colour seems to get lighter the further away from his face it is.

 

Shot 12

 

This shot of Taylor walking is just of her feet, which may represent she is trying to get away

from something; maybe the man or the memories of him. The fact she is wearing shoes may

represent how she isn't serious about leaving and that it isn't going to be a long

term thing.

 

Shot 13

 

We then see Taylor walking through a woodland, we have also seen the man stood on the beach

which could represent that they are both worlds apart and are different people seen as the two locations are so starkly different. They are obviously however still thinking about each other

and the fact that she isn't facing the camera might represent that she is trying to hide that.





Shot 14

 

This is another shot featuring only Taylor. The fact that we haven't seen the male character for

a few shots may represent that she has either temporarily or completely forgotten about him.

Her facial expressions however tell a different story as she still doesn't look happy.

She is still wearing the white dress which coincidently looks a little like a wedding dress.

She looks as though she is holding onto something, either hope or she could

be holding onto the necklace we saw earlier in the film.

 

Shot 15

 

This shot is blurry, it looks as though she could be walking through fog or mist. She looks

as though she is looking around, possibly for the male character and she may have

let him back into her mind again. The next few shots see the video pick up pace, which could represent her chasing something. From the little we can see of Taylor's face she seems confused

as if she may of lost something.

 

Shot 16

 

This is the first shot of the male character we have seen in a while and he appears to be in the same place, in front of the purple background. His facial expressions seem to be more sad

now though as if he is missing someone, probably Taylor. This could be representing the difference in how each of them are dealing with missing and losing the other. Taylor seems to be

running from her problems where as he seems to be dwelling and thinking about them.

 

Shot 17

 

This is yet another shot of Taylor by herself, wearing the same white dress. She seems to still be in

the woodland area, which is made to look mystical with the fog and the sunlight shining from the

right which blocks out a lot of the background of the forest, the focus of this shot is

her. She is making a direct mode of address with the audience by looking straight

into the camera and appears to be waiting for someone/something.

She has her hands clasped as if she is holding something.

 

Shot 18

 

This is yet another shot of the male character in front of this purple screen. The difference in colour of the shots featuring the characters may represent their mood. Taylor's shot are often bright

which may represent her feeling hopeful and looking forward to the future. The male

characters shots are often quite dark which could represent that he is finding

the situation tougher and maybe isn't feeling as positive as her. The fact that his back is turned to the camera could represent this. The only light in this shot is on his face, this could represent that he sees Taylor is happy and that this is what is best for both of them.

 

Shot 19

 

This shot is quite similar to the first one, with a slight difference of her looking at the camera

with no expression on her face. This shot fades into another shot of the woodland where

she has been stood for the majority of the video which makes it fitting that it has been projected onto her now.

 

"Style"

Midnight,
You come and pick me up, no headlights
A long drive,
Could end in burning flames or paradise
Fade into view, oh, it's been a while since I have even heard from you (heard from you)

I should just tell you to leave 'cause I
Know exactly where it leads but I
Watch us go 'round and 'round each time

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style.

So it goes
He can't keep his wild eyes on the road
Takes me home
Lights are off, he's taking off his coat, hmm, yeah.
I say, "I heard, oh, that you've been out and about with some other girl, some other girl."

He says, "What you've heard is true but I
Can't stop thinking about you," and I...
I said, "I've been there, too, a few times."

'Cause you got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt (tight little skirt)
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

Take me home
Just take me home, yeah.
Just take me home
(out of style)

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

 

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