Ed Sheeran – The A Team- Released 12th June 2011, United Kingdom. Narrative story, it narrates the story of a prostitute (Selina Macdonald) living on the streets.
The music video I have chosen to analyse is Ed Sheeran’s The A Team. The music video opens showing a girl looking distressed over a dead body. We are then aware that this is the end of the narrative and the whole music video is a flashback. The camera shows a close up from above of the dead girls face and the camera zooms in and out of focus on the girls face. This fade on her illustrates her fading away and makes it clear she is dying. A bird noise can be heard in the background this symbolises life.
There is then a blackout and the music begins. The whole music video is in black and white and uses a range of camera angles. There is a long shot of girl waking up on bench to establish setting. The audience get a feeling of homelessness. Contrast of settings from low key lighting to high key lighting. When the character stands there are no other people around. This puts high focus on the main character and gives the impression of loneliness.
She is wearing ripped tights, oversized clothing and is carrying a sleeping bag which illustrates to the audience that she is homeless. Different camera angles are shown of girl in a daydream looking happy in her own world. Low angle shot of her walking and a tracking shot follows her feet. Medium shot selling big issue. Girl is pictured on the left side of the screen and people are passing and ignoring her on the right side of the screen. A woman can be seen in the background out of focus so that we are drawn to the main girl.
Big Issue is a classic magazine people who live on the streets and poor people sell and get a percentage of the earnings. The audience recognise it and relate it to a real life situation. She is being ignored but then the artist appears and buys the magazine and shows an interest in her. Goodwin’s theory states that the demands of the record label will require lots of close ups of the artist within the music video however this is the only part in the music video where we see the actual artist.
Symbolism is shown when the lyrics ‘angles to fly’ she is standing under angel station. This refers to Goodwin’s theory as there is a clear relationship between lyrics and visuals. She is looking as if she is going to buy the flowers on the stall but the audience know she hasn’t got the money to buy the flowers.
She is wearing ripped tights, oversized clothing and is carrying a sleeping bag which illustrates to the audience that she is homeless. Different camera angles are shown of girl in a daydream looking happy in her own world. Low angle shot of her walking and a tracking shot follows her feet. Medium shot selling big issue. Girl is pictured on the left side of the screen and people are passing and ignoring her on the right side of the screen. A woman can be seen in the background out of focus so that we are drawn to the main girl.
Symbolism is shown when the lyrics ‘angles to fly’ she is standing under angel station. This refers to Goodwin’s theory as there is a clear relationship between lyrics and visuals. She is looking as if she is going to buy the flowers on the stall but the audience know she hasn’t got the money to buy the flowers.
Religious symbolism is shown when the camera pans across a sign saying ‘improving the angel’. Her white hood makes It clear to the audience she is the angel. Shot from behind, cars moving showing the world going round and time passing. The girl doesn’t move shows she doesn’t have a purpose and her surroundings are going somewhere and do. The next shot is the same but with people moving faster she is sitting on the floor showing low status. The people around her treat her as invisible. Close up face, sadness in her eyes in contrast to previous mood of happiness. High angle shot looking into mirror, camera focuses on reflection.
She puts make up on in slow motion and is trying to cover up her emotions. ‘Sells love to another man’ this is the idea of prostitution. The camera cuts to medium shot of man in car pulling up towards girl. It is dark and he has his car lights on, this which silhouette of girl.
She leans into the car scared, nervous but provocatively. Camera cuts to girl walking with man into a house. The girl looks out of place as the house is clean, tidy and quite large. The characters are in the centre of the screen and are the main focus as the audience follow them as they walk down the corridor. The camera moves up the girl’s body as she is lying on the bed next to the man and it is clear they have slept together. There is a reference to Goodwin’s theory as the camera moves up the girl’s body and shows voyeuristic treatment of the female body. ‘a couple grams’ the camera does a close up of hands exchanging drugs but does not show who is exchanging the drugs but the audience know the girl is receiving the drugs from the money she earns as a prostitute. This is another link between lyrics and visuals.
She takes the drugs and falls back helplessly showing death. The video ends with camera view of roof and the sun shining and the image of the girl in the sky as an angel figure bird noises are heard again in the background. The edits throughout the music video are a regular pace. If there is a change of scene then there is a fade out and fades into the new setting. There is a steady pace throughout the music video and the editing is in time with the music. The camera regularly cuts from one shot to another on one of the bass beats.
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