Research: Music Video analysis 5 - editing - James Arthur

James Arthur - Say You Wont Let Go

The song is 3 minutes and 30 seconds long and has 114 shots, which is a lot shorter than Black eyed Peas - Where is the Love, as this is an acoustic song. This song has a longer ASL when is showing the artist and the artist playing the instrument in comparison to when the narrative story line is happening in which shot length is much shorter.

The establishing shot is off the artist in the first location, wearing casual clothes and with a guitar in his hand, clearly establishing the genre of acoustic pop.

I think simple extreme close up shots like these are very effective and can be fit in very simply and would suit my song.






It then cuts to an extreme long shot, with the two alone on a lake, similar to Taylor Swift - Mine, music video.










As the artist begins to sing about the significant person in his life, it cuts to a low angle hand held camera with trees in the background to introduce the girl, this would be a simple achievable shot to get for my music video.

The blurs and cross dissolves here break convention but i would like to do for my two stars in my music video, just to see the outlines, and manipulates conventions in a very clever way.

There is then a new location, with very fast shot lengths to show the scene set up of the equipment and the male showing the female his music. It is difficult to tell if they are the same two characters from the earlier shots.

Then the fourth location of the music video with 2 new characters. this music video seems to incorporate a lot of natural light into its shot. This shot is followed with close ups of the baby.

High angle shot of the artist, I would like to do this on my music video but may be difficult to achieve.






New location with 2 new characters, the next shot the visuals match the lyrics as it is her looking over her shoulder to match the lyric "as you looked over your shoulder".





This video makes a lot of use of reflections and nature and uses trees as part of the reflection, I like that because I know two of my locations will be in a park, and at a beach which are both natural.

Another new location, the sixth with a new character and possibly the same children from the earlier shots. the camera is moving sideways as she is turning the pages and is only a side high angle view.





Simple shots like these would be very suited to my music video with a hand held camera following them.








The 7th location and a new character and a dog, I think this may be to try add emphases the song can be applied to lots of different situations.









The 8th location and more characters, this would be very hard to achieve because I would not have the props to do this and a hospital would not allow me access to produce this kind of shot. Again this has a lot of natural light.

This shot matches the lyrics as they talk about being hold and how they will still love each other when they're ghosts.









How this research has influenced my planning:
This research has shown me to have a longer shot length on the artist and shorter ASL on the narrative part of my music videos. This music video has also given me the idea of using simple shots such as a hand held camera following two people walking, and of rain dropping in a puddle. Also given me an idea on how to introduce the female in the music video by having a low angle of her walking under a tree supposedly smiling at her other half.

Research: Chosen song - Article on Capital

This article from the radio station Capital, mentions our chosen song and gives their interpretation on how the song is portraying the relationship.

This shows that as the song is so popular from the + album by Ed Sheeran, however due to no music video, all fans are left slightly clueless and curious to the true meaning of the song.

This has influenced my planning as the article mentions the "smaller thing that make a relationship work" and I would want to ensure visuals to match the lyrics are made to emphasis that meaning in the song.

GROUP POST: Research- Promotions and cross media convergence. The Singer: Ed Sheeran.

Ed Sheeran

Our group has chosen the singer, Ed Sheeran who was born on the 17 February 1991. He is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Ed Sheeran has released two studio albums since being signed to Asylum records after moving to London in order to pursue an career in music. We have chosen this particular singer because his songs frequently posses a very strong narrative and clear imagery which will be useful when creating an interesting story for our music video and also shooting aesthetic objects which are parallel to the lyrics. 

After typing 'Ed Sheeran website' into the search bar fans are diverted straight to a promotional page which advertises the fact that a Wembley edition of 'x' is currently available for purchase. The layout is simplistic but effective as said album stands out in green against the dark background which features the fans at Wembley arena. Through including this Sheeran makes the fans feel involved in the project and therefore making them more willing to buy the album. The image also further sells the fact that the album was recorded live in front of a live audience and promotes the fact that those fans who did not attend the show are still able to enjoy the experience. 

This page also makes use of easy access to the internet in order to make purchasing the album quicker and easier using links like the one pictured to the left (and others such as google play for android phones which further expands their target audience) which requires a quick click to be taken to the ITunes site. 

Upon entering the official site, this promotional image of Ed Sheeran's biographical book is featured which ever page you click on at the side bar. As a viewer you can already see a very obvious house style forming which is green. 

The loader which appears as the new page loads is also green, which further contributes to the house style and creates clear synergy between the promotional page and the continuation to the official site. The dogs paw is also Ed Sheerans logo which can be seen on his guitars and also on the picture below which shows his 'Handmade Jewellery' logo. The repetition of this logo aids the artist in creating an identifiable brand which I think is very useful when you have many creative outlets which you would like people to recognise as being connected. 

The font used throughout the website is continuous. It is a casual font and appears worn away and almost like the artist could have written it himself. This is quite symbolic of Ed Sheeran's attitude towards his music, he is very expressive of his situation to his fans through his music and has created a laid back and down to earth star image. He strives to be seen as just a 'normal person' which is portrayed through this website and promotion of his 'tell all' book.





The site makes sucessful use of social media in order to target Ed Sheeran's fanbase which is dominated by teenagers and young adults who live their lives through social media. An example of social media use to target a young audience who loves music would be the links to YouTube to watch Ed's new music video. 

Upon clicking on photos, there is a button which can be pressed in order to follow Ed on Instagram, which allows fans to instantly see his photo updates. 

 There is also a button to enable fans to quickly follow Ed Sheeran on Twitter. The website appears to be more official however it acts as a step to connect to Ed Sheeran on a more personal level. Once again creating a star image whom appears to be very willing to communicate with his fans through social media. 

The website also includes lyrics to all of his songs on all of his albums. This implies that Ed Sheeran wants his fans to become more involved in his songs and really listen to his lyrics and therefore understand the story he is trying to tell. The lyrics section of his site also suggests that he is purely passionate about his music. 







How this research has influenced my planning and creativity: 

• This post has informed me that I should include social media on my website as the Pop Acoustic genre mainly targets a younger audience. 
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• ANOTHER THING I would add on to Laurens post is that with this genre all the artists are very casual, every day type of guy, and often come across very genuine, so I feel we need someone who ticks them boxes.

Research: Music video analysis 4 - Sam Smith

Sam Smith - I'm not the only one


This music video is 4 minutes and 40 seconds long so is I'm predicting longer than my music video will be and has only 80 shots in this music video, however does have a very long ASL and uses a lot of tracking and hand held camera. The sam director Luke Monaghan, also directed Sam Smiths - Writing on the Wall which was 4 minutes 43 seconds and only consisted of 60 shots.

This is the first establishing shot of the Music video, and it starts with one o the locations, and with the artists name written in his traditional font for synergy. At this point the camera is handheld so slightly shaky, i wonder if this signifies that behind closed doors the foundations are shaky.




The camera is then moving closer still shaking and has the directors name written on the house the same way that the artists is. The sound in the start of the music video, is not yet the song and is instead diegetic sound coming form the actors in the home and the couple.






It then cuts to an over the shoulder shot into the reflection of the mirror of the couple, matching the quote from the female "oh yeah ok thats fine, give me a kiss" this is an establishing moment for the rest of the music video and shows the relationship and the issues they have of how the male is holding back and the female desires his affection. The focus then changes from the female to the male when she leaves the shot to establish both characters individually.

This is breaking conventions as the diegetic sound is not conventional, however I do feel it is necessary in this instance, and I would like to incorporate diagetic sound into my music video, as I feel it helps to link a narrative music video to reality.



The camera tracks the female actor backwards and watches her emotions and facial expressions as she waves off her husband. Then for a sad shot of her when he husband does not wave back.



Before the lyrics begin there is slow motion of her walking back into their home and then cuts to her sat alone by the pool with a glass of wine and smudged mascara, representing she is a hurt, lonely woman who has been crying and is having alcohol to help her. . Once this is represented the lyrics begin and cut to the husband in a very dark gloomy atmosphere tracking backwards, the cuts and the lighting difference shows how much he two differ.

This shot shows how the female has essentially fallen apart, as she clenches on to her dress it shows how much anger she feels and how this has broken her.




There is links from the lyrics to the visuals as the actor then removes her wedding ring while sat on the floor just as the lyrics "you and me we made a vow, for better or for worse".


The next line is "cant believe you let me down, the truths in the way it hurts" this lyric is played while the female is sobbing on the floor and cuts to her husband with another woman and an establishing shot of this young happy female.

More links to visuals and lyrics are made here as it says "for months on end i've had my doubts, denying every tear" this shows that this has been an affair she has been aware of for a long time, there is a link to visual as she shows her in the car wiping her tear, not wearing her wedding ring, showing she has finally had enough and us accepting the truth and leaving.

It the cuts to the first shot of the artist in a performance type setting, however not singing directly into camera so not following Goodwins theory.

The lyrics then match the visuals again, as it says "you dont think i know what you done" then cuts to a shot of a camera at the end of the vehicle tracking her showing her emotions.

Then the next second being her husband with another woman, saying this is what she is supposedly unaware of. "but when you call me baby, you know i'm not the only one" and cuts quickly from her husband and new lady to her heartbroken in the car. As the chorus ends it cuts to a different location.

The different location is the a supermarket and the tracking backwards of the female who is turning to alcohol to ease the pain, as she goes round the corner of the shop, the male is going round the corner to toilets with his new girl and is cheating, showing they are both doing the wrong actions round the corner. The signs "no war" in the bar in which the male is in suggests that in there world and from there part it is all peace and happiness, and are unaware how much hurt they are causing others.

It cuts to the artist again for the chorus and shows a longer shot of him performing but with more and more passion. Sam Smith then sings "i have loved you for many years, maybe i am just not enough" showing how he is getting passionate with another female after all these years and now she has a look of strength and has realised she is worth more than that to walk away. The two are in a dark toilet with blue lights in a new location, being very sexual and close ups and tracking of the females naked back.

It then cuts from the sexual two in the toilets to the tracking and following upwards of the female finding her strength, and then cuts to a medium close up with the artist right of frame and the reflections of fire on the left hand side through the glass window of their home.
This may suggest that from the first establishing shot, the left side of the home was his as they did not match perfectly and the right side had flowers while the other side didn't, that is why she is burning his stuff on the left hand side.

I particularly like this shot, as although she is watching a fire of her husbands items, she is still put together from her hair. The shots continually cut from one another especially when the chorus line "because you don't think I know what you done".

 These two shots I find very interesting as she is looking pack at the pain she has suffered, this music video shows her journey well.

 The mise en scene in this shot is very interesting, as you see her in the centre of the room with one door open one door closed, one chair with two pillows on and the other chair with two pillows on. This theme runs throughout showing they are similar but they have strong differences which mean they dont match, and I feel this is representing the couple in this music video.



This long shot shows the male running and fixing himself, this is almost him running into reality. The camera is kept still and possibly on a tripod to keep it positioned well.

The camera then tracks him walking behind and is greeted by his now dressed and presentable wife.

This music ends with the two hugging at the doorway, despite "knowing what hes done" she is still taking him back.

How this research has influenced my planning

- it has shown me how successful a strong narrative music video can be
- with cuts to a performance of the artist. Also influenced my planning
- as a clever idea they used was introduce a new scene after the chorus and on a new verse
- I am also a fan of introducing a music video with first talking at the start and having silence and then cutting to the song.