Music Video Analysis

Lego House – Ed Sheeran

Overview In the first half of the video we are lead to believe that the featured actor is playing the artist, Ed Sheeran. Sitting on a tour bus, playing the guitar and song writing are a few of the activities he is featured doing which is why we come to this assumption. However, ‘Sheeran’ is then shot walking onto a stage ready to perform and after being tackled by security into the wings, we realise this actor is not playing the part of Ed Sheeran at all. After viewing the clips of him breaking into Sheeran’s tour bus, eating a piece of his used chewing gum and living with a mannequin wearing an Ed Sheeran mask, we realise he is an obsessive fan. The man featured breaks down mid-video after his fantasising/ stalking becomes too much to control and he vents anger by smashing his guitar and a house made out of Lego. At the very end of the video he comes face to face with Ed himself whilst being escorted into a lift as Ed is coming out. The video ends with the obsessive fan holding a star struck expression after coming into contact with his idol and after this, is a shot of him lying down relaxed, with his Ed Sheeran mannequin.

Opening In the opening of the music video there is a variation of contrasting shots, one being of the crowd at an Ed Sheeran gig which then cuts to a shot of the actor, Rupert Grint walking alone along an empty path. I think that this reflects the man pretending to be Sheeran’s life; in reality he is lonely however he dreams of being onstage alongside his idol. Point of view and long shots are used to shoot he crowd to give the illusion that the view is through the man’s eyes then in contrast to this, over the shoulder and medium close ups are used to show the man walking aimlessly alone.

ReflectionsReflections are used in a variety of shots which I think represents the man looking at his reflection and seeing someone else, Ed Sheeran. He idolises Sheeran and the audience recognise this by the man wearing the same clothes as the singer as well as wearing his hair the same and completing the same activities such as playing the guitar and song writing. The mise – en – scene of costume and props contributes to this image as the shots at the end of the video of Ed and the man striving to mirror him are very similar.

The Narrative In some sections of the video, the acting and storyline shown follows the narrative drive of the song as the lyrics are illustrated by the actors movement.

‘if you’re broken I will mend you’ – This shows the man fixing a aeroplane built out of Lego. I think that the use of Lego looks at the lyrics, which would typically be assumed to be based around love, with a different approach. The romantic lyrics in this case are used to refer to tangible things, Lego being one as it can be easily built and easily broken, much like a relationship.

‘I’m out of touch’ – In this section the lyrics are tied to the video as the audience can see the man writing the lyrics into a note book by the use of a birds eye view shot. He is writing the lyrics in order to replicate the actions of his idol, Ed Sheeran.

‘put you on a wall’ – The lyrics are referring to a successful couple framing an image of them however the man is seen hanging up a photo of the man he idolises, Ed Sheeran however again, this is a tangible display of love as himself and Sheeran are in two different leagues within reality.

Shots There are a lot of medium and long establishing shots in the video to clearly demonstrate the activity of the actor. The narrative of the video relies on the video being clear and easy to understand which is why the distinctive shots are used.

Another reason long shots are

frequently featured is

because I think, it represents

that the man is drowning in his surroundings

and emphasises his

loneliness.

Jonathan Culler (1978)‘generic conventions exist to establish a contract between and deviation from the accepted modes of intelligibility. Acts of communication are rendered intelligible only within the context of a shared conventional framework of expression.’

The use of horses can represent the freedom the man wishes to have. He feels he must conceal his true personality and replicate that of Ed Sheeran, however he wants to replicate the personality and appearance of Sheeran openly, rather than having to refrain. A generic convention similar to this was used when horses represent freedom in the film ‘Michael Clayton.’

Another generic convention used is the shot of the man walking through a corridor which is followed by the man walking in the same way however in a contrasting setting. I think that this represents the two sides of the mans life, his busy ambitions and his lonely reality.

Intertextuality

The video alludes to other works featuring stalkers such as Sight Unseen, the fifth episode of the third season of the TV show, Charmed.

The theme of doppelgangers is present in this video and also in many films such as Vertigo 1958 and The Prestige 2006.