The music video I analysed was Ed Sheeran 'The A Team' The main purpose of this video is to inform the audience about drugs and how they can have a bad impact on peoples lives. To get the message across he uses a narrative concept of a lady who sells love to another man to get money for drugs. By using a narrative concept and using a woman in the video the audience feel great empathy for the women which therefore gets the concept of drugs being bad successfully. Another purpose of this music video is to promote Ed Sheeran. Within the music video Ed Sheeran is shown as a good person as he helps out the homeless girl, therefore promoting Ed as a good person which will build a relationship between the audience and Ed.
The style of the music video is Indie, it typically follows conventions of the indie genre. In Indie music videos you expect to see realistic locations so that its relateable to the audience. Settings/Locations you expect to see are fields, cities and forests as these are all realistic locations. Also Indie music video's have a smaller budget compared to pop, R'n'B music videos therefore they have to use realistic locations as they cannot afford green screens and high technology. 'The A Team' music video follows the convention of having an realistic setting which is in a deserted park and in a city which appears to be London. Ed Sheeran has done this so the audience will see clearly that its a indie music video and can relate to the music video easily.
Indie music videos are typically narrative or concept based as most indie music videos get across a message to the audience. 'The A Team' conforms to this convention as its a concept/narrative based video. It gets across the message that never to start drugs and the story is of a women who sells her body for drugs and lives a bad life.
Typical lighting within indie music videos are usually low key or black and white as this makes the audience see the emotions of the artists better so that they can relate to them. Within the A team music video the lighting is black and white so that the audience can see how dull the girls life has been therefore they will feel empathy better and relate to her more which will engage them into watching the music video. Within The A team video the codes and conventions of a indie music video are followed throughout the video.
Throughout the video the audience are made to sympathize for the woman as she is shown walking on the streets alone at night with just a sleeping bag because she is struggling to pay rent. There are also many close ups of the girl looking upset which builds a relationship between the audience and her. It also shows that she's had a rough time due to her make up which will make the narrative easier to understand. By using close ups makes the audience to relate to the girl. Also Ed features within the video where he sits next to her on the bench. This is a market tool to illustrate that Ed Sheeran is caring therefore promoting him as a good person. The fact that Ed Sheeran is wearing casual clothing shows that the video is conventional to the indie genre as the audience can concentrate on the story line and also can relate more to the video as it proves that Ed has a normal lifestyle.
The message comes clear to the audience that the girl is having sex to receive drug money is towards the end of the video when it comes clear that she gets money from the man in exchange for drugs. By doing this creates empathy for the girl at it shows she is struggling form her addiction which builds a huge relationship between the girl and the audience. By having empathy being shown as one of the main concepts in the video really builds a relationship with the character which promotes the artist.
The setting throughout the video is set in an conventional place as its set in a park/city. Its also edited into black and white which illustrates that is a dark gloomy place which also creates empathy for the girl which builds a relationship and engages the audience. The black and white colouring links in with her emotions and her life has been very dull. Also Ed uses a musical instrument which is a guitar in the video which is conventional to the indie genre as its a typical instrument. Therefore it will draw in the target audience and clearly show that Ed is a strong indie artist.
This music video appeals to a wide audience, both male and female as its not targeted at anyone specific. The music video is targeted at teenagers and young adults as that is the ages they are likely to be pressured into taking drugs. The lyrics and the visuals try and put off the audiences from taking drugs for example 'been this way since 18' shows that she has been this way for a long time which she cannot stop which will put of audiences from taking drugs. By using a young women means that the audience can relate to her which therefore engaging more in the video. The music video follows many typical conventions of the indie genre which would appeal to audience who enjoy indie music.
