Video analysis - lego house

1. Music Video Analysis
Lego House – Ed Sheeran

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Reflections
Reflections 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.