Coldplay's song "Fix You" targets an audience aged 14-48 with its themes of loss and inability to let go. The music video uses close-ups and slow editing in the beginning to convey a serious tone, transitioning to wider shots and cuts on the beat as the song becomes more upbeat. Ed Sheeran's "Castle on the Hill" targets 16-25 year olds with its theme of growing up. Its video uses various shots to depict different life stages and matches cuts to lyrics to reinforce the song's narrative about adolescence. Both videos employ technical elements like editing, camerawork, lighting, and sound design to visually represent and entice viewers with the songs' relatable storylines.

1. Analysis of similar texts

2. Coldplay – Fix You
Target Audience
 Coldplay say that they do not target a specific audience and instead make
music that they think everyone will enjoy. However, if you were to pinpoint a
target audience, it is believed to be from 14-48 but when 'Fix You' was
released in 2005 their target audience would have been closer to 20-45. In
recent years as their music has changed it has become more popular among
younger audiences, while retaining the top end of their original audience. I
believe their music would lean to more of a male appeal but Coldplay do say
they don’t target a specific audience.

3. Coldplay – Fix You
Storylines and themes
 The song is about losing someone or something that you love and not being
able to let go. This is portrayed to the audience through the lyrics. This would
appeal to the target audience because at some point in everyone's they will
lose something that they don’t want to, making the song relatable for the
audience. On a basic level the video itself is Chris Martin, walking through
London, but when the mood changes, he ends up at concert. This could
connote the difference of highs and lows in life.

4. Coldplay – Fix You
Technical codes
 editing – during the first 2:30 minutes the pace of editing is slow, as the song is more serious,
downbeat and is forming the basis of the song. After this point the style of the video changes,
cuts are made on the beat of the music and it becomes much more upbeat, which links to
Andrew Goodwins theory on music videos as he says it is conventional to edit to the beat.
 camerawork – during the first 2:30 minutes mid-shots and close-ups are regularly used. Then
once Chris Martin runs off to the concert a wider range of shots are used, like establishing shots,
extreme long shots and in general a wider range of techniques. This gives the audience a better
understanding of the environment he is in. Another point to note is the first 2 minutes are when
the song is more more downbeat, and the connotation of the close ups is because Chris Martin is
not ready to let his feelings out, so he is closed up, whereas once the wider shots are used he is
opening up

5. Coldplay – Fix You
Technical codes
 lighting – during the first 2:30 minutes there is a conflicting contrast created of high key lighting
and low key lighting. The impact of this is that it shows the contrast in high and low parts of life,
which relates back to the basis of the narrative
 sound – sound links in with editing in the video, with the music forming the beat as to which the
video cuts to. Also the lyrics sung, relate to the setting on screen, a particular lyric to note is
"Lights will guide you home", when this is sung a high key lit shot is used, as shown above.

6. Coldplay – Fix You
How it entices the viewer
- This video entices the viewer by having a relatable theme, which is losing a
loved one. This makes the song relatable to the listener and by Chris Martin
going for a walk through London, this could be one way in which the audience
may deal with the news of a loved one dying. The technical codes that have
also been used make the reinforce the lyrics and make the viewer think of
deeper the meaning.

7. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill

8. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill
Target Audience
 Ed Sheerans general target audience is from 16-25. This song is particular to
the 16 year old end of the scale as it is about growing up, which is a relatable
theme/ storyline for people of that age range. As seen from the picture
below, they have chosen an Ed Sheeran lookalike, who looks young to make
the video more relatable while retaining the fact that it is an Ed Sheeran
song.

9. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill
Storylines and themes
 The song 'Castle on the Hill' is about Ed growing up from a teenager towards
adult years, which is relatable for the TA, meaning it will appeal them. This is
shown through the variety of camera shots, the mise en scene and the lyrics
of the song.

10. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill
Technical codes
 editing - the editing matches the beat of the music and also the words the song. When certain
words are said cuts are made to other shots showing the action sung about. This technique
relates to Andrew Goodwins theory on music videos as well as reinforcing the lyrics of the song
on the audience.
 camerawork – the video includes a range of shots which allow the viewer to see the different
stages of his life while growing up. Using a range of shots allows the audience to understand the
environment and allows them to pick up certain details, whether that’s through a close up or a
long shot to give a wider understanding.

11. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill
Technical codes
 lighting – the lighting used reflects each section of the video, whether it is day time, night time,
at a party or whatever. This is a simple technique but is necessary to make the video and lyrics
work together as well as allowing the audience to identify each setting.
 sound – similarly to Coldplays 'Fix You', the lyrics of the song are matched to actions shown on
the video as well as matching the cuts to the beat, which links to Andrew Goodwins theory.

12. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill
How it entices the viewer
- This video entices the viewer through the storyline and camerawork. The
storyline is relatable to the target audience as it is about growing up through
teenage years and becoming adult, the actions shown on the video and narrative
shows what the stereotypical teenager goes through which makes the video
relatable. The camerawork allows the audience to see this visually as well as
listening to it and the cuts to shots that match the lyrics reinforces them onto
the viewer, making them think about the song and reflect on their life.

13. Conclusion
In conclusion, after carrying this analysis into similar texts, I have a broader
understanding of how music videos are put together, how the style may change
dependent on target audience as well as some techniques like cutting to shots
which reflect the lyrics whne more dominant words are sung.