Detailed Analysis of Ed Sheeran Give Me Love

2. Andrew Goodwin
Andrew Goodwin had 7 key ideas that he believed could
be identified within a music video. He believed that
each one of these ideas could be found within most, if
not all, music videos. For example, he stated that music
videos demonstrate genre characteristics, for example a
stage performance in a metal video, or a dance
performance in a boy/girl band music video.
Throughout my music video I intend on addressing the
different ideas that Goodwin suggested existed within a
music video.

3. Genre Characteristics
This video emphasizes the common aspects that are usually encountered within this genre of music. The main one
being love. However this is not the only characteristic that is presented within this video. It also presents us with
the feelings of despair and depression, made apparent through the main actress used within the video. The main
actress seems to be in a depressive state throughout the majority of the video. The mise-en-scene of the video
reflects this idea of depression as it is very dark and dull throughout the music video. A contrast to this is the police
siren, however this may convey the idea of slight hope within the video. At the same time the siren also brings the
idea of despair to the music video as there must have been an incident that has occurred for the police to be called
in, this is portrayed in the bottom left image by the medium-long shot of the officer about to enter the building.
Another contrast to this dark colour pallete is the use of bright red for the blood of the main actress. This also
connotes the idea of depression and suggests that the only possible escape from the pain of reality is through
death/suicide. At this point a high angle medium shot has been used so that you can clearly make out the blood and
the cause of death, along with being able to see the actress lying lifeless. The angel wings on her back also support
the conventions of death and help to emphasize the idea of it. The final contrast to the dark colours is the burst of
gold that occurs when ‘cupid’ shoots the arrows of love into the other actors in the video. This expresses that
another escape from the depression of reality is through falling in love with another.

4. Continued
The idea of love is later reinforced as the leading actress goes through a transformation into the
greek god of love, cupid. This change is accompanied by the chorus of the song, which builds up
towards the transformation and is a clear indicator that the tone of the music video is about to
change. This supports Todorov’s theory of narrative as there is a clear equilibrium at the start of
the video, followed by the disruption of the equilibrium through her transformation. As this
happens there’s a close up on the back of the leading actress and it is clear from her expressions
and actions from the shots before that she is obviously discomforted by something. The shallow
focus shot of the feather allows the audience to focus on the key point of the shot but also allows
them to see that the expression shown by the actress suggests that she is as confused as the
audience at this point. This links back to Todorov as the actress is realizing the disruption to her
equilibrium. While the feather is red because of blood, it also connotes the idea of love, however
it does this subtly as to not give too much away to the audience and to try and keep the video
enigmatic. The white of the feather could be used to express purity of the actress as it is
suggested that she has never experienced love before or has been hurt in a way where she was
not to blame.

5. Reverting back to the beginning of the video, the lyrics “Give me love like her”
play as the main actress is watching two lovers conveying their feelings for one
another. The two lovers are portrayed by a long shot (Likely P.O.V. from the
main actress) in light and bright colours. This suggests that these two have
escaped the darkness of depression. However, the shot shows the leading
actress hiding in an alleyway watching the lovers in a voyeuristic way. At the
same time she is covered by shadow and the dull bricks. A medium shot is used
on her so that the audience can clearly make out the expression and body
language of the actress. This shot, accompanied by the lyrics express the
craving for the love that the character desires and emphasizes the struggle
between her pain and being so close to love, while never being able to feel it
herself.
Relationship between the
visuals and the lyrics

6. Close ups of the artist?
There’s not actually any close up shots of Ed Sheeran during the video, in fact
the only shot we are presented with is a medium shot of him sat down at a
table in a diner. This brings a contrast to the typical conventions of music
videos, it also contradicts Goodwin’s theory. Ed Sheeran has likely asked for
the filming to be done in this way so that he doesn’t distract too much from
the actual music and the deeper narrative that is occurring during the video.
Another reason to why he possibly has decided to break convention is
because he does not see himself as a typical recording artist and therefore
has decided that he would rather not be a large focus within the music video.
However the leading actress is then seen to be watching him in another over
the shoulder shot, however this time it is a long shot, likely so that the
audience can make out the rain drops that clutter the window. This further
deepens the analysis as we know Ed Sheeran as a famous celebrity while in
the video he contrasts this by being sat in a diner, looking lonely and
depressed.

7. Intertextuality
As I mentioned in the slide before, the narrative of the
story is heavily based around the protagonist
transforming into cupid. Again, this is used as an
indicator to the audience to express the idea of love
within the video.

8. Notion to looking
Throughout the music video there’s lots of reference to the
lead actress looking at different people in a voyeuristic
manner. This helps to portray the feeling of loneliness and
depression throughout the video as it helps to convey the
feelings of the leading actress. This leads to a very strong
impact of the visuals within the video. It helps to build the
narrative that the leading actress has likely undergone
heartbreak or similar love related difficulties and
emphasizes that the character is dealing with intense
feelings such as depression and despair. Also the protagonist
always seems to be in the background of the scene watching
the other characters fall in love, again demonstrating the
idea of her craving in love and being in depression due to her
lack of it.

9. Is the video category illustration, amplification or
contradicting? How much of each?
The video is all three of the following, however it is mainly
amplification. This video clearly expresses a narrative relating to
love and illustrates the idea of the heart broken protagonist who is
trying her best to fit back into a world that she no longer fits in
with. The narrative then gets contradicted by her transformation
into the Greek god of love, Cupid. This impacts greatly upon the
audience as the character has went from a person who is
heartbroken and loveless into a giver of love. Which leads onto the
amplification. The character transforms into cupid, clearly
amplifying the narrative of the video and possibly allowing the
audience to figure out that the key feeling behind this video is love,
if they had not already figured this out at this point.