The document analyzes and compares three pop music videos: Emeli Sande's "Heaven", Ed Sheeran's "Small Bump", and Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper". It discusses the themes, symbols, and techniques used in each video. Emeli Sande's video depicts relationship struggles but shows unity across races and religions. Ed Sheeran's focuses on his worry and emotion as a male artist. Demi Lovato's portrays a young female character's unhappiness through location, lighting, and her innocent white clothing. The document examines how each video does or does not follow pop music video conventions.

1. Music Video research
EmeliSande- Heaven
This video portrays the main women, EmeliSande, to be worried about love. This is a
stereotypical view of women as men are not usually seen to worry about things like
love. However a non-stereotypical view of society is created in this video as all video
includes all races and religions in the same place. This is a non-stereotypical view as
not everyone is treated equal in society these days. The video by EmeliSande is a
narrative video as it shows what is going on in many
different people lives at the same time. Throughout
the video it progresses from darker times at the
beginning to happier
times towards the
end. A symbolic code
which runs
throughout the video is the use of angel wings. This
links to the song saying that everyone are angels. An
example of this when a women is stood against a
wall with angel wings behind her indication that she is an angel.
The video is set on the streets of a busy city centre indicating that it is everyday life.
The mise en scene is used well at the end to show that it has progressed to happier
times. Towards the end a blue sky emerges showing that all clouds have been lifted
form over them. There is also a use of light and dark throughout the video. The video
starts of quite dark however with lights flashes of lights throughout. This shows that
she is looking to the future. The video uses Neale’s Mental Machinery as it meets
audience expectations as it focuses around one main girl. However is also deviates
from conventions as it makes it look like it involves ordinary people which normal
pop videos do not. The ideologies in this video differ from those of a conventional
pop video as pop music is usually more upbeat. However it has an elements of love
and relationship which pop videos usually have.
Ed Sheeran- Small bump
This video focuses around one main character, the artist Ed Sheeran. A non-
stereotypical view of a male is created in this video as men in real life are portrayed
to not be caring or emotional. However in this video the main character is shown to
be worried and emotional. This portrays the music to be sentimental to the writer
and written on an emotional subject which is stereotypical of the music Ed Sheeran
creates. The genre that this music video fits into is the pop genre. There is no real
narrative to the video, however the audience get the impression that he is spending
the night waiting in the hospital. Although there is no real narrative to the video it
can be said that it has elements of a narrative video as well.

2. Throughout the video a clock is shown at certain
points which creates a symbolic codes that time is
passing. Another symbolic code which is placed in this
video is the use of the waste bun which has Danger
written on it in red. This could symbolise that someone
is in danger allowing the audience to relate more to
the video. Throughout the video mise en scene is used to set the scene of a hospital.
The use of bright white lights help to create a feeling that the area is a clinical area.
Also the colours throughout the video are very cold, for example white and blue. This
portrays that there is not much happiness around.
Neale’s mental machinery is used in this video as it deviates from conventions as it
just focuses around one person and the video is very simple. The technical and audio
codes at the start of the video help to set the scene. The establishing shots that have
been inserted of medical equipment help to get across to the audience that it is set
in a hospital.
Demi Lovato- Skyscraper
This video is a very simple style video focussing around
only one character. The main character is a female
around the age of 20 who is shown to be unhappy. At
the start of the music video it starts of which bright
whites lights which could symbolise that the character is
innocent and pure. The area in which it is filmed in
however contrasts to this as it is filmed in the middle of
a deserted land which could be seen as a harsh area.
This could connote that the innocent character has been
put into a difficult situation and that she does not know
what to do. This feeling of unhappiness is then once
again emphasised by the use of a close up shot of the
characters face which shows her to be upset and nearly
crying. The outfit that the character is wearing emphasises her innocence as it is
white and baggy which could represent her to be angel like. The effect that this has
on the audience is that it makes them feel for the
character to more as she is presented to be weak and
vulnerable. The clothing in which she is wearing
challenges the conventions of a normal pop video as it is
not revealing and covers most of her body.
There are aspects of this video throughout that give the feeling that the song is
about. This is created by the use of a red love heart in a glass frame in the video. The

3. editing technique that has been used throughout the video is continuity editing as
the video flows through a narrative theme as the video progresses from sad to
happier times. As the video progresses the increased use of low angle shots show to
the audience that the character is starting to gain some power and is taking control
of the situation. This contrast to the start of the video where she is portrayed to be
sad and weak.
From analysing these three music videos of the pop genre it has given me a better
insight into the conventions and codes of a typical pop music video. It has also
helped me gather ideas about what I want our video to be like and how we will
challenge or follow these conventions