Analysis: Music Promo

Ed Sheeran: Music Promo Analysis                      

Prezi Presentation

In this music promo the main point of focus is on the man that is signing the lyrics, I think this is a very effective method of performing the song rather than having the artist lip syncing along, It creates a much stronger image and makes each lyric seem much more important. The lighting and mise-en-scene throughout this promo is black and white, these colours alternate with the different shots and along with the music, which creates a much more interesting effect compared to what would be created keeping them exactly the same throughout the promo. The shot editing starts slow, however when the tempo of the music changed so does the shot editing, and much faster cuts between the shots can be seen. A montage of images can begin to be seen towards the end of the promo, that illustrate the lyrics, however this teamed with the signing and lack of performance from the artist make this promo quite unconventional compared to other acoustic artists. Throughout the promo the main point of focus being either the performers or the images, are created by the use of spotlights, which makes them appear much more important than the artist himself who is only shown quickly at the end of the promo and it shot quick shots throughout. A wide variety of shots have been used throughout this promo, giving it a much more creative feel and giving the simple mise-en-scene a more interesting appearance.

This shot shows the illustration of the lyrics. This images gives this promo a more sinister feeling as although this images would normally be related to positive aspects is has been presented in a negative with, with aspects of the images being dark and unwelcoming for example the eyes of the man. This show is a mid/close up shot.

This shot shows a mid- long shot of the performer. The way that some shots throughout this promo have been edited to create a blurred effects when movement is shown works really well in putting a lot of emphasis on the signing, which shows the importance of each movement and so the importance of each word being sung.

A number of different shots have been used throughout this promo, mid and long shots have been used to show performers, however some close ups and extreme close ups have been used to illustrate emotions and put importance and emphasis onto certain lyrics. I like the way in which only the face of the performer is highlighted in this shot, it looks quite haunting and creates a lot of thought and emotion for the viewer. 

The way in which the artist doesn’t appear in this video to perform him own song gives the impression that he is trying to make the point that he is not a conventional artist, which I think works really well in showing who he is as a person and what he stands for, him not appearing really illustrates the lyrics that are being sung. 


History of Artist
Ed Sheeran was labelled the geek throughout his school life however he made sure he was not going to be defeated by his gingerness, poor eyesight and lack of hearing in one ear. He does however still describe his childhood as "slightly depressing"

It was a chance meeting with Damien Rice that led to him beginning to write his own music. After meeting his idol backstage at a gig in Ireland he took the artists advice and wrote his first song the next day. Soon after he began selling CD's which he recorded in his bedroom, the initial earning going on CocaCola and Twix’s. At the age of 14 with the support of family, he travelled to London over for the summer holidays. A chance meeting with Julian Simmons in a Limehouse studio, led to Ed's debut album with he titled ‘Been Born’.

Adding to his repertoire, beat boxing, rapping and the loop pedal became a staple part of his style. After getting attention from a management company he soon became a regular face of the acoustic circuit. Around this time he has gotten himself a job with Nizlopi ('JCB Song') as their guitar technician. "I did a cover of one of their tracks on YouTube which they saw and liked. They invited me to join them on tour and I learnt everything I know about singing, song-writing and live music from them." Some other musicians he took influence from were The Beatles, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Planxty which his parents played on road trips, and personal favourites like Foy Vance, Nizlopi and anything with hip hop credentials.