Ed Sheeran – The A Team Analysis

The video to ‘A Team’ by Ed Sheeran follows both an illustrative and disjuncture narrative. The reason for this being the video has slight relevance to song itself but more so when you actually consider the lyrics and follow the video at the same time. In some aspects of the video we are presented with direct illustration, one example being the mention of “angels” while showing “angel station” in the video. Also the fact that it says, “improving the angel” and not just “angel station” indicates a sense of improvement needs to be made to the girl featured in the video. To support this, in the same shot the girls face is lit up which emphasis and brings attention to her face. This is ambiguous to the viewer as it can either connote her as a somewhat angel or could simply be used to focus upon her.



The video follows a young girl going about her daily life; what she endures day in day out while the song is playing in the background acting as a narrative. There is no actual performance by the singer himself in the video; he is very rarely, if not ever seen, meaning there is no star image in the video.This is therefore also lack of performance leaving the whole video based upon a narrative form. The video follows a narrative in that the song describes negative lifestyle aspects such as drug taking, prostitution and homelessness, which reflect the girls life in the video.

It is apparent that the song is about these certain things as the specific lyrics suggest as well as these things actually being shown in the video. The drug taking can be

associated with the lyrics “class A team” as well as “mad for a couple grams.” A direct link can also be made to the title of the song, being in different type of drug classes. The prostitution comes from the fact that she “sells love to another man.” Overall the video shows a woman who is living a life she wouldn’t necessarily choose to live.

Throughout the video different camera shots and editing are used to create a specific effect, which can be associated with the way in which you’re supposed to feel by listening to the song. As mentioned previously, the medium shot of the girl within the “angel station” shot uses a certain effect on the girls face. The use of this medium shot allows everything to be seen, such as what the girl is wearing which instantly connotes her unwell being and homelessness.

The video starts with one woman looking over another, while looking extremely upset. The girl being looked over looks lifeless as if she’s endured a lot; and has a lot on her mind. Her eyes are open and a bird’s eye view shot is shown so the audience is level and able to look into her eyes, as if we have the opportunity to look

into her mind and feel what she is feeling. A blurry editing effect is used over her, which makes the audience feel that they are in fact about to experience what she’s been through, as if we merge into her as a person.

The whole video is in black and white, which in my opinion represents the straight forwardness of life being either good or bad. The clothing of the main person in the video shows she’s been through a struggle since her tights are ripped and her makeup is smudged, leaving her not very presentable and doesn’t look rather happy. A close up on her face shows her unhappiness seen as it shows her crying and looking extremely distressed but in a way keeping it to herself

A worms eye shot and mid shot from the waist down are used to focus on the girl, these shots could be connected to the girls low feeling about life. It could also be interpreted in a way that even though her life is low, she aspires to have better and achieve better in her life. A shot shortly after is shown of her looking up to the sky, this supports the face she wishes to achieve better and is "looking up" for things to get better.

Certain footage of other people around the girl is speeded up, while the girl remains of normal speed. This could suggest the girls life is stood still as she isn’t really moving forward in life nor achieving better, she is just simply enduring the same thing day in day out while other people get on with a life they chose to live.

The video follows a hand held shot throughout which adds a more personal feel as if we are following the person’s daily life. Before the video ends, the same close up shot of the girl shown at the start is shown again. This is as if her life is a constant cycle and never ending. The ending of the video however, shows a translucent effect picture of the girl, over a set of rooftops. This most definitely could suggest that her lifestyle has eventually killed her, but she is now looking over the life she used to live instead of her looking up while enduring it.

Overall, personally I think the video is highly effective and has been thoroughly thought about before production. The way in which it has been so cleverly put together, as if it is following one individuals personal struggle which life. As well as syncing exactly with the lyrics even though slight thought is required.