Everything Has Changed - by Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran
Narrative/Type/Layout/Order: This narrative music video tells a story, mainly consisting of shots that relate to the lyrics and genre of the song and flow well with the song's rhythm. For example, when the boy plays the guitar for the girl, and when they dance together. The story is about two children becoming friends, it is romantic - the father of the boy turns out to be Ed Sheeran and the mother of the girl turns out to be Taylor Swift; this is a positive ending as the adults are seemingly friends as well. This suggest that love comes in different forms of which friendship is one of the most important. In addition, according to http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/1566117/taylor-swift-ed-sheeran-return-to-childhood-in-everything-has, the video 'fully returns us cynical adults to the wonders of childhood in a little over four minutes'.
Audience: This song, and it's official music video, are suitable for all ages however I would rate it a PG because it includes adult themes of growing up, falling love, and reflection. The song is nostalgic, emotional and meaningful - it aims to make people remember a moment when they fell deeply in love with someone, and it changed their life for the better. The positivity of the song is hopeful and will relate to the romantic relationships of many audience members.
Actors and characters, costumes, props, mise-en-scene: The protagonists in the music video are Ave Ames and an uncredited young ginger-haired boy; they are meant to be young doppelgangers of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, who appear at the end of the music video - here we assume the girl is Swift's daughter and the boy is Sheeran's son, and that they know that their children are falling in love through their friendship (this is shown in their knowing smiles). The costumes for the children were simple and sweet - the most prominent outfits were a white dress for the girl (which connotes purity and innocence) and a t-shirt and jeans for the boy, Swift and Sheeran then wore almost matching outfits to pick them up from school and emphasises the mini-me theme throughout the video. This music video represents that circle of life and perhaps the past experiences of love; friendship is a type of love that relates people of all ages.
The props in the video were also simple - in order to focus on the relationship in the video - however, musical instruments (such as a guitar) are key, the children seem to bond through their musical interests. This is significant because this works well with the score. The mains setting of the video, a school, also emphasises the innocence of love and friendship.
Expression, Appearance, Lighting, Locations/Setting: The children appear to be just like each of their musical parents, the lighting of the film is realistic for most of the video - including natural lighting at the end of the video on a sunny day when they are picked up from school - enhancing the 'happy family' and friends theme. The spotlight that is on the young couple when they dance together is representational of their focus on each other - they mean a lot to one another.
Camera work - movements, shots, angles, compositions, time lapses, shot length: The music video incorporates a lot of establishing shots, to show the school setting and enhance what school experience the children are going through together, e.g. cookery or playing in the playground. There are also many upwardly tilting shots, for example the first shot of the young girl we see and the shot where the boy and girl sit together talking on the highest beam in the playground - here they seem to be above childishness, their relationship elevates them. There are some high angle shots which could be a metaphor for love shining down upon them, these shots show them together in close proximity, for example in the over the shoulder shot when they are together under a tree and the boy is reading to the girl. The high angle shots also give an essence of safety - it seems like they are being looked after, and they look after each other.
Editing - transitions, treatments: The transitions in this video all seem to be straight cuts, this could emphasise the simple flow of the young couple's relationship. The treatments for the piece are warm, the contrast, saturation, shadow intensity and temperature of most of the shots - especially when they are outside, in order to give-off a positive and sunny vibe.
Sound - song/score, synchronous, sound effects, ambient sound: The song links well to the video - it can be interpreted as the blossoming of a friendship of young love but also the emotions of wanting to get to know a lover better. The score went well with the visuals and created a fluent piece. The song is acoustic and harmonious - it has the more mezzo-soprano voice of Taylor Swift and the bass-like voice of Ed Sheeran along with instruments such as the guitar, bass and drums.
Media representation of youth culture: The children are represented as sweet, friendly and creative - the young adults/parents are represented as understanding and the slightly older teacher is represented as stressed. This shows that media represents children as care-free when in fact they have do have real situations such as friendships going on in their lives.
I would like to create a music video inspired by the romantic and nostalgic elements of this music video, and incorporate a similar idea by using children actors but show them grow up rather than reflect their parent doppelgangers.
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