Lesson 1

The music video begins with diegetic sounds of birds chirping, accompanied by close-up shots of a girl crying and then lying on the floor. An ECU shot is employed at this point, possibly to suggest that she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The camera then tracks out and the video fades to black. 

The song does not begin until 20 seconds later, perhaps to establish the character and draw the viewer's focus on her as her story unfolds. When the song finally begins, we see the girl sleeping on a bench, and through the visual signifiers, we understand that she may be homeless.

No title cards as this was one of Sheeran's earlier music videos. 

The storyline of the music video depicts a young woman who is forced into prostitution to support her drug addiction. The video follows her struggles and eventual tragic fate. The characters, locations, and settings are presented in a gritty and realistic manner, with recognizable urban environments and a dark, somber tone.

The music video deals with the theme of social issues and the plight of the disadvantaged in society. It also touches on the themes of addiction, desperation, and hopelessness.

The social representations in the music video are largely centered around the portrayal of the young woman and her struggles with addiction and prostitution. The music video presents a complex and sympathetic portrayal of this character, avoiding stereotypes or easy judgments - we are given a clear linear storyline to follow. 

The music video employs a number of technical conventions, including frequent close-ups of the characters' faces, naturalistic lighting and color grading, and an emphasis on hand-held camera work to create a sense of immediacy and realism. The music video also makes use of jump cuts to convey a sense of urgency and disorientation. Time lapses are used to compress the passage of time, allowing the audience to see the progression of events; it also creates a sense of urgency and emotional intensity, as the audience witnesses the rapid decline of the young girls situation and that no-one is helping her as her situation declines. 

The music video opens with an intertextual reference to another one of SZA's songs (Nobody Gets Me) as the protagonist cooks inside a camper van. 

We hear diegetic sounds of food cooking and sizzling, as well as the man's footsteps as he approaches her. The lighting is low-key and dark, creating an eerie atmosphere that foreshadows something ominous about to happen. As the man exits the camper van, his message (left in the card) is voiced over with an eerie sound effect building up. Suddenly, the camera cuts to extreme close-ups of gunshots firing, accompanied by sound effects of the gun firing. The editing becomes more rapid, cutting to close-ups of the shots hitting different objects in the house to intensify the situation. This whole scene is intertextually reminiscient of Kill Bill Vol 2 and the scene between Uma Thurman and Elle Driver in Budd’s trailer.

A title card is displayed after the introductory narrative, featuring 'SZA Kill Bill A film by...' in a font that resembles bloodstains. The use of this font may evoke horror and suggest that the video will contain violent or unsettling events.

The music video presents a straightforward linear narrative that progresses in chronological order, showcasing the actions that the protagonist takes to seek revenge on her ex-boyfriend. The lyrics are visually portrayed as the protagonist lip-syncs, and the mise-en-scene emphasises the reactions of those around her and her training grounds where she practices killing her ex-boyfriend. The music video draws heavily on intertextuality with action-adventure films like 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Kill Bill', with notable references to Quentin Tarantino's works, such as the split-screen reminiscent of 'Kill Bill Vol 1' and the fight scene in the red room which is reminiscent of house of the Blue Leaves and O-Ren Ishiii’s fight sequence. The short animated sequence is also clear intertextuality with the O'Ren revenage anime.The protagonist's costume is also a clear intertextual reference to Uma Thurman's costume from Kill Bill. All of these intertexual references are used for homage purposes. 

The music video deals with the theme of revenge and jealousy.

The music video portrays a positive social representation of the artist as an empowered protagonist seeking revenge against her ex-boyfriend who betrayed and left her for dead. She is depicted as a determined assassin who is strong, resilient, and unafraid to use violence to achieve her goal. The intertextual references to Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' suggest that the protagonist is challenging traditional gender roles by using her sex appeal, physical abilities, and fighting skills to showcase her strength of character.

The music video makes extensive use of close-ups, particularly during fight scenes, to show the intensity of the action and the emotions of the characters. The close-ups are also used to highlight the skill and demeanour of the protagonist. Split screens are also frequently used to show different perspectives and highlight the simultaneous action happening in different locations. Quick cuts and transitions between shots create a sense of urgency and excitement.The use of non-diegetic sound effects such as the sword being unsheathed is a distinctive metallic whoosh and the sounds of bullets whizzing through the air and explosions are overemphasized to make the action sequences more intense and thrilling.

The opening of the Beck Up All Night music video starts with a shot of a darkened street in an urban setting. 

The audience can see a female character walking down the street, holding an inhaler. They can also hear the opening notes of the song, which is an upbeat electronic track. 

Title cards are used in the music video, and they are integrated into the opening shots of the darkened street. The audience can see the music video title, the artist name, and the institution that produced it.

 The storyline unfolds in a linear narrative with the female character walking through different locations, including a party setting and empty corridors, to save a boy who has collapsed. These settings and characters reference examples of 'coming of age' and teen drama settings in television and film such as the bachelor party.

The themes introduced in the music video include an emphasis on friendship and loyalty, as the female character is determined to save her friend. 

The social representations in the music video include the female character as an anti-hero and the idea of subverting gender roles. These social groups are represented pluralistically, as the female character is not sexualized or glamorized in any way, and she is shown as resourceful and strong. 

The music video uses various technical conventions, including low-angle shots of the female character in silhouette, tracking and reverse tracking shots, close-ups on her facial expression, and tracking shots to emphasize her determined walk. The settings and locations create a realistic setting, and the character is communicated through visual codes of clothing and expression. Intertextual links to females from the action-adventure genre are clearly established such as that of Katniss from Hunger Games further reinforced in her resourcefulness and the fact that she is not glamorized or sexualized. The music video also uses slow-motion shots to emphasies the girls ability and determination.