Music video planning/pitch

The track that I have decided to make my music video to is Arabella by the Arctic Monkeys. This is a newly released song on the album 'AM' released on the 9th September 2013. It is supposedly going to be the third single off the new album after the previous 'Do I wanna know' and 'Why'd you only call me when you're high'. It is a cross between the two genres in which I wanted to do - Hip Hop and Rock. This new album from the Arctic Monkeys has seen quite a drastic change to their previous material. In an interview with Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1, Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner said that the album title was inspired by the Velvet Underground's 1985 compilation album VU.

- The summary of the video that I want to shoot with Nikki Brown in the other A2 media group is that we have a performance from my three piece indie rock band 'Paper Shop Dave' and then cutting towards a narrative. Quick shots will be essential towards keeping the audiences attention. From my previous research, I have found out that music videos being filmed in the past have used long timed shots and not cutting cutting them quickly. This doesn't look good at all on the eye. Something original and unique in music videos capture audiences attention, which is what we are trying to think of to feature in our two plot narrative.

Mis en scene: 


Lead male actor and Paper Shop Dave appearance - Skinny jeans, smart top, over jacket (usually leather or denim) and a funky, extrovert haircut.

Female lead actor appearance - Warm, long coat (preferably wool coat) coloured, patterned scarf. Gold hoop earrings, leggins or black jeans. Black chelsea boots. Minimal make-up with hair down.

The reason behind the song 'Arabella' being wrote is it's based quite simply on a girl. We have decided to expand on that with our story/narrative side of the music video being a boy who portrays the indie rock image chasing a girl whose appearance is styled around that of the likes of Alexa Chung (displayed below). This image is a very innocent but smartly dressed girl with reasonably bold designs from head to toe. Arctic Monkeys front-man Alex Turner who wrote this track has had a previous relationship with Alexa Chung lasting for quite some time, slightly ironic.

PAPER SHOP DAVE AND PROPS

In the picture displayed above, is my band Paper Shop Dave. The day to day clothing that we wear to college is similar to that of the mis en scene that we want to be portrayed in the music video.

- These pictures are also showing the props (instruments) that we are using.

• Both me and Nikki have agreed that we are going to film two separate narratives, other words known as a 'two-plot narrative'. The performance will be one and the other will be a story. Quick cuts between them both will make them look more interesting. A possible idea is to associate what is portrayed in the video to what the lyrics are saying. The lyrics are displayed below this text and it seems quite hard to represent them in a way that would seem good in a music video.

Girl Actor - Jessica Fletcher 

Jessica Fletcher is a friend of both me and Nikki at college. She is a very creative individual and studies Art and Photography and excels in the two subjects. Her image that she represents is similar to that  of Alexa Chung and Cara delevingne. This is the image that we want to portray for the female actor in our music video.

We have developed a prezi that involves our ideas:



Locations:

Attenborough nature reserve;

Stapleford Co-op rooftop;

•  The picture below represents the whole reason behind why we chose Stapleford Co-op to film at in particular, the urban and working class environment is perfect for artistic shots. This picture was taken in the 40's, around the time in which shops on the Stapleford high street such as Co-op were beginning to be built.

The Paper Shop Dave performance shed:

Arabella lyrics:


Arabella's got some interstellar-gator skin boots

And a helter skelter 'round her little finger and I ride it endlessly
She's got a Barbarella silver swimsuit
And when she needs to shelter from reality she takes a dip in my daydreams

My days end best when this sunset gets itself
Behind that little lady sitting on the passenger side
It's much less picturesque without her catching the light
The horizon tries but it's just not as kind on the eyes

As Arabella
As Arabella
Just might have tapped into your mind and soul
You can't be sure

Arabella's got a 70's head
But she's a modern lover
It's an exploration, she's made of outer space
And her lips are like the galaxy's edge
And her kiss the colour of a constellation falling into place

My days end best when this sunset gets itself
Behind that little lady sitting on the passenger side
It's much less picturesque without her catching the light
The horizon tries but it's just not as kind on the eyes

As Arabella
As Arabella
Just might have tapped into your mind and soul
You can't be sure

That's magic in a cheetah print coat
Just a slip underneath it I hope
Asking if I can have one of those
Organic cigarettes that she smokes
Wraps her lips round the Mexican coke
Makes you wish that you were the bottle
Takes a sip of your soul and it sounds like…

Just might have tapped into your mind and soul
You can't be sure

• The duration of the song is 3:27. This is pretty much perfect for us to film a two-part narrative music video as it isn't too long or too short. I much prefer the song to be slightly shorter than longer if it was possible. If the track was as long as say 4:30-5:00 minutes, it is very hard to conjure up that amount of shots to cover that time. Music videos are more often than not singles that have been released off artists albums.