EG7: Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High

ACT: Arctic Monkeys
TRACK: Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High
YEAR: 2013
DIRECTOR: Nabil Elderkin
GENRE: Indie Rock
MAIN AUDIENCE: 18+
LYRICS: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/arctic+monkeys/whyd+you+only+call+me+when+youre+high_21064136.html

VIDEO:

Alex Turner looking into a mirror and seeing himself double

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUALS + LYRICS:

The song title refers to being 'high' and this is reflected in the video through the use of special effects and the way Alex Turner is acting. There's also a phone, to connect with the 'call' from the title. 

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE + CONCEPT:

The girl

When the music stops and Alex falls

There is a clear narrative followed throughout the video. At the beginning of the video, the song Do I Wanna Know? is playing (also an Arctic Monkeys track from the 2013 album 'AM') in the background in a bar. The song Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? does not begin to play until 1:36 into the video. The start of the track is faded to achieve the verisimilitude of being in a bar. When Alex Turner steps outside at 1:49 the track becomes clear and focal. At 3:11 the track stops when Alex falls to the ground and begins again at 3:29 when he imagines someone shouting at him to get up. The music stops at 4:26, but the video carries on til 4:48, where the girl featured in the texts is revealed.

PERFORMANCE STYLE:

There is no performance from the band, although Alex Turner (lead singer) is the main character in the video. There is no lip syncing either.

STAR TREATMENT:
Alex Turner is the lead singer of the band, and he is the only member mostly featured in the video. Because he is the lead singer, he is the one who gets involved with fans during live performances, and is perhaps the most famous member. Because of this, he is featured in the video the most because it will achieve recognition and his appearance allows the audience to connect with him, despite there being no live performance or lip syncing. Simply being on screen creates a connection with the fans, as he is an extremely popular vocalist.

The clock hands move to form a smiley face

FX:
Special effects are used in the video to highlight the fact that Alex is high, as stated in the song title. The effects used involve the clock at the beginning moving around the wall, and he sees things that are not really there. This is effective as they're not over used yet they still represent what Alex is experiencing. 

The phone 

LOCATIONS + MISE-EN-SCENE:

Text messages

The beginning of the video is shot in a stereotypical pub, with red walls and middle aged men standing at the bar. The camera then moves outside, and follows Alex walking down a street at night. It is dark so the only light source is the street lights, yet there is typical nightlife activity occurring, such as drinking and sex. The phone is a major prop in the video, as it links to the title and the use of messages being shown on screen allows the audience to connect with what's 
going on.