Music Video Production - The Crookes (8)

Our first idea for our music video for The Crookes was mainly inspired by the work of Charlie Chaplin, the use of black and white tones and 1930s style and influence. Modern Times is a 1936 comedy film by Charlie Chaplin that has his iconic Little Tramp character struggling to survive in the modern, industrialized world. The film is a comment on the desperate employment and fiscal conditions many people faced during the Great Depression, conditions created, in Chaplin's view, by the efficiencies of modern industrialization. When we first saw this video we immidiatly thought of the Crookes and how much of an influence Charlie Chaplin and his work, in particular Modern Times, has on our work. When we first heard The Crookes we thought of black and white theme and an old 30s/50s style video to compliment their work.

We initially liked the idea of using fast paced movement in a 'slapstick' kind of way. In 'Modern Times' most of the film was shot at "silent speed", 18 frames per second, which when projected at "sound speed", 24 frames per second, which makes the slapstick action appear even more frenetic.




We also liked that The Crookes seemed to push the barriers in the music world. The are very original and unique and do not like to conform to the norm. In 'Modern Times' the reference to drugs seen in the prison sequence is somewhat daring for the time, which reflects The Crookes behaviour too.