Arctic Monkeys - 'Do I Wanna Know?' Analysis

 ISL WK3

 

The music video for 'Do you Wanna Know?' by the Arctic Monkeys breaks many of the typical conventions for an indie-rock promo, as is shown below.

The music video begins for the first 1 1/2 minutes in a similar style to that shown above. This helps to focus on the sound & the performance, helping the audience to focus on the music. This breaks typical conventions for an Indie-Rock promo, as it does not begin with actual footage, which usually shows the band.  

The lines then develop to show feet & legs of a person. This continues the theme and style that was developed in the last shot, and the low angle of the shot may perhaps make the audience feel quite intimidated, as they may feel that the person is walking towards them. Furthermore, the upward angle makes the character feel quite imposing. The shot develops to show female characters dancing, which again breaks the typical conventions of an indie-rock promo, as they are usually based heavily on performance, focusing on the instruments and technique possessed by the band members, instead of focusing on narrative and dancing. 

The next shot develops in a similar way, but at this point, the artwork becomes more complex and developed. The shot focuses on cars racing, producing connotations of speed and adrenaline, but this is represented in an exaggerated and comical way. The angle used makes the ramps appear larger, and allows us to see three cars in the distance, representing chaos and disorder - themes that are often portrayed in promotional videos for this genre. 

The next shot retains the same style as the previous ones, but introduces colour. This could in many ways be considered an intertextual reference to the Children's TV series 'The Flinstones', with the colouring and exaggerated style being considered similar in many ways. This reference perhaps can be associated with the band's ethos and viewpoint, with the American 'happy-go-lucky' style coming across in this frame. 

The final shot goes back to the previous style of white lines on a black background, and appears to show a male and female kissing. The use of this style suggests simplicity and purity, whilst the composition of the shot suggests that the couple are in a very clean, plain environment. Relationships are often at the core of any indie-rock promo, and this shot exemplifies this idea in the video.