Finding Love in Detroit City with Spring King

Rattling Sticks' Jack Whiteley recently completed a pair of 90's-tastic promos for Manchester-based post punk band Spring King.

Following two contestants from a dating show, the videos chart the pair's relationship as they meet on the show, then embark on their first date to the romance capital of the world, Detroit.

To find out about the videos shots caught up with Whiteley.

Tell us about the video and the concept behind it.

City [below] is part two of my new Spring King music video double bill that started with the release of part one, Detroit [above], back in September. The videos are set on a fictitious, early-90s, Eastern European TV dating show called Euro Lover. The first episode ended with our female suitor, Penelopete, choosing Bartek from three guys. They were then presented with a holiday to the most romantic of all cities, Detroit. Episode two then picks up a week later and details the holiday as well as the aftermath back in the studio

Where did the initial idea come from?

It was actually an early concept I’d had for The Staves’ Black & White video I’d made last year but we decided it was a bit too comedic for them so I put it on the back burner. Then when Spring King came to me wanting to do two videos that were in some way related, I thought the idea would be perfect.

How did you decide on the 1990s/Eastern European style?

Well, our main point of reference was undoubtedly Blind Date and arguably that show’s golden era was the 1990s, so right from the start that’s how I imagined our show looking and feeling. Plus, it also taps into the whole 90s nostalgia thing that seems to be on the rise at the moment. The Eastern European angle was simply a way of setting it apart from the UK show.

What was the research process like?

I watched an ungodly amount of Blind Date [bottom]. I was amazed by how much sexual innuendo there was in it, which you just don’t notice as much as a kid. I found it quite painful actually. I also looked at versions of Blind Date from other countries, in particular the Polish, Randka w ciemno, and the Australian, Perfect Match. Watching those shows gave us ideas as to the look and design of our show, as well as to tone and pacing.

How much input did the band have into the videos and did they approach you with a brief?

All the band said to me was that they wanted to shoot two videos and that they needed to be somehow related, other than that it was totally open. Obviously, they had to like and approve the idea but being that I already knew them, they trusted me and were happy for me to do what I wanted, which is such a great position to be in as a director with a band you like.

Why did you decide on a two-part promo?

I think Tarek, who is the frontman and lead songwriter, always saw a connection between the two tracks, Detroit and City, so he encouraged me to find a link. It didn’t necessarily need to be a two-parter, it could have been something much looser, more ambiguous, but I just really liked the idea of being able to revisit the same story and characters across two videos, almost treat it like a TV series. So when I hit upon the dating show idea it just seemed to tick all the boxes.

What was the production process like?

Production was fairly smooth. The main challenge, as ever, was budget. We were basically shooting two videos for the price of one. But by shooting both videos back-to-back, and using the same cast and crew, it helped to bring costs down.

How challenging was it finding the right cast?

None of the cast were professional actors. The band play the contestants and for everyone else we called upon our friends. Therefore, the challenge was in working with non-actors, especially as these are such narrative and performance-led videos. Luckily, because I already knew the band I was able to come up with characters based on what I knew their personalities to be. Similarly, with the presenter, our friend Kostas was essentially playing himself, albeit a slightly more heightened and manic version. He did brilliantly considering it was his first starring role!

Can we expect a part three in the series?

I really hope so. Only two were made this time but I’m so fond of the characters we’ve created that I’d love to do another one, a part three or a spin-off, at some point. I feel like we’re only just starting to see a glimpse of the real Penelopete!