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Forums > Prince: Music and More > GIVIN it UP for ALPHABET STREET! (the video)
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Reply #60 posted 12/17/09 12:19am

aarontj

nebkheperrure said:

If my memory of what I've read about this video serves me right (in Alex Hahns' Possessed), Prince wasn't going 2 do any promo videos 4 Lovesexy but then changed his mind at the last minute. He wanted 2 shoot something 4 Alphabet St around Christmas & the weather in Minneapolis was particulary bad at the time. Most professional studios were closed & he ended up only being able 2 procure the services of a local film student who knocked the video up in a day or so. That is why it's shot on video & has all the 'amateurish' looking post-production.

Personally, I love it. I think it ended up being a 'happy accident' that Prince never envisaged producing at the outset. It does look hand made 4 sure & a complete contrast 2 the other high-end production promos he later ended up doing 4 the album (as noted within this thread). 4 me, the outcome just demonstrates his ability 2 try something different.

Favourite shots gotta b his crawling along the floor after the girl & the slow-mo close up of his face at the end. Nice.



Really interesting story, but who would belive that nonsense? where is that local film students who hit fame overnight? Still is a bad ass video, really daring for it's time.
"I have so much love for Prince. But why don't they look at me that way"- MJ
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Reply #61 posted 12/17/09 12:31am

mostbeautifulb
oy

avatar

aarontj said:

nebkheperrure said:

If my memory of what I've read about this video serves me right (in Alex Hahns' Possessed), Prince wasn't going 2 do any promo videos 4 Lovesexy but then changed his mind at the last minute. He wanted 2 shoot something 4 Alphabet St around Christmas & the weather in Minneapolis was particulary bad at the time. Most professional studios were closed & he ended up only being able 2 procure the services of a local film student who knocked the video up in a day or so. That is why it's shot on video & has all the 'amateurish' looking post-production.

Personally, I love it. I think it ended up being a 'happy accident' that Prince never envisaged producing at the outset. It does look hand made 4 sure & a complete contrast 2 the other high-end production promos he later ended up doing 4 the album (as noted within this thread). 4 me, the outcome just demonstrates his ability 2 try something different.

Favourite shots gotta b his crawling along the floor after the girl & the slow-mo close up of his face at the end. Nice.



Really interesting story, but who would belive that nonsense? where is that local film students who hit fame overnight? Still is a bad ass video, really daring for it's time.


Made by Michael R Barnard Productions

AS quoted on their website
PRINCE had an urge to do a music video. One Sunday afternoon, MRBP was asked if Prince could get a video shoot for a music video?for 7:00 that evening! MRBP delivered a full ten-hour four-camera shoot, producing the artist's Alphabet Street video.


here is the link
http://www.afatherandson....arnard.htm
[Edited 12/17/09 0:32am]
My name is Naz!!! and I have a windmill where my brain is supposed to be.....

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Reply #62 posted 12/17/09 7:20am

pray

eye love his hair on this video & the slow motion way he looks in2 the camera. beautiful brown eyes!!! biggrin
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Reply #63 posted 12/17/09 7:45am

ufoclub

avatar

Okay so now that I'm trying to research this out, I'm not reading ANYWHERE that the director of this was the same as I Wish U Heaven (Jean-Baptiste Mondino). If he's not the director then aarrontj's post is wrong! Ha.
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Reply #64 posted 12/17/09 8:27am

ernestsewell

ufoclub said:

Okay so now that I'm trying to research this out, I'm not reading ANYWHERE that the director of this was the same as I Wish U Heaven (Jean-Baptiste Mondino). If he's not the director then aarrontj's post is wrong! Ha.

You're right. According his wikipedia page, at least, only "I Wish U Heaven" is listed.
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Reply #65 posted 12/17/09 11:09am

aarontj

ufoclub said:

Okay so now that I'm trying to research this out, I'm not reading ANYWHERE that the director of this was the same as I Wish U Heaven (Jean-Baptiste Mondino). If he's not the director then aarrontj's post is wrong! Ha.


Where do I say Jean-Baptiste Mondino directed Alphabet ST????
"I have so much love for Prince. But why don't they look at me that way"- MJ
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Reply #66 posted 12/17/09 11:21am

aarontj

ernestsewell said:

ufoclub said:

Okay so now that I'm trying to research this out, I'm not reading ANYWHERE that the director of this was the same as I Wish U Heaven (Jean-Baptiste Mondino). If he's not the director then aarrontj's post is wrong! Ha.

You're right. According his wikipedia page, at least, only "I Wish U Heaven" is listed.



This what I say:

Well, Prince was working with legendary music video director Jean- Baptiste Mondino in the 1987-1989 period, a master of cinematography and concept art, even the Lovesexy tour was pretty ambitious for it's time, I really doubt that he( I MEAN PRINCE, THIS WAS MY ANSWER TO SOMEONE WHO SUGEST PRINCE SET UP A SHOOTING IN A GARGAE) will set up a green screen in a garage just for the sake of it.

The Lovesexy videos (and the album cover) were a calculated concept even if you don't like it (or don't understand the imaginary), the "Alphabet St" video was on the french Mondino vibe (MEANS PRINCE WAS IN THAT MOOD, INFLUENCED ETC.)

Some of Mondino/Prince related projects were "Mia Bocca" by Jill Jones,(an homage to "Los Olvidados" film by Luis Bunuel), "I wish you Heaven" and Ingrid Chavez song "Justify My Love" video by Madonna. (DID I MENTION ALPHABET ST????)

I MEAN PRINCE WILL NOT SET UP A GREEN SCREEN IN A GARAGE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT (ON THIS ERA, POST 90'S HE DID HORRIBLE VIDS), THIS WAS MY ANSWER TO SOMEONE WHO SUGEST PRINCE SET UP A SHOOTING IN A GARAGE, I MEAN PRINCE WAS IN THAT MONDINO MOOD, INFLUENCED BY ETC. CHEK THE ANALOG MONDINOS VIDS AND YOU'LL SEE "MANCHILD" LES RITA STUFF.

Do I mentioned "Alphabet St" in my comment about Mondino/Prince related projects? Right.

ernestsewell you know your music very well (amazingly well) but I know my videos.


biggrin
"I have so much love for Prince. But why don't they look at me that way"- MJ
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Reply #67 posted 12/17/09 11:23am

ernestsewell

aarontj said:

ernestsewell you know your music very well (amazingly well) but I know my videos.

Then who directed the video?
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Reply #68 posted 12/17/09 11:25am

Jazz31

Uhh Alphabet St.
The 1 Prince song i just can't listen too.
The vid is only alright because of the subliminal ..'don't buy the black album, im sorry.' thing and the freaky thumb.
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Reply #69 posted 12/17/09 12:17pm

mostbeautifulb
oy

avatar

ernestsewell said:

aarontj said:

ernestsewell you know your music very well (amazingly well) but I know my videos.

Then who directed the video?



Made by Michael R Barnard Productions

AS quoted on their website

PRINCE had an urge to do a music video. One Sunday afternoon, MRBP was asked if Prince could get a video shoot for a music video?for 7:00 that evening! MRBP delivered a full ten-hour four-camera shoot, producing the artist's Alphabet Street video.


here is the link
http://www.afatherandson....arnard.htm
My name is Naz!!! and I have a windmill where my brain is supposed to be.....

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Reply #70 posted 12/17/09 12:33pm

ufoclub

avatar

mostbeautifulboy said:

ernestsewell said:


Then who directed the video?



Made by Michael R Barnard Productions

AS quoted on their website

PRINCE had an urge to do a music video. One Sunday afternoon, MRBP was asked if Prince could get a video shoot for a music video?for 7:00 that evening! MRBP delivered a full ten-hour four-camera shoot, producing the artist's Alphabet Street video.


here is the link
http://www.afatherandson....arnard.htm


That still doesn't list the director who called the creative shots. That's a production company.
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Reply #71 posted 12/17/09 12:40pm

ernestsewell

ufoclub said:

That still doesn't list the director who called the creative shots. That's a production company.

Or who had to move stuff in the storage room to set up the green screen. lol

I bet Prince owns one of these.



.
[Edited 12/17/09 12:43pm]
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Reply #72 posted 12/17/09 12:45pm

GirlBrother

avatar

I love its lo-fi loveliness.
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Reply #73 posted 12/17/09 12:48pm

LinnLM1

The song - average

The video - horrible
the music knows what your motives are when you are making it

listen to The Replacements - its good for the soul
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Reply #74 posted 12/17/09 12:51pm

mostbeautifulb
oy

avatar

ufoclub said:

mostbeautifulboy said:




Made by Michael R Barnard Productions

AS quoted on their website

PRINCE had an urge to do a music video. One Sunday afternoon, MRBP was asked if Prince could get a video shoot for a music video?for 7:00 that evening! MRBP delivered a full ten-hour four-camera shoot, producing the artist's Alphabet Street video.


here is the link
http://www.afatherandson....arnard.htm


That still doesn't list the director who called the creative shots. That's a production company.




Just email them and ask who the director was. I am sure its no big secret smile
[Edited 12/17/09 12:54pm]
My name is Naz!!! and I have a windmill where my brain is supposed to be.....

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Reply #75 posted 12/17/09 12:52pm

mostbeautifulb
oy

avatar

I have emailed the production company, I will let you know when I get a response
My name is Naz!!! and I have a windmill where my brain is supposed to be.....

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Reply #76 posted 12/17/09 1:01pm

ufoclub

avatar

ernestsewell said:

ufoclub said:

That still doesn't list the director who called the creative shots. That's a production company.

Or who had to move stuff in the storage room to set up the green screen. lol

I bet Prince owns one of these.



.
[Edited 12/17/09 12:43pm]


I did homemade greenscreen right here (just hit the skip intro button on the lower right)
http://www.crashthesuperb...video/4955
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Reply #77 posted 12/17/09 7:25pm

mrbarnard

I produced the ALPHABET STREET video. Prince himself directed it.

The car was his dad's car, he was the original owner and gave it to Prince. In spite of the lyrics, it was really a 1964 Thunderbird. For Christmas 1988, I gave Prince a sign declaring "T-BIRD PARKING ONLY!" for his garage for that car. After I moved to Los Angeles, I ran into Prince at Mr. Goodbar in Beverly Hills in 1990, where I found out he had a small accident on wintry snow-covered Chanhassen streets and damaged, maybe destroyed, the T-bird.

We shot ALPHABET STREET in Prince's cavernous PAISLEY PARK STUDIOS sound stage in Chanhassen. Not in front of a green screen, just in the center of the huge stage with the white cyc hanging in the distant background.

Prince called on Sunday afternoon to see if we could put together a video production shoot for that evening. We did, using four professional video cameras (at that time, "professional" meant cameras with 2/3" tubes, shooting on 3/4" U-matic cassettes--although 1" Type C reel-to-reel would have been preferred).

Warner Bros. was not impressed with Prince's "shot in a basement" video (their description, which Prince was delighted to tell me as soon as he could), and dispatched Tim Clawson from Propaganda Films to come to Minneapolis to shoot additional 35mm film footage of Cat doing her rap to add to the video.

Tim and I went to Williams Pub in Uptown to scout it as a location for the additional 35mm film shoot. We then retreated (literally--as soon as word got out what we were doing there, we were chased by girls) to the Ediner diner in Calhoun Square to discuss the project. (The old Ediner space on the second floor is now a bar--at least, it was when I was in Minneapolis this past July.) Tim and I decided that it would not be practical to add a 35mm film section to the video that we had already shot, and Prince didn't really want to do it anyway.

So, ALPHABET STREET ended up being Prince's personal vision for a video for that song. In fact, he closed the set during the shoot so it was just him, me, the girls, and the camera operators. It's his work.

Michael R. Barnard
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Reply #78 posted 12/17/09 7:40pm

Azahar

Thank you for sharing.
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Reply #79 posted 12/17/09 9:03pm

ernestsewell

Told ya'll it looked like it was done on a weather set. "shot in a basement" Close enough. hahahaha Good story though!
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Reply #80 posted 12/17/09 10:25pm

Elle85n09

avatar

Thanks for sharing Michael. wink
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Reply #81 posted 12/17/09 10:25pm

mostbeautifulb
oy

avatar

mrbarnard said:


So, ALPHABET STREET ended up being Prince's personal vision for a video for that song. In fact, he closed the set during the shoot so it was just him, me, the girls, and the camera operators. It's his work.

Michael R. Barnard



Thanks for sharing. cool
My name is Naz!!! and I have a windmill where my brain is supposed to be.....

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Reply #82 posted 12/17/09 11:43pm

DamonDicksonFa
nClub

mrbarnard said:

I produced the ALPHABET STREET video. Prince himself directed it.

The car was his dad's car, he was the original owner and gave it to Prince. In spite of the lyrics, it was really a 1964 Thunderbird.


I was right! Yes!
Damon Dickson: Is it hair, a hat, or a dead cat?
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Reply #83 posted 12/18/09 6:49am

thedance

avatar

mrbarnard said:

I produced the ALPHABET STREET video. Prince himself directed it.

The car was his dad's car, he was the original owner and gave it to Prince. In spite of the lyrics, it was really a 1964 Thunderbird. For Christmas 1988, I gave Prince a sign declaring "T-BIRD PARKING ONLY!" for his garage for that car. After I moved to Los Angeles, I ran into Prince at Mr. Goodbar in Beverly Hills in 1990, where I found out he had a small accident on wintry snow-covered Chanhassen streets and damaged, maybe destroyed, the T-bird.

We shot ALPHABET STREET in Prince's cavernous PAISLEY PARK STUDIOS sound stage in Chanhassen. Not in front of a green screen, just in the center of the huge stage with the white cyc hanging in the distant background.

Prince called on Sunday afternoon to see if we could put together a video production shoot for that evening. We did, using four professional video cameras (at that time, "professional" meant cameras with 2/3" tubes, shooting on 3/4" U-matic cassettes--although 1" Type C reel-to-reel would have been preferred).

Warner Bros. was not impressed with Prince's "shot in a basement" video (their description, which Prince was delighted to tell me as soon as he could), and dispatched Tim Clawson from Propaganda Films to come to Minneapolis to shoot additional 35mm film footage of Cat doing her rap to add to the video.

Tim and I went to Williams Pub in Uptown to scout it as a location for the additional 35mm film shoot. We then retreated (literally--as soon as word got out what we were doing there, we were chased by girls) to the Ediner diner in Calhoun Square to discuss the project. (The old Ediner space on the second floor is now a bar--at least, it was when I was in Minneapolis this past July.) Tim and I decided that it would not be practical to add a 35mm film section to the video that we had already shot, and Prince didn't really want to do it anyway.

So, ALPHABET STREET ended up being Prince's personal vision for a video for that song. In fact, he closed the set during the shoot so it was just him, me, the girls, and the camera operators. It's his work.

Michael R. Barnard


Thanks to you Michael R. Barnard: for the true story behind this beautiful music video that is Alphabet Street... yes woot! heart

Good work, at least I like it, just ignorre the Alphabet Street haters, cuz they just don't know what they are talking about flip u

To me the Alphabet Street video is one of Prince's best, I love it and it's no joke music love2


ALPHABET STREET rules.... headbang
Prince 4Ever. heart
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