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In 1988 I scripted a spoof TV news item about
a group of New Romantics who worshipped Duran Duran
keyboard player Nick Rhodes.
Voice-over was provided by Ex-Firefighter and Radio
Derby DJ Paul McKenzie. The video was shot and edited
by Dave Halls - AV technician at Nottinghamshire Fire
Brigade. The lead character is played by Chris Richards,
with myself, Adam Fisher and Dave Halls in supporting
roles. The video was shown regularly at gigs and was
also submitted to public-access TV shows like 'Network
7' and 'The James Whale Show'.
4Mb File - Broadband connection recommended
NICK RHODES FAN CLUB - SCRIPT
[News item opens with shots of Chris (Kurt Berlin)
browsing LP's in a Record shop then meeting Paul (Dick
Bowman) at a public telephone box in Arnold town centre]
[Voice Over]
In the days before Filofax, Escort Cabriolets and
Poll-tax, the New Romantic movement was hailed as
the salvation of the music and fashion industry, and
inspired the likes of Dick Bowman and Kurt Berlin.
[Voice Over - with pompous pronounciation of 'Nick
Rhodes Fan Club']
Although the trend soon faded, a group calling
themselves the Nick Rhodes Fan Club still meet on
a regular basis, determined to keep the spirit of
New Romanticism alive.
[Paul, Chris, Adam Fisher and Dave Halls getting
dressed and applying makeup]
[Voice Over]
We tracked them down to their suburban hideaway
in the midlands.
[Cue rendition of Duran Duran's 'Save a Prayer' and
close up of painted fingernails playing SH101 synthesiser]
[Voice Over]
Hero worship is practiced with religious fervour.
But behind the outrageous make-up, members of the
Nick Rhodes Fan Club lead normal lives.
[Cut to Chris in close-up]
[Voice Over]
Kurt, what first attracted you to Nick Rhodes?
[Chris with Brummie accent]
Well, he's a good musician, he's a great player,
he's got the style, he wears the right clothes and
he's an individual.
[Paul out-of-frame, then thumbing through fanzine]
He's an individual, yeah, he's got it right...
yeah... right!
[Cue dancing to Duran Duran record 'Planet Earth']
[Cut to Chris in close-up]
[Voice Over]
What do you do for a living?
[Chris]
I'm a car sprayer, down at the garage.
[Camera pans to Paul]
[Voice Over]
And what do you do?
[Paul]
I work for British Telecom. Engineer, yeah.
[Cut to TV screen showing Duran concert - people
holding cigarette lighters in the darkness]
[Paul in big-close-up watching TVin the dark with
dreamy voice over]
...nice clothes, nice teeth, nice hair...
[Fade-in 'off-key' rendition of Duran Duran's 'Save
a Prayer' then cut to Dave in armchair with cigarette
lighter]
[END]
Copyright Paul Fillingham © 1989
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