Pop vid - work in progress

Mark W · #1 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 07:23 AM

My brief was night - traffic - blue - urban, the rest up to me, and a paying job!

I stuck them in the middle of the road in the centre of bristol in a few places, shot a bit of traffic and threw this together.

Still very scrappy and unfortunately is just the sort of video that compression hates.

Probably going to add some close ups of them screened against speeded up crowds.

I dont do much stuff like this so feedback welcomed.

Videography Video Gallery: Digital Director :: Pop vid - first rush edit - Trying stuff out

The Guru · #2 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 02:23 PM

I found the footage with the band a bit tame. Very static, the slow zoom out and in at about the 1 min mark lost teh bling which was there at the beginning.

So, my summary... The vid starts off really cool then seems to lose momentum.

I'm reminded a bit of Madonna's green-screen YouTube - Madonna - Ray Of Light which might give you a bit of inspiration, not so much the time-lapse as the ways she's chromakeyed, like your band.

Let's get one thing straight though, it's much better than the majority of "music vids" which get offered up here, so don't take my critique to heart.

Mark W · #3 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 05:07 PM

Tht much the same - hoping they will go for this as 'ok' with some added screened close up stuff - hopefully adressing your criticism too.

Thanks Mr Guru sir

GDR · #4 (**permalink**) 04-21-2008, 01:16 PM

Hi Mark,

With some refining I think this could be really good although I echo the Gurus comments, but thought the band members did not help you much!

The drummer in particular looked like he was somewhere else half heartedly moving some sticks, bless him

Cheers.
GDR

Andy Lockwood · #5 (**permalink**) 04-21-2008, 01:52 PM

Hi Mark.

For me... just too 'samey' for my liking. Once the initial traffic footage was finished, I wouldn't have gone back to it until pretty much the end. I would get them in a few run down areas and film again. Old factories, under motorway bridges, anywhere with plenty of graffiti. (You know where I mean!). Many more close ups needed too. Kick the drummer hard and encourage him to be a little more expressive.

Having said all that, my betting is they like it as it is. (and I don't dislike it - really!)

Mark W · #6 (**permalink**) 04-21-2008, 09:19 PM

Thanks all - they like the vibe of the vid and I have told them it would be much better for me if we could shoot some more stuff as you (andy) suggested but they want to go with the stuff shot so far, even with the drummers interesting performance.

I told them quality wise it was a disaster cos they insisted on night shooting and to get any impact with no lighting meant all sorts of noise inducing joggery pokery in the edit. But they like the noise so that is cool (is really noisy but you cant really see that in compressed version.)

I told em just one 12v light, just a 12v battery and a halfords cheapo car light would radically improve the quality but they are not having it - prefer the 'spontaneous' look ? ? ? Crap I call it !

As is often the case seeing what I have done so far has thrown them into creative confusion - I have told them to have a good think and give me more of an outline and some artistic pointers.

Andy Lockwood · #7 (**permalink**) 04-22-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark W

.....I told em just one 12v light, just a 12v battery and a halfords cheapo car light would radically improve the quality but they are not having it - prefer the 'spontaneous' look ? ? ? Crap I call it !.....

Ah, customers eh? Gotta love em.

The Guru · #8 (**permalink**) 04-22-2008, 11:46 AM

Why don't you turn up at their next gig and say to the guitarist "D'ye know what mate, don't bother with the electric guitar and the amp, just use an acoustic."

I'm amazed at how many "directors" come out of the woodwork on location and impressed at how a complete lack of knowledge doesn't inhibit any of them from giving advice.

I think you've done really well under those conditions but, in the future, stick to your guns. In a few weeks, when someone comments to the band that it looks a bit "mushy" they one thing they won't say is, "Yeah, the cameraman warned us about that but we insisted he did it our way."

Which of the following reputations would you prefer...

1. Mark's a really nice guy but his videos aren't the best quality-wise

2. Mark's a bit of a Prima-donna to work with but he does make exceedingly good videos.

Mark W · #9 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 08:50 PM

Prima donna every time - and tell the truth it comes naturally.

Doing some studo shots tomorrow when they practice - I will remember that quip about guitars... maybe when they see how clean the brightly lit, ( i hope) studio shots are thay will think again...

alexhunter3d · #10 (**permalink**) 04-30-2008, 08:54 AM

I like the beginning of the video and grading you gave the speeded up traffic in city shots. Not the usual just turning the saturation down leaving a grey and white mush. I started getting bored though after 1 minute, as from then on it seemed to be too much more of the same. I think with some more varied shots, with some more speeded up city shots from different angles and view points, it could be pretty good.