Music Video Tips Invited at DVinfo.net

Kevin Muse · July 6th, 2007, 09:04 AM

I use the XLH1. I shoot in HD and downconvert for now. I like knowing that I have the HD version when someday it is practical to use. I am pretty amatuer compared to most of you guys so any tips of any kind would be appreciated. When I do music videos, I really like to interpret the song. I hate MV's that don't have anything to do with the song. The theme of the song is a person who is alone without hope, guilt ridden, seeking help. The two main characters will be the female guitarist/singer and the "alone" person. I plan to shoot a large part of the scenes at a railroad track near my home that is very long and straight. I will be shooting the person far away from me walking towards me. My thoughts are to use 24f for all normal scenes. Unless it is cheesy, since the camera will be fixed, I thought reappearing/disappearing on the track might be good symbolism. As the person gets closer, I thought some slow motion would be good, switching to 60i for those parts. Should I need to raise the shutter speed? I will have only stock Adobe Premiere and After Effects. These shots will be taken in broad daylight. I plan to use some Magic Bullet effects to get that blueish/black gothic look. For the singer, the main scene will be her playing guitar and singing with the camera about 3 feet above so she is looking up. It will be hand held to get that moving look that seems to be so popular. It will have the same scene effects only her face will be more distinctly contrasted to the rest of the scene. Any camera tips or even scene ideas would be appreciated just so I can get a different perspective. I hope this post is appropriate for where it is.
Thanks,
Kevin

Carlos Quinones · July 6th, 2007, 03:30 PM

Great, show us some footage once you have it...

Good Luck !

Take Care,

Carlos Quinones
It's Written Productions, LLC.

www.itswrittenproductions.com

Alex Tosuni · July 6th, 2007, 03:58 PM

Railroad tracks and the technique you are describing are overly used clichés in Music videos…
I’d suggest shooting at more closed-in and claustrophobic locations if psychological/dark/goth mood is what you’re after.
Good lighting and lots of disturbing extreme close-up shots would also help…
Good Luck

Kevin Martorana · July 6th, 2007, 08:43 PM

it has been suggest on other sections of this forum...that shooting 1/120 for slo mo is a good speed. Whether shooting 24 or 60.

good luck.

Benjamin Hill · July 6th, 2007, 10:13 PM

Kevin, for slo-mo accomplished from 60i conversion you would benefit from the detail you'll get in a higher shutter speed- just make sure you have ample light.

Magic Bullet does have plenty of looks to play around with.

Conceptually there are no rules to doing music videos- if your priority is helping the band reach a wider audience or get label attention, then just make a good compelling video.

Ben Winter · July 7th, 2007, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Muse

I use the XLH1. I shoot in HD and downconvert for now. I like knowing that I have the HD version when someday it is practical to use. I am pretty amatuer compared to most of you guys so any tips of any kind would be appreciated. When I do music videos, I really like to interpret the song. I hate MV's that don't have anything to do with the song. The theme of the song is a person who is alone without hope, guilt ridden, seeking help. The two main characters will be the female guitarist/singer and the "alone" person. I plan to shoot a large part of the scenes at a railroad track near my home that is very long and straight. I will be shooting the person far away from me walking towards me. My thoughts are to use 24f for all normal scenes. Unless it is cheesy, since the camera will be fixed, I thought reappearing/disappearing on the track might be good symbolism. As the person gets closer, I thought some slow motion would be good, switching to 60i for those parts. Should I need to raise the shutter speed? I will have only stock Adobe Premiere and After Effects. These shots will be taken in broad daylight. I plan to use some Magic Bullet effects to get that blueish/black gothic look. For the singer, the main scene will be her playing guitar and singing with the camera about 3 feet above so she is looking up. It will be hand held to get that moving look that seems to be so popular. It will have the same scene effects only her face will be more distinctly contrasted to the rest of the scene. Any camera tips or even scene ideas would be appreciated just so I can get a different perspective. I hope this post is appropriate for where it is.
Thanks,
Kevin

Disappearing/reappearing people in music videos have been a staple and grossly overused...I urge you to look past the literal meaning of the music and transcend the artist's original intentions. I look at my music videos as ways of adding detail rather than simply taking the music at face value.

If you do plan on using such simple, derivative symbolism, take note--and I say this from experience--that less people will take you, and the video, seriously, because of it.

Joe Ray Skrha · July 8th, 2007, 02:49 AM

Kevin Muse,
I just did railroad video using THE CANADIAN in the Vancouver Station as reference. It was done as a lark and really not professional, but there are a few interesting picts in the shoot. If you email me privately, I will send you a compressed version. My email is: joeray@alaska.net Send me yours and I will get it to you. Peace, Joe Ray

Kevin Muse · July 9th, 2007, 08:11 AM

Thanks for all of the tips! I will post it as soon as it is done. I would love to see what you guys think. I did use the tracks but now agree that the appearing and disappearing is kind of cheesy. While out on location we did get several new ideas.

Kevin Muse · August 15th, 2007, 09:05 AM

I am curious as to what you think. Of course in flash, the quality is not that good. I did change things up a bit. Please be gentle.
www.kelseymuse.com/videopage.html -- LOST

Alex Tosuni · August 15th, 2007, 07:56 PM

Hey Kevin, I went to your link and the movie wouldn't load...
Is something wrong?... or am I doing something wrong...
I'm on a MacPro using Safari

Josh Green · August 15th, 2007, 08:02 PM

Won't load for me either.

Kevin Muse · August 15th, 2007, 08:21 PM

You know, I never have checked the site with any other browsers except IE. I would suggest using it. I just tested and everything is good. It is a flash site as well.
Sorry!

July 6th, 2007, 09:04 AM	#1
Kevin Muse New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Thompsons Station, TN Posts: 5	Music Video Tips Invited I use the XLH1. I shoot in HD and downconvert for now. I like knowing that I have the HD version when someday it is practical to use. I am pretty amatuer compared to most of you guys so any tips of any kind would be appreciated. When I do music videos, I really like to interpret the song. I hate MV's that don't have anything to do with the song. The theme of the song is a person who is alone without hope, guilt ridden, seeking help. The two main characters will be the female guitarist/singer and the "alone" person. I plan to shoot a large part of the scenes at a railroad track near my home that is very long and straight. I will be shooting the person far away from me walking towards me. My thoughts are to use 24f for all normal scenes. Unless it is cheesy, since the camera will be fixed, I thought reappearing/disappearing on the track might be good symbolism. As the person gets closer, I thought some slow motion would be good, switching to 60i for those parts. Should I need to raise the shutter speed? I will have only stock Adobe Premiere and After Effects. These shots will be taken in broad daylight. I plan to use some Magic Bullet effects to get that blueish/black gothic look. For the singer, the main scene will be her playing guitar and singing with the camera about 3 feet above so she is looking up. It will be hand held to get that moving look that seems to be so popular. It will have the same scene effects only her face will be more distinctly contrasted to the rest of the scene. Any camera tips or even scene ideas would be appreciated just so I can get a different perspective. I hope this post is appropriate for where it is. Thanks, Kevin

July 6th, 2007, 10:13 PM	#5
Benjamin Hill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa City, Iowa Posts: 670	Kevin, for slo-mo accomplished from 60i conversion you would benefit from the detail you'll get in a higher shutter speed- just make sure you have ample light. Magic Bullet does have plenty of looks to play around with. Conceptually there are no rules to doing music videos- if your priority is helping the band reach a wider audience or get label attention, then just make a good compelling video. __________________ youtube.com/benhillmedia linkedin.com/in/benhillmedia

July 8th, 2007, 02:49 AM	#7
Joe Ray Skrha New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kenai River, Alaska Posts: 19	Music Video Tips (message for Kevin Muse) Kevin Muse, I just did railroad video using THE CANADIAN in the Vancouver Station as reference. It was done as a lark and really not professional, but there are a few interesting picts in the shoot. If you email me privately, I will send you a compressed version. My email is: joeray@alaska.net Send me yours and I will get it to you. Peace, Joe Ray __________________ Joe Ray Skrha, Esq. Kenai River, Alaska

August 15th, 2007, 09:05 AM	#9
Kevin Muse New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Thompsons Station, TN Posts: 5	Music Video I am curious as to what you think. Of course in flash, the quality is not that good. I did change things up a bit. Please be gentle. www.kelseymuse.com/videopage.html -- LOST

August 15th, 2007, 08:02 PM	#11
Josh Green Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 77	can't get it to play Won't load for me either.

July 6th, 2007, 03:30 PM	#2
Carlos Quinones Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Miami Florida Posts: 70	Great, show us some footage once you have it... Good Luck ! Take Care, Carlos Quinones It's Written Productions, LLC. www.itswrittenproductions.com

July 6th, 2007, 03:58 PM	#3
Alex Tosuni New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 9	Railroad tracks and the technique you are describing are overly used clichés in Music videos… I’d suggest shooting at more closed-in and claustrophobic locations if psychological/dark/goth mood is what you’re after. Good lighting and lots of disturbing extreme close-up shots would also help… Good Luck

July 6th, 2007, 08:43 PM	#4
Kevin Martorana Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lancaster, PA Posts: 250	it has been suggest on other sections of this forum...that shooting 1/120 for slo mo is a good speed. Whether shooting 24 or 60. good luck.

July 9th, 2007, 08:11 AM	#8
Kevin Muse New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Thompsons Station, TN Posts: 5	Thanks for all of the tips! I will post it as soon as it is done. I would love to see what you guys think. I did use the tracks but now agree that the appearing and disappearing is kind of cheesy. While out on location we did get several new ideas.

August 15th, 2007, 07:56 PM	#10
Alex Tosuni New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 9	Hey Kevin, I went to your link and the movie wouldn't load... Is something wrong?... or am I doing something wrong... I'm on a MacPro using Safari

August 15th, 2007, 08:21 PM	#12
Kevin Muse New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Thompsons Station, TN Posts: 5	You know, I never have checked the site with any other browsers except IE. I would suggest using it. I just tested and everything is good. It is a flash site as well. Sorry!