First music video with Canon 5D Mark III
 

Here is a project I shot with the 5D Mark III. I just upgraded from the 60D so the full frame sensor and crazy ISO flexibility was incredibly liberating! Loving this camera!

Here is the link:

https://vimeo.com/user9825084/review...349/35aabcfbe4

Any feedback much appreciated!

Re: First music video with Canon 5D Mark III
 

Nice work. I enjoyed the look of the 5D and the feel.

Re: First music video with Canon 5D Mark III
 

Geez Tim! Are you following me from thread to thread? Ha ha!
Great minds think alike!

So to the topic...
Great job on the video. I even like the tune.
Some constructive criticism which would tailor it even more to my taste...So take what you want from this and toss out what you don't. Or toss all of it! Ha ha!
As much a fan of shallow DOF as I am, I think there needs to be a clear cut definition for use in any project. The wide shots and medium shots I wanted to see the whole stage on the same focal plane. The background was a bit blurry and it felt like it was a singer and his less than important backing band.
Closeups are where the shallow DOF really works. However on the guitar solo I wanted to see both hands as he was doin some mean pickin!
In general I felt like the band could have been closer together. That way the closeups would have another member in the background. This would tie the band together.
The girls looked great but I would have preferred if they were separated from the band, not in the middle of the group. this could have been a seperate setting or shot. By having the band set up closer together, the girls could have had their own "stage". Then intercut closeups with them hanging off the band members.
Another general comment on framing..I like seeing band members with their whole instrument in a few shots. Especially drums on a fill. There a closeup of the drummer on a good fill and cymbal crash but you dont show the cymbals or drums, just his face.
The band interaction is important too. The singer was too far out in front for my taste. In fact on a second viewing, Everyone is spaced too far apart. If it isn't a band, rather a singer with backup, there should have been more face time for him.
On to lighting... Backlights were cool but main lighting was too soft. Would have done more direct "stage" lighting and varied the colors. By having more front lights you could have hidden the "warehouse" feel and made the set feel larger. The cardboard boxes on shelves kinda stuck out to me. I'm weird!
It would have been cool (but expensive) to have remote control lighting to make it more like a live show.

So let me say again, you did a great job. Putting it out for comments in a forum is a bit like asking how many guitarists does it take to change a light bulb...five....one to change the bulb and four others to stand around telling eachother they could have done it better! Anyway, just a bit of envy...you found a good tune, good band and good looking dancers and did it up very nicely! just makes me want to go do another music video! Congrats!

Re: First music video with Canon 5D Mark III
 

Thanks for taking the time to offer your comments Robert!
Some nice suggestions there.

The shallow DOF was actually pretty critical to the whole shoot, not the least of which was the fact we had so little light to work with. There was 0 ambient light in the warehouse to help us out...
Also, I wanted to DE-emphasize the warehouse a bit and as it turns out, it is the singer's band, so selective focus to be able to call him out a bit was by design. I still wanted the musicians to get plenty of face time, but establish a clear "front" man...

Other logistical issues such as no air-conditioning, limited time with the girls, etc. contributed to a lot of the shots being shot/framed the way they were. Overall, the goal was to make it look unrehearsed and fun. I left a few sloppy focus pulls in the final edit... I like the feeling the shooter is struggling a bit to keep focus (which he was :)) as it adds to the unrehearsed and energetic feel.

We shot the whole thing in less than 4 hours, so we were working at break-neck speed! Mostly because it was so miserably hot in there! (you'll see a couple of fans in the shots and/or hair blowing in the wind). Overall, I think we kept that from creeping in to the video... I don't think anyone looked uncomfortable...


In the end, the band was happy, and I was happy so we'll call it a win!

Thanks for giving such a thoughtful review!