Investigation Post 12/5

 

Monday: Finalizing film

Tuesday: Brainstorming upcoming project

Wednesday: Learning about music videos

Thursday: Taking notes on music video tutorials

Friday: Taking notes on music video tutorials

My Next Project

The next film I will be embarking on is the production of a music video with my friends who have a ban called The Visitors. While I do not know which song they will perform for it -whether it will be a cover or an original- I know how I want it to go. I want to have essentially a back and forth of them playing in their garage (as they have done a garage concert previously) and juxtapose it with them going out for fun and making memories. The music video will go along with the experience that everyone in their teens have, focusing in on the worriless fun that teenagers get to have with each other. The bonds that are made and the memories we save become invaluable to who we become, and I want to capture the spirit of that thought. With that, I looked into what are good approaches to making music videos.

Video One: How to Make A Music Video on a Budget

This 15 minute video follows a film YouTuber who is working on the spot with another music video director. In this video, they give tips and apply them to show what the process is like and some simple tricks that anyone can do themselves. Here are the most important ones in my opinion:

• Scout your location. Location is one of if not the most important parts of your music video. Ideally, you work in somewhere between 3-7 locations in your video. Within your locations, see where there's symmetry or leading lines. Get as many angles you can in these good looking locations.
• Natural lighting. While looking at your locations, take note of where you can find natural lighting. In most cases, natural lighting trumps artificial lighting.
• Breaking the rules of lighting. Using hard light behind yourself can look better, even if things go against traditional 3 point lighting. Furthermore, not using a fill light on the front side of your focus can look cinematic as well.

Video Two: Music Video Tutorial for the Beginners - Complete Filmmaking Guide

This 50 minute video had a lot of useful information, giving us tips and tricks from an actual music video director who has shot countless music videos.

• 24 fps for most things 1/50 shutter and 60 fps 1/125 shutter for slower motion with 50% speed.
• Use fun color grading
• Good shots to get are swaying back and forth from a medium waist-up shot or a close up of person singing from shoulder to top of head.
• Bringing a Bluetooth speaker is useful for getting things to synchronize with the actual song in editing.
• Camera cages and/or gimbals are great for movements and especially run-and-gun type music videos (videos that are mainly just the musicians playing or singing with some b-roll; minimal story). Do not step flat footed when walking. 180 circling movements are good from eye-level. Do a closer up one but lower and tilted up in a 180 movement as well. A 360 degree movement works but make sure to move at a steady and consistent pace.. Push in and outs are good.
• Using a tripod is fine don't ignore it. You can always key frame in movements in editing afterwards as well. You can also add in the Handheld effect in Premiere for extra movement.
• With handheld movements (without a gimbal or any stabilization), you can get more natural and dynamic movements. If you are doing handheld, try to suck your elbows into your chest, hug the camera to your chest, and have your forearms touching your chest too. Keep your movements slight and try to sway your camera using your legs more than your upper body to get these movements.

This is what it looks like to hold the camera without equipment correctly.

A cool rotating movement you can get is accomplished by gripping the camera from both sides and twisting in and out like these screenshots.

And that is all the information that I was able to take away from watching these two videos on music video directing, prepping, and shooting.