Shooting a music video

[Uladyne]

So my band is going to be shooting a music video in a couple weeks, and I'm sort of weirded out by the thought of it. I hate being on camera, so it's probably going to be a bit akward.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for cool things or pet peeves when it comes to videos. We'll be doing a performance part, and a scripted storyline kind of thing which we're kind of working out right now. I'm mainly concerned about the performance part. It seems like everything has been done, and every time I think I've come up with a cool idea, I remember some video from some random band that already did it.

I definitely hope to stay away from the empty warehouse kinda vibe. I'm not really sure what kind of budjet we're working with but I'm sure its very low.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Post the song and its meaning - that might help spark some ideas.

 

[Jackal_Strain]

I've allways felt that the best performance shots are those in front of a crowd, preferably in a small intimate venue. I think that adds a lot more energy than just the band in an empty room.

 

[Uladyne]

Post the song and its meaning - that might help spark some ideas.

I can't post the song without getting in trouble, but the lyrics kind of deal with post-apocalyptic, end of mankind kinda stuff, (sounds generic summed up like that, but I'm not going to try to go into detail). That lyrical aspect will be delt with more by the scripted side, which the band won't really be involved in apart from giving the director ideas.

Kind of an energetic song, and while the crowd thing could be fun, it wouldn't really fit the subject of the song very well.

For the performance side I think theres not really a way to get around the "band jamming alone" thing, so I'm just trying to think of a somewhat clever way to present it.

I was thinking it might be cool to do some sort of weird camera angle tricks, almost like each shot is from a camera that was set on something and left alone, even to the point of not following movement or keeping us in frame or focus. Kind of like Survivorman, where Les Stroud is completely alone and has to set up all the cameras himself.

 

[GarethSE]

Maybe compare the big apocalypse to some sort of personal apocalypse. Just draw on your personal experiences. \o/

 

[Nebulous]

Band on the back of a flat bed truck driving through the appocalypse?

 

[joeymusicguy]

So my band is going to be shooting a music video in a couple weeks, and I'm sort of weirded out by the thought of it. I hate being on camera, so it's probably going to be a bit akward.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for cool things or pet peeves when it comes to videos. We'll be doing a performance part, and a scripted storyline kind of thing which we're kind of working out right now. I'm mainly concerned about the performance part. It seems like everything has been done, and every time I think I've come up with a cool idea, I remember some video from some random band that already did it.

I definitely hope to stay away from the empty warehouse kinda vibe. I'm not really sure what kind of budjet we're working with but I'm sure its very low.

be your self, dont act
be original

if you fail at that, then people just didnt like it and you at least have pride in knowing it was truely you

sounds cheesy, but its true. so many artists went from zero to having everything by just being themselves and doing things their way.

 

[GarethSE]

Band on the back of a flat bed truck driving through the appocalypse?

QOTSA pretty much already did this D:

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

My only pet peeves is when there is no planning and bands think they can "wing it."

Don't wing it. Go pro and map that shit out.

 

[DanLights]

I've allways felt that the best performance shots are those in front of a crowd, preferably in a small intimate venue. I think that adds a lot more energy than just the band in an empty room.

I like this idea. And joey's too, just jam like you normally do in a live show, don't try over acting it

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Get online and look for the local historical society - sometimes you can find really cool buildings with historical value that are falling to bits - you could capitalize on that to show the decay that sets in after time.

I dont know... just an idea.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Somehow, you must get girl boobs in the video. That is NEVER a bad idea.

 

[slashvanyoung]

Meshuggah were headbanging on their bus and created on of the best metal videos...

Be yourself, have fun and don't take yourself too seriously.

 

[Uladyne]

The not acting thing should be easy, haha. I would instantaneously feel like a tool if I tried to act like someone I wasn't. I may just be overthinking things. I suppose that if the song is good enough we won't need to be terribly original. If the video sucks it will likely be because the song just isn't up to par. Unless of course we end up doing something stupid haha.

 

[spioraid]

If you're going to have a story line in the video, make it go somewhere. I'd hazard even saying anywhere is good, but I'm so sick of music videos of scene chicks walking around in abandoned buildings trying to figure out where the heck the music is coming from.

 

[JayB]

If you're going to have a story line in the video, make it go somewhere. I'd hazard even saying anywhere is good, but I'm so sick of music videos of scene chicks walking around in abandoned buildings trying to figure out where the heck the music is coming from.

hahaha so true

 

[HDWR]

Your Les Stroud idea is a good one. To expand on it: You know those steady cam rigs? Well I see in a lot of modern video productions a kind of steady cam rig that's not steady at all but pointed at the actor. Where it appears that the background is jumping around instead of the subject. If I were making a vid I'd try to include some of that vibe. I think it might be a pretty sweet effect if you could get the camera rig out in front of the guitars to capture the instumant and the player as well. It would be ungainly but perhaps worth a shot. Blair Witch Project and all that. Hope my post makes sense!

 

[53Crëw]

My pet peeve is seeing bands in performance videos, and all the instruments are unplugged. The video seems convincing until there's a closeup of the guitarist and you see there's nothing plugged into the guitars jack. LOL. I suspect only musicians notice this, but it's a pet peeve of mine.

Anyway, have fun with it.

 

[Uladyne]

If you're going to have a story line in the video, make it go somewhere. I'd hazard even saying anywhere is good, but I'm so sick of music videos of scene chicks walking around in abandoned buildings trying to figure out where the heck the music is coming from.

This is a must. You and I see eye to eye on this issue, my friend. I often find myself watching music videos on youtube, and noticing that the song is just about over and they have like 10 seconds to resolve the storyline. I usually end up disapointed though.

Your Les Stroud idea is a good one. To expand on it: You know those steady cam rigs? Well I see in a lot of modern video productions a kind of steady cam rig that's not steady at all but pointed at the actor. Where it appears that the background is jumping around instead of the subject. If I were making a vid I'd try to include some of that vibe. I think it might be a pretty sweet effect if you could get the camera rig out in front of the guitars to capture the instumant and the player as well. It would be ungainly but perhaps worth a shot. Blair Witch Project and all that. Hope my post makes sense!

I think Dillinger recently did a video a lot like what you're talking about, and you're right, it's fucking baddass, but I'm not sure if the director dude has this kind of equipment. I'll have to find out. I'd like to get at least one "5 minutes alone" style slow motion bass string pluck if possible for sure, though, haha.

My pet peeve is seeing bands in performance videos, and all the instruments are unplugged. The video seems convincing until there's a closeup of the guitarist and you see there's nothing plugged into the guitars jack. LOL. I suspect only musicians notice this, but it's a pet peeve of mine.

Anyway, have fun with it.

I already discussed this with one of the guitarists, haha. Even if the other end of the cord goes nowhere, there shall be no empty jacks!

 

[AHChris]

First of all: I would forget the crowd in front of the band for a no budget video. You´ll need many people to make it look good and you have to motivate em right, because they will feel awkward too and some of them will eventually don´t move and it´ll look silly. A band I know once did a pretty cool video (quality and performance wise) but the crowd thing made it look downright ridiculous.

Another tip for the performance part is to shoot a good performance (of the whole song) with the whole band performing and some good performances with every member performing alone. This makes it even more awkward, but you´ll get no distracting body parts of other bandmembers in the picture when concentrating on a single member. A additional thing is to do some performances (whole band and single) with a different lighting (red light for example) or another background, or with other clothes, or with other instruments and so on, so you can get a bit of variety in your video. This is extremely time consuming but it´ll pay off in the end.

The last thing i want to say: If I´d do a first music video I would think twice about embedding a storyline in it. Simply because it´s very hard to get something like that not to look goofy. If you have some guys which can really act (and thats rare) then do it. If not: Drop it.