Music Video (my first ever) AND shot with D90

[Braceface]

This is my first time shooting a music video. This is a music video for Danny Leeds. The song is called Restricted. It was shot with a Nikon D90.
The performance was shot on short notice at a live show for the band, and the concept for the video is something that popped into my head while playing with the live footage. The live portion was shot in an hour, and the concept portion was shot a few days later during one day.
D90 Danny Leeds (Restricted) on Vimeo

[Carl Bellamy]

Hi Rick,

Really enjoyed this.

Liked the way you cut backwards and forwards from the band playing to the couple being pursued.

If you want some criticism my only problem with this was the guitar solo towards the end, non of the visuals seemed to fit. I think this needed to be focused on the instrumentalist.

Nice video all the same.

[Rumpelgeist]

Were the violinist and the lead guitarist also killed in the process? I don't watch music videos often, as they are all fake, a "singer" opens the mouth and the "players" pretend that they are playing. I watched "The Wall" three times, so I am not fully alien to pictures moving in accord with music.

Nevertheless, while for a professional video this one is not polished enough, for a first try this is simply GREAT. The only fact that you got some plot and believable acting (and actors!) and some pretty good visuals separates this from what I saw before from you. This is no wedding shooting anymore.

BTW, I don't know whether 4:3 still over 16:9 background is intentional, I did not like this much. I don't know about other NLEs, but in Vegas you click "Pan and crop" menu item, right-click on the event and select "Format to output aspect" or something, don't remember what it is called.

[Erik Bien]

Well said, Aramis. I really like the look of all the concept scenes, lots of good noir-ish choices of angles and hard, high-contrast lighting that suits the subject matter.

I think you'd have a stronger cut with about half the number of dissolves, though, and I agree that it doesn't really "work" to see the band when we're hearing violins and electric guitars that aren't there.

Actually, the "live" master is really unfortunate; obviously it was out of your hands, but to have the band sitting in cheap-looking office furniture beneath overhead flos in front of peg-racks of product and a blank wall really lets your otherwise excellent work down, IMHO. If I were you I'd drag them in costume with their instruments (including a violin and an electric guitar) down to a scenically-sleazy alley some dark night and re-shoot the performance sequences — get them looking as good as the 'concept' stuff and you'll really have something here!

[Braceface]

I know. Thanks. I got invited to the live show about a half an hour beforehand and brought my D90. I didn't know I was going to do the video at that point. After the show I told them that I could give them a copy of the live performance before they went back to LA. I'm in Florida and they were only here for Xmas. That night I saw that I had some good footage of the show and came up with a concept for the video. The next day I asked Rob, the temporary bassist that played for that show ( and lives here ) if the singer would want to do a concept. This was New Years Eve at a party. He agreed but said he was leaving to LA on Sunday ( which in real time is in 2 days ).
I asked him if he could do it Friday, ( the day after New Years Eve, UGH!!!, hangovers!! ) from 1 in the afternoon until 11 p.m. , and he agreed and was pretty excited. We only had yesterday to do it so I pretty much took a relaxed approach to what was possible. I edited it this morning and put it up. He swung by a half hour ago ( Danny ) and grabbed his copies, and now he's visiting family until he leaves Sunday morning. He's really happy!!! He didn't expect a video and 3 days ago didn't even know , nor did I , ha-ha. Anyhow it's a mutual befit.
Its funny because the whole experience disoriented him, but Rob ( the bassist ) knows how I am when I set my mind to something. You might remember Rob, who plays the detective/mob/hit-guy- whatever in this video if you saw him play a State Trooper in my other film, Highway 27. I've also played in a few bands with Rob and we're really tight friends.

[previdman]

BF, Considering the impromptu notice and tight turnaround time from conceptualization to production, I think you did an excellent job. That's not even bringing into account this was your first music vid.

I did miss seeing the violinist or keyboardist, whatever but in light of the time constraints consider their absence onscreen a minor critique.

As I watched I kept thinking it would be cool to see the band performance integrated into some of the scenes (as per Erik comments) but I think that would have been too ambitious for the turnaround.

All in all, nice job.

[fishops]

Looks good for a rough cut, and a good first music video. The shots are cool, the footage looks good and the acting isn't bad at all.

There are a bunch of issues with the edit though, I'm sure you're aware of some of the technical glitches like the dissolves not going all the way through, and the aspect ratio problems with the stills.

Personally, I would take out all the dissolves. Try to cut with the beat of the music, make the video work like another instrument. Also, during the guitar solo, cut away from the band entirely and use the time to tell some story. If you don't have footage of the actual solo it doesn't work to cut back to the band strumming along without it.

[tkmslee]

Wow, really nice. I wasn't sure what to expect but I really liked it. I am a sucker for black and white!

[Braceface]

Looks good for a rough cut, and a good first music video. The shots are cool, the footage looks good and the acting isn't bad at all.

There are a bunch of issues with the edit though, I'm sure you're aware of some of the technical glitches like the dissolves not going all the way through, and the aspect ratio problems with the stills.

Personally, I would take out all the dissolves. Try to cut with the beat of the music, make the video work like another instrument. Also, during the guitar solo, cut away from the band entirely and use the time to tell some story. If you don't have footage of the actual solo it doesn't work to cut back to the band strumming along without it.

Thanks fishops.

[Braceface]

Wow, really nice. I wasn't sure what to expect but I really liked it. I am a sucker for black and white!

Me too! And noir stuff. Theres nothing like lighting for high contrast and EXTREME shadows. Its a dramatic look.

[Braceface]

BF, Considering the impromptu notice and tight turnaround time from conceptualization to production, I think you did an excellent job. That's not even bringing into account this was your first music vid.

I did miss seeing the violinist or keyboardist, whatever but in light of the time constraints consider their absence onscreen a minor critique.

As I watched I kept thinking it would be cool to see the band performance integrated into some of the scenes (as per Erik comments) but I think that would have been too ambitious for the turnaround.

All in all, nice job.

They don't have a violinist, or keyboardist. That was studio add ons. I wouldn't categorize this video as one that I really had time to do the way I wanted, but it still was a successful first video. As a musician, I understand all of the critique about not seeing the keys being played. It really doesn't bother me though. I see it all of the time in videos. Thanks Prev.