Finale Recce Shots

Recce Shots

Recce shots of the most used location: Heaven's Gate

Reflective Post: Being a Director

Reflective Post: Being a Director 

So filming my music video was, I must admit, a big challenge. I had to step up to the job as I couldn't find anyone who had the time to be the main character. So I'm playing the main character. But by being the main character means that who's going to film it? Lucky I had help from Ryan and Neil, who are staff members at my college in Frome. When filming came I had to direct them on how to film the shots and what I wanted.  So what I did was, I put them behind the camera in the shot I wanted, and pretended it was me, got the lighting, focus and framing correct. Took a picture and showed it to Ryan/Neil. They would try and replicate it, lucky they know basic film language. So I would say "I want a mid-shot of me walking towards the camera, you would have to track me in front, try and keep it at a very steady pace". 

The tracking shots were very hard as we didn't have a steady cam or anything. It was literally held by the tripod, which was easier than holding the camera hand held. By using the tripod you had a better grip of the camera and was easier to movie without as much shakes. Most of the shots Ryan/Neil took were on autofocus so it was easier for them to film, but the problem with autofocus sometimes it would focus to the background every so often which was really annoying. That's when manual focus would be easier. But they managed it really well! There were days I needed to film but Ryan and Neil were not around, so I had to use other staff members. Unfortunately, they were really bad at filming so that didn't go well. The lighting was horrible and the shots were unprofessional looking. So I had to wait for Ryan or Neil to film. There were a few shots where I filmed by myself, I just had to flip the screen so I could see my face in the screen and press record. This was on a tripod and on autofocus. So when Ryan and Neil were filming me, I was basically the director as well as the actor. It’s not the first time I've done this. Last year I did a video as part of my brief.  'Pearlman and Carter'. That was me telling staff members what to film and how to do it. 

But overall I found it tricky to say what I wanted to people who don't fully understand shot types and how to use a camera in a professional way . But I thought Ryan and Neil did an amazing job! I'm very grateful for them having to film me mostly every day. But apart from that I rather enjoyed it, I like acting when I get into the mood. And apparently I look very good on camera. It was a serious video to film, I had to constantly look sad all the way through. I found it really easy! Although, apart from the laughing beforehand and keeping a straight face. But as soon I had that out of my system, and a few takes later I was all ready to go.  

There were moments were the battery was running low. Which meant the pressure was on! Red bars were flashing and one time me and Ryan had to finish of the tracking shots. Luckily we filmed it in time. That would've been really annoying if it ran out of battery. Luckily I booked out a charger as I would be able to stick it on charge as soon as I got back home. When I booked out the equipment there was only one battery I could take because they were running really low, as everyone was out filming there FMP's. Last year when I did my 'Beauty of Nature' video, I had two batteries. Thinking back I'm so glad I had two, as I was outside filming on location all the time as filming nature and wildlife you have to be patient.  I just wished I had two this time, as It would've been a lot easier. The really annoying bit about the camera is that it only lasts about 1 hour filming time. So I had to constantly keep turning it off when not filming. Due to this were couldn't t film for a massive amount of time. So we had to split the filming into different days. There were some days we went back to the same location the next day. Like Heaven’s Gate, which is about 20 minutes in the car from home. We were luckily enough to get dropped off each time! 

   

   

Finished Shot List

Finished Shot List

 Mid shot, tracking.
Piano shot side view.
 Mid shot, tracking.
 Close up on book.
 Side profile, panning in.
 Extreme close up of eye.
 Low angle mid shot, tracking.
Mid shot, wide.
Piano shot, close up.
Close up, profile shot, tracking.
  Tracking mid shots.
 Mid shot.
 Wide shot.
 Mid shot tracking.
Close up tracking.
Close up of hand.
 Mid shot panning in.
Piano shoot close up.
Mid shot tracking.
More piano shots.
Behind shot of piano, panning.
Close up of pedal.
Hand shot again, close up.
Wide shot.
Behind tracking shot, mid shot.
Low angle looking at aeroplane.
Wide shot of walking up mountain.
Close up
Wide shot panning in.

Story Boards 1

Story Boards 1

Original Storyboard and Character Profile

Story Boards

                                                                      Story Boards

Questionnaire (Primary Research)

Questionnaire

This is a questionnaire I published and 19 people responded it.   

Jack Reynolds Interview

Jack Reynold Interview (Music Video Camera Man)

Primary Research 

1) How did you get to be a camera man?

My first passion was photography, i studied it at school and really liked shooting on 35mm film. We had a dark room and i would process all my own negatives and print my own pictures. After getting an opportunity to work on a short film i fell in love with the filmmaking process and decided that's what i wanted to do for a living.

2) How much notice do you get to film a music video?

It can vary a lot depending on the project,  but i would say anything between 7 and 14 days is normal amount of notice when approached to shoot a music video 

3) Does it take long to film a music video?

The time you have to make a music video is often dependent on how much budget you have. Music videos now often have very little money compared to TV commercials so you would be lucky to have more than 1 day to shoot a whole music video. Everything costs money, crew, camera rental, lighting rental, catering, locations, permits, post production. 

4) What's the daily routine of a camera man?

If im working on set then it starts by talking with the director and working out how we approach the scene or shot that we are creating. A lot of preparation would have already gone into this the days before the shoot day so we would already have a very good idea on how we are composing our shot, lighting it and what the actors / models / artists will be doing. Once this has been figured out we simply go through the motions of a working day until we've captured everything.

If I'm at home then I'm writing emails, having meetings and preparing for the next shoot.

5) Any advice for creating a music video?

Try to find something in the song that inspires you and gives you some kind of emotion. Once you figure that out, do lots of research for images that you feel resemble that idea or emotion. Alternatively, make a narrative driven piece that tells a story but don't feel like you have to have a definitive beginning or end. Some of the best pieces are films that are just an insight into a world with no explanation or clear cut ending, it can be a good thing to leave the audience wondering.

6) What's your favourite piece of work you've done? Favourite achievement? 

I shot a film in Ukraine which was a lot of fun to make.

7) How long does it usually take to film a music video? 

12 Hours is pretty good start point, i've done 18 hours days before though.

8) When you were a kid, did you always want to be a camera man? 

I used to want to play football and rugby professionally, but then i grew up a bit and found that creating things and working in the arts can be a very fulfilling career path. 

Hope that helps,

If you shoot a music video feel free to send it across, i will be interested to see what you came up with.

Thanks and wishing you the best

Shot List

Shot List

The Plan - 

1) First Location - Rapeseed Field (The Mill at Rode)

Shots

Wide Shot of field and sky

Close ups of hand running along rapeseed 

Panning shots of her walking

Mid shots of her singing

Close up of her singing 

2) Second Location - ClayHill (Warminster)

Shots

Wide Shots of the area 

Close ups of her singing 

Mid Shots her walking

3) Third Location - Heaven's Gate (Horningsham) 

Shots

Mid and close ups of her sitting under tree

Wide shot of the woods 

Panning shots of her walking 

Close ups and mid shots of her singing 

4) Fourth Location - Graveyard (Frome)

Shots

Low angle of grave with Ally crouching down 

Close up of her face.

Panning shot of her walking

Wide shot of the location

Communication Emails

Communication

1) Jamie Emails 

2) Ally Emails 

3) Stour head Emails

4) Caroline Emails 

Changed Idea Blog

Changed Idea

So, recently I decided to change my idea for my music video. Originally it was going to be my story of 'The Guardians Tale' with scenes from that as the music video. Focusing on the characters Ralphy and Maya, as it's a love song. But because time was running out and I thought there's an awful lot to film in the three remaining weeks. Ed also agreed with this, and that's just to focus on the singing. So now I'm just filming the singing in four different locations in Frome. Its a shame really, as that was my main idea to continue with the 'Guardians Tale'. But I like the new changed idea. The one thing I'm really looking forward to is that I'm going to film the whole music video in a higher frame rate (fps). And it will appear 'slow motion' looking. This will make the music video look so much more dramatic, and as its a love song you want things slowed down to show time reducing speed. But by doing this the singer will have to sing twice and fast when filming the visuals. Then once recorded I will slow the footage down so the music will match the visuals in sync with her lips.



Update - Thursday 10th May 


I have changed the idea again due to Ally being booked up with her work. So she wasn't able to film. I had to think fast and come up with a new idea for a music video. Changing the idea this late in the month is very risky. But I managed it ok. In the end I went out and filmed me acting as the main character in the film. The idea is now a young a man who has lost a loved one goes to all different locations that he spent with his loved one, bringing back memories. At the end he leaves the book behind and berries it. So he can move on with his life. I felt as well, thinking of my first idea, that I could've been the angle from the heavens, which meant I could've been Ralphy remembering Maya.

Since this was very last minute, I think my music video is successful. It gets across the story and is filmed nicely and matches the harmony of the song. Which is basically a love and loss piece of music.   

Story Boards

Story Boards

The first page is the title sequence. My background  is going to be the blue sky with text on top saying the song name first - "Truth To The World", then that will fade out and into "Composed and Filmed by LYNDON COLEMAN", then that will fade into "Sung and Performed by Alison Turrell". But on that last bit, the camera will pan down and the text will go up, to reveal a rapeseed field. Then from there the music video will probably begin. The next shot will be Allison's hand running along the rapeseed field.

All the shots I have drawn are not in the right order becuase when I edited it afterwards it will be a mash up of all the clips in a different order, like you get in a music video. For example one shot your in a rapeseed field, then suddenly the next shot might b sin a forest. Makes it more fun to watch.

The music video will end with Ali visiting a grave yard. From this it will reveal what the story has been about, as you suddenly realise she's lost a loved one and has been visiting all these locations to bring back memories and to remember.