Directing my first music video..looking for advice.

[tleisher]

Hey all,

I am directing my first music video soon for a hometown band, the crew is going to be super slimmed down.. probably just me, the DP and maybe an assistant or something.

I am planning out the shoot in two phases... one with the band performing and one with actors performing the story scenes.

My question is, should I have the band just perform the entire song multiple times as I capture different parts of the band? Should I storyboard the lines/parts of the song I need them to do and then just film those parts?

What is the norm when shooting a music video with the band?

I am shooting with a single camera.

 

[Michael Carter]

If you have a laptop that will run audio editing software, create a version of the song with markers for verses, choruses, solos, breaks, and playback from the laptop (reaper, audacity, quicktime Pro);

Or split the song into dozens of files - intro, intro 2nd half, verse1 full, verse one split into two or three, etc - name and number the files so they'll be in order - and load onto an ipod.

Make sure your playback system is loud enough for the act. For a full band with drums, chances are you'll need their practice PA so the drummer can actually hit his drums. For a singer-acoustic act, even desktop speakers are fine - make sure the audio gets picked up in your camera though.

Add a click track to lead into the first note - and use one if there's a silence break in the middle.

The click track is vital if you want the first note motivated - whether its a single guitar strum or the whole band, they will NEVER hit it without a click. See if they can get their recording engineer/studio to provide a version with a click intro (not the whole song, it'll drive ya nuts)

Have someone FAMILIAR WITH THE SONG run playback, and at least have a rough plan of how your shots will work - do you start out with long, slow establishing shots and end with handheld fast cuts as the intensity grows? How about where it slows down after the solo, etc?

You may want shots of things like drum fills that leads into key peaks of the song - so you may want to shoot a dozen drummer shots - do those all at once (planning again). But keep in mind your "intensity" or shot progression and shoot to fit that part of the song.

You'll often call out things like "pick it up from "baby you make me sweat" - so your playback guy needs to find that part fast. He'll also need to know that when you want the second chorus, you want 4-8 bars of what comes BEFORE the second chorus.

Sometimes it's great to loop certain parts, with enough lead in and out for editing - that way you can dial in camera moves without stopping. Like, the guitar figure before the chorus, you want to focus on the strings, the guitarist steps back and you rack to the singer when he hits the chorus... just loop that section and do it 5 times. Musicians are used to looping, they get it. Your playback guy needs to know how to select that section and make it loop (software specific). this can be a huge timesaver.

Give yourself WAY MORE heads and tails than you think for each shot - that's why a full track with markers may be better than a chopped up track. You'll be glad in editing.

If it's a thrashy rock number, shoot a lot of moving/blurred stuff for feeling/emotion - shoot a lot of "behind the guys" or overheads, etc - if you find a blank hole in your edit, those can save you.

Remember - amp lights on; cables plugged into guitars and mics... I don't think micing drums & amps is necessary, but the band may want that for show. But a guy doing his roaring solo with a big, empty jack plug-hole... ehhh!

And finally, use a clean table for lenses, batteries, etc - make yourself a well organized space; use blue painter's tape to close each card case and cover each battery terminal - that way, in a rush you'll know if a card or battery is untaped, it's been used. Get as much grip help as you can. Remember bottled water, drinks, beer, whatever - have the band remember that in fact!