How many cameras for a Music Video?

D

DVX100Shooter

Veteran
I am prepping to do a hip hop music video in a few weeks. As I was working on my shot sheet, I was asked why am I using 2 cameras for the shoot. I responded with my "A" camera will the be the main camera that is locked down to Dolly, Crane or Stedicam and my "B" camera would either be mounted on a rig or be handheld and that operator's sole purpose is to get cutaways from various different angles without getting in the frame of the other camera.

So now that this questioned was asked, do you all that do music videos shoot everything with just one camera or do you use more than one? There will be a lot of dancing and other shots that I need to get and I figured I could have 2 cameras rolling at the same time but shooting different things.

Should I just stick with one camera and shoot everything from that camera?
 
I would say while its good to have two I would only use one (if you are spending extra money on the second camera). Music videos aren't like films where you have to keep continuity going. Its more of a fast paced varied environment where differentiality is welcome. Having the same performance from different angles would get boring as opposed to different performances from different angles. It doesn't hurt if the extra camera is free but I've rarely seen music video directors use 2 cameras. It seems like overkill
 
I do music videos and most of the time use 1. Why, because I can't afford more lighting mainly. Also it could confuse the singer to which camera he/she should be looking.

Both scenarios work. I've often thought I could save time if I had a b-Cam to get cut aways of instruments, but you need money and time for enough lights to light everything to film. Also I mainly focus more light on what I'm filming so that it stands out. so lighting to much could make it flat again.

I think you'll get plenty pros and cons each way. Try it out and see what works for you.


- Derrick
 
I am so in that same boat with the lighting right now! Okay well I think I am going to take your advice and use only one camera and get my lighting the way i want it.

Thanks!
 
I have done it both ways.

If you are doing more lip-sync style music videos, one camera definitely can help the performer to focus on it.

I recently, however shot a live performance of a Blues artist and having 1 5D and 3 7ds definitely helped to get the coverage.
 
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