Multi-cam Live in the style of a music video

EDV

EDV

Well-known member
Example:


Question:

How would you go about making something like this? I counted about 6 different angles on the live performance
and even close ups of members of the public, which looked very good actually. I know it's a music video, so probably the whole thing was set up with Deborah cox singing the whole song about 10 times. But what about trying to do something like this on an actual live show? Would you need 10 different cameras? 5? Or would you get the performer to do it 3 times maybe, even with public watching? ( unlikely but possible )

Here's another example, but this one , a far more elaborate music video, so ignore most of it except for the "live performance " part towards the end:


 
Probably shot single camera with the artist miming to a backing track, I have also done music videos where we have recorded the band live on location and then played back the results to get further angles and passes. We did The Red Hot Chilli Peppers first ever film this way in the 80's and this one from the Cocteau Twins on 16mm film: https://youtu.be/dljnBRQmSXc

Live concerts can have up to 32 cameras but it then takes shed loads of post time to sort it all out, Queen at Wembley was a nightmare and took a month just to view the 1 inch video tapes from two nights: https://youtu.be/qHDcIQYpdbg

Sometimes less is more so a good director and 5 cameras can cover things better with a couple of iso cameras to cover any mistakes.
 
The audience shots are clearly setups with the audience members being carefully lit and posed for the shot, not live as part of a performance. This was a carefully choreographed video that was done with multiple takes until the director was satisfied that he had enough material. It certainly could have used multiple cameras.

We've done live concerts with 5 cameras. Usually, 2 in the back; one on tripod, one on a jib. Three cameras up front; all hand-held. We can get similar results of the performance, but of course, audience shots don't look anything like the carefully lit and posed shots of that video. For a solo artist with this setup, 5 cameras is plenty for a live performance. For a bigger group performance, I'd want 6 cameras. For an orchestra, I'd want 8 cameras. That is, if it is a live performance with one shot to get the act.
 
Wow, thanks for the input guys. 32 cameras would just make my brain explode I think :shocked: But even a 5 camera set up gets tricky sometimes, and then you need to get an audio tech on board, someone operating a switcher for a live feed, etc. Big budget live events I guess. But one day I hope to co-ordinate something along those lines, maybe a classical concert like this , where every orchestral section gets a camera angle:



Interesting to watch this as both a filmmaker as a pianist by the way.
 
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For that I'd want 8 cameras. More may be better, but not too many more. Live to tape is ok, but then you need to have an excellent rehearsal(s) with very good prep to block the shots. You also need an AD that tells you what shot is coming up next. This is done best by having the conductor's assistant, who knows the scores, sit next to the director and tells him what he needs to cover next (flute solo is next... etc). This takes the most amount of rehearsal and expertise.

Another way to go is do live to tape and back it up with recording on as many cameras (all if desired/affordable) in the truck. Them make edits in post to the live to tape video. This is the same as above, but gives you some protection.

Another way to go is not have a truck, but just have all cameras record themselves and have the director monitor the cameras and call shots from a location in the facility. Then edit everything in post. This requires the least amount of rehearsal and expertise. You can go with or without an AD, depending upon how good you want the show.
 
Multicam is now very easy in edit packages such as final cut so you can do a live mix with a switcher or just sync up all the cameras and cut and adjust it on the fly in the edit.

We do some Scottish Symphony Orchestra gigs for the BBC and do a live 8 camera cut with a small panasonic video mixer but also have four of the cameras recording locally with two of them locked off wide shots so if any mistakes are made they can be adjusted quickly in the edit.
 
Gary can I ask how many people are involved in these BBC gigs? 8 Cameramen? 1 Editor ? 1 Director? I ask because one videographer I know of runs a 3 camera setup all by himself! He then edits the recordings.
 
We have one Director, an Editor, Me looking after audio, coms and video recording (we also take a stereo feed from the radio 3 concert mixer) a video person, a tech manager and five camerapeople as three of the cameras are locked off.

There is also a score reader to assist the director and here is a pic of the main set-up:

 
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Okay thanks again. I can see one of the cam operators in the distance, seems like you guys are using shoulder mount type of cameras? Maybe Panasonic HPX 370s ? I assume all cameras are the same? Never thought it would be so complicated to pull something like that off. Congrats!
 
Main cameras are Sony XDcam with Canon XF305 for the locked off shots, the live mix is done SDI into a panasonic mixer and the media is then put into FCP-X for finishing.

You can see some of the cameras better on this shot:
 
When possible, we use a truck made to do this sort of thing. I spent many years running a truck of this kind.

Sometimes, depending on scale of production and turn around time, recording all cameras and syncing is post is done, just make sure you have a time code master to set all the cameras to, and make sure they are in free run. Best if you can run timecode to each camera all the time so they can not become unsynced.
 
We have a truck too but the SSO gigs would mean too much rigging and time for the budget as it is mainly just for on-line or radio visualisation as it is now known.

We also have a lokit box to jam sync the cameras before each performance when recording locally.

The Truck has to park a long way away so at times can be too much, the Ethos van on this gig was doing the sound recording and guide mix:
 
If you want to record a live track, what we've done in the usual public shows is to enlist the audience - and involve them. If you tell them you are going to record the next song for a DVD, you can explain you need to mime to the track TWICE for technical reasons, and would love them to shout and scream and really have fun and then you might get into the video. They usually see it as a bit of fun, and as long as it's extra to what they've paid for, time wise, and you thank them, you can get away with it. If you try a third time, their patience has gone. So try to have as many cameras on the go as you can. I don't mind sharing the other alternative, a single multicam, with audio direct from the mixer. What really happened is that we were shooting a band at our venue and had installed all the kit needed the day before when my own band were doing a show. So as three of the band would the next day be doing cameras with the rest of our crew, we had the brainwave of seeing what would happen if we just gave our cameras to sundry wives and girlfriends and got them to shoot one of our songs. So we expected out of focus shots with mega wobblicam. Our sound op just recorded desk output - even though a couple of sources weren't miked up. Much of the editing choices were made by absence of too much movement. Loads of shots are only in the edit because the other three cameras at that moment had nothing usable! We shot this just before the theatre opened the doors - it's pretty rough, but might show a few things that maybe you'd not want to do!

 
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