Music Video I shot and edited for a friend. Thoughts? Suggestions?
- Thread starter ADDRadock
- Start date
David W. Jones
Veteran
I don't know that the Eagles would be flattered by the use of their song.
It was made for my friend's school project. Plus, we aren't making any money off of it and it was the first time for me actually being out on a set and editing an actual video. I'm just looking for suggestions for next time in terms of cinematography work and editing mostly...
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
We had really strict rules in film school because of 'accidents' during shooting. Who would think that a bunch of 18 year old guy filmmakers, just free of their parents supervision, would make films about shooting, fighting or driving fast? Who knew. 
I'd focus more about story next time and really evaluate what you are doing with the camera... Where do you go to school? Looked like Baltimore with Seattle weather. lol.
I guess you should get the 'badass' violent fight scenes out of your system while youre young. I did, back in the day. Lord knows we all shot 'gangster' films where all the characters were harmless looking 18 year old middle class kids in suburbia.
I'd focus more about story next time and really evaluate what you are doing with the camera... Where do you go to school? Looked like Baltimore with Seattle weather. lol.
I guess you should get the 'badass' violent fight scenes out of your system while youre young. I did, back in the day. Lord knows we all shot 'gangster' films where all the characters were harmless looking 18 year old middle class kids in suburbia.
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j1clark@ucsd.edu
Veteran
A couple of points... if you're going to do a 'fight' scene, then get up close... the 'million miles away' shots were almost comical as opposed to showing sub-urban violence... and 'running' is always boring, unless you have
some runner captured, and being interrogated by a mad dentist with a dental pick probing the soft parts of the gums and diging into cavities, whose only question is 'is it safe?'...
So, get on top of the action. cut the running, to just enough to get the guys from one location to another, and heck... change the music... Eagles... who's that...
We had really strict rules in film school because of 'accidents' during shooting. Who would think that a bunch of 18 year old guy filmmakers, just free of their parents supervision, would make films about shooting, fighting or driving fast? Who knew.
I'd focus more about story next time and really evaluate what you are doing with the camera... Where do you go to school? Looked like Baltimore with Seattle weather. lol.
I guess you should get the 'badass' violent fight scenes out of your system while youre young. I did, back in the day. Lord knows we all shot 'gangster' films where all the characters were harmless looking 18 year old middle class kids in suburbia.
We're actually high school sophomore students from NE Ohio. All 16 years old in the video actually. Also, this was an idea my friend has for the music video. It was his project and I offered to help with cinematography and editing. So don't rip on me for the storyline.I'm just looking for suggestions for camerawork lol
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
Where in NE Ohio?!
I was born and raised in a suburb north of Akron. Went to Revere High School, if you've heard of it.
Regarding camerawork...
1) Zooms can be used to good effect, but I'm not sure it was here. Think about what a zoom says about a shot, also considering it's the one thing our eyes cant' do naturally.
2) Action sequences, when not 'real', can benefit from more shots, tighter shots, and faster editing. It helps hide the fact the hits aren't totally real.
3) Reaction shots and faces are important. Story lacked so I didn't feel connected to any character in particular, but should I cared about a character, having close-ups to help us feel his struggle can help build tension and make us further care.
I was born and raised in a suburb north of Akron. Went to Revere High School, if you've heard of it.
Regarding camerawork...
1) Zooms can be used to good effect, but I'm not sure it was here. Think about what a zoom says about a shot, also considering it's the one thing our eyes cant' do naturally.
2) Action sequences, when not 'real', can benefit from more shots, tighter shots, and faster editing. It helps hide the fact the hits aren't totally real.
3) Reaction shots and faces are important. Story lacked so I didn't feel connected to any character in particular, but should I cared about a character, having close-ups to help us feel his struggle can help build tension and make us further care.
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Greg Smith
Veteran
Try to be careful about leveling the camera on the tripod. The horizon was tilted slightly in many of your shots. An off-level image can be appropriate if it's done for a reason (it tends to work best in POV shots that are close in on the action), but if it's just off by a few degrees, instead of a more significant and obviously deliberate amount, it just looks sloppy and is uncomfortable for the viewer to watch. Make sure the horizon stays level even if you pan the camera all the way around.
Basically, this is nice work for somebody just starting out, though. I'd have been happy to produce something that looked like this at your age, and I think it's better than what many of my students (same age as you guys) could do today.
- Greg
Basically, this is nice work for somebody just starting out, though. I'd have been happy to produce something that looked like this at your age, and I think it's better than what many of my students (same age as you guys) could do today.
- Greg
Northeast Ohio. And yes I know where Revere is. I live relatively close actually. Thanks for the suggestions. Ill keep that more zoom and fast transitions for the next time I make a fight scene