Shooting a Music Video in a Skatepark without it becoming a "Skate Vide"

TimB

Well-known member
Hello!

I've hit a brick wall so to speak.

I'm soon to be filming a Music Video in a Skatepark, however I don't want it to become a "Skate Video"

The band are to be performing at the park, to camera, with skaters riding around etc. I'm unsure of the balance of showing skating with the band in the frame compared to the actual performance. My issue is that if I shoot it wrong, it will become a Skate Video with the performance liquidated within the video.

Any ideas?
 
If it were me, I'd try to make sure the band was in frame at least, if not the major focus, of every shot. Seems like that'd be the quickest way to incorporate skating without it becoming about the skaters, and it'll keep you from following the skaters around and getting the really-low-angle-while-they-ollie-over-the-camera type shots that are the mainstays of skater vids.

If you've got time and talent, I'd work out some choreography with the skaters as well. The more choreography, the more it'd enhance the video.
 
keep you from following the skaters around and getting the really-low-angle-while-they-ollie-over-the-camera type shots that are the mainstays of skater vids.

This. That shot is what makes up all skate videos. Don't use that and you have a start. And NO FISHEYE lenses!
 
Why don't you schedule the shoot when the park is closed to skaters? . . . or shoot in a different venue.

I think you've misunderstood. The idea of the video is to have skaters around the band performing. My issue is that I don't want the video to become a Skate Video.
 
Have general skaters skating around in the background, far enough away that they can't crash into the band. Have some sensible experienced skaters in close, skating in front of and behind (and even through?) the band. (Take special care re siting any cables etc to avoid painful/expensive collisions.)

As suggested above, then shoot the band as if the skaters aren't there, i.e. they'll be nice background/foreground detail for the band themselves. Up to you and the band as to whether the band should "ignore" the skaters or interact in some way during the video.
 
This is a serious suggestion, even though it may come off as seeming like a joke.....

What if the skaters didn't use skateboards, and instead moved around the park as if they were?

Or maybe they start out without boards and you could have the skaters come up to the band as the band hands out boards. I'm picturing a wide shot of the band in an empty park, then a cut to an xcu of the lead singer and a single long, slow pull as they play and hand out boards, ending on your wide shot with the band in the park full of skaters.

Or something like that.
 
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