Music Video - Please Critique

Mike Rufail · April 19, 2006

This is our first go at music videos. We had NO budget, minimal equipment, and an old arriflex 35mm camera with 3 slow lenses. The only funds spent were on processing, transfer and starbucks. Please be open minded to the music and focus on critiquing the composition. Thanks. Quicktime 7 required for viewing.

http://www.nebulawebdesigns.com/extra/kourthouse/octane.html

Any and all feedback is welcome.

Mike

Jon-Hebert Barto · April 19, 2006

I don't know whether or not the video isn't playing right on my PC or if it's the way it's edited. I do know that I haven't laughed this hard since I last saw "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN"...

Please take no offence, but the conventions of rap videos are ridiculous....IMHO. I hope he paid for that Slim Jim...I know, I'm acting like an a**ho**...

Seriously, minding the conventions and borders you are confined to when making a rap video, and considering the circumstances you were under, I think you did a great job. It is hard for me to critique the aesthetics of a rap video, just so you understand where I'm coming from. This is my "fault"...

Some of the shots in the convenience store seemed to lack definition. Overall there was a lack of contrast for my tastes...As far as compositions, well, they were very conventional for rap videos, yes? If you were looking to do something different, you failed miserably. If you were looking to shoot a conventional rap video for music video experience, then you did well. But again, considering your situation, it's hard to say more.

Tell us more about it. How long was the shoot? A day or two? Film emulsion? Any lighting setups? Looks available to me...You just shot MOS, right ? No clapboard or anything?

Again, distancing myself as far away from the material as possible, I can see you did a fine job.

Anywho, thanks for posting. Please feel comfortable to post any time you feel as I/"we" like to see what people are up to. Good luck.

brian hendry · April 19, 2006

I don't know whether or not the video isn't playing right on my PC or if it's the way it's edited. I do know that I haven't laughed this hard since I last saw "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN"...

Please take no offence, but the conventions of rap videos are ridiculous....IMHO. I hope he paid for that Slim Jim...I know, I'm acting like an a**ho**...

Seriously, minding the conventions and borders you are confined to when making a rap video, and considering the circumstances you were under, I think you did a great job. It is hard for me to critique the aesthetics of a rap video, just so you understand where I'm coming from. This is my "fault"...

Some of the shots in the convenience store seemed to lack definition. Overall there was a lack of contrast for my tastes...As far as compositions, well, they were very conventional for rap videos, yes? If you were looking to do something different, you failed miserably. If you were looking to shoot a conventional rap video for music video experience, then you did well. But again, considering your situation, it's hard to say more.

Tell us more about it. How long was the shoot? A day or two? Film emulsion? Any lighting setups? Looks available to me...You just shot MOS, right ? No clapboard or anything?

Again, distancing myself as far away from the material as possible, I can see you did a fine job.

Anywho, thanks for posting. Please feel comfortable to post any time you feel as I/"we" like to see what people are up to. Good luck.

i guess ill respond. i actually directed the video and put the whole thing togther. for what we had to work with, which was NOTHING at all. the film stock was ALL short ends, nothing was over 250 feet really, and old stock at that. 5218 and 5205 (250D) ...i couldnt do much more than a performance video b/c of the amount of stock i had, amount of time to prep, resources i had, and so on. i had NO money to spend on locations, or art dept,or even pay the crew, or anything of that sort. so pretty much everything you see on the screen is all of what we shot. haha. we couldnt load up a 1000 foot mags and just run around and get inserts, or do different setups and what not....and lord knows we could never afford to do any sort of professional color correction or post work.

we shot on an arriflex, a really really old arriflex. it sorta looks like a 35-III , but its definalty not a 35-III....there were three really really slow lenses to chose from, and i do belive they were older than the camera. one Zoom, and two primes. i wana say one was a 35 or a 25....as far as a lighting package went, we had a couple 650s and two 2ks.....no 12x's , just white linens. ha....a really ghetto doorway dolly that was past done for.....alot of avaible light for sure....we tried to cut it up a bit outside with the branches and what not...i think the exposure of the guy walking down the side of the hotel looks great, its just a 2k bounce off the white ceiling.. we shot it over two days....and yea, no clapper. just insert slates.

thanks for the feedback for sure. keep em coming.

April 19, 2006

Hey, Mike,

With what you had at your disposal, which sounds like not much, it's an awesome project! Now, I'm a video guy, run n gun background, but more experienced as an editor, so I won't go into breaking down lighting and exposure, etc. The overall "look" was great, and you got good performance stuff.

When I see something, I always try to be an objective observer and just take it in. I came away with.....good video, but what's it trying to tell me? I didn't get a sense of a story being told, or viewpoint of the film maker. Are they proud of who they are? Are they telling us to watch out for what will happen to our kids growing up in this environment? I think another day of editing would help. You have footage of the rappers and their crew before and after takes, shots on the street of other people? You'd be surprised at what you can actually use. All those crappy camera moves, out of focus shots, swishes can be incorporated to break things up and give a little tension. Could slo mo, play with different looks....grainy, over exposed, b&w....something to add to the imagery of these guys stories and what they're trying to tell us.

So, there's my two cents worth. Main thing is, you made something. Very cool!

Cameron Young

Rolfe Klement · April 21, 2006

My 2 cents for this

You need to start with the best shots first. There are some great shots in there. I am a DP but I found the inconsistent T Stop (and resulting change in depth of field) distracting.

Most videos are shot at around T2.8 to T5.6 (you have used this for the night time scene where the singer comes out of the room , walking down a corridor outside, with the uncorrected flos giving a green tinge) - that has some of the best shots. Use ND's to keep the t stop similar.

I would say you are guilty of overlighting certain scenes - like where the group is rapping by the wall with graffiti backdrop. You can create a more tangible sense of power and danger by hiding and only showing certain bits

For rap videos with attitiude I would also shoot from a lower angle - with your widest lens to create a godlike look - take more risks with angles and lighting - and avoid shooting midday light - get the daylight shots at 5am (but it is hard getting crews and talent to show up at that time for free - I know :) )

Camera movement needs to be either still or blantantly handheld - like the corridor scenes. The "handheld trying to be still" is a dramatic technique that makes me feel like I am switching to a documentry from a rap video and back - this happens to me every time it is used (like the kid in the hoodie by the car - and the guy by the mega bass car shop)

But there is some great stuff in there - keep up the good work!

thanks

Rolfe