Music Video's

[Michael Dean Gibbs]

I will be shooting my first music video and I have a few questions that I need answered before I get started.

 

I will be shooting on the HVX-200 with the mini 35 adaptor.

 

Since the director will be exhibiting this using many mediums (dvd, youtube, etc.), is it worth shooting in HD?

 

Does it matter whether I shoot 720/24p(N) or 1080i/p?

 

Finally, what is the protocol for syncing up sound (artists singing) with image?

 

 

I'm in new territory and could really use all of your expertise!

 

 

 

All the best,

 

Michael Dean Gibbs

[Corey Bringas]

Hey Michael,

 

I had to look at some files to double check, but shooting @ 720p24 is actually rendering you a 1248 X 702 image size. For most things shooting 720 will do just fine, and on most projects I work on the DP shoots 720. Saves a lot of room on your P2's. You should not -need to shoot 720p24N. just shoot 720p24. Here is how we always sync up sound. Take the song into FCP-add black for the video section and use the video filter that generates timecode. Add 5-10 seconds of countdown for the artist at the beginning of the song. Then export the video to either an Ipod or a Laptop (Ipod is easier, though smaller to read). Then while on set you actually will play the song out to speakers from either the ipod or the laptop. Use the Ipod/Laptop as your slate for wherever you start off the song. Then when editing you can easily sync it up. Let me know if you have any other questions.

-Corey

[Kenn Christenson]

Hey Michael,

 

I had to look at some files to double check, but shooting @ 720p24 is actually rendering you a 1248 X 702 image size. For most things shooting 720 will do just fine, and on most projects I work on the DP shoots 720. Saves a lot of room on your P2's. You should not -need to shoot 720p24N. just shoot 720p24. Here is how we always sync up sound. Take the song into FCP-add black for the video section and use the video filter that generates timecode. Add 5-10 seconds of countdown for the artist at the beginning of the song. Then export the video to either an Ipod or a Laptop (Ipod is easier, though smaller to read). Then while on set you actually will play the song out to speakers from either the ipod or the laptop. Use the Ipod/Laptop as your slate for wherever you start off the song. Then when editing you can easily sync it up. Let me know if you have any other questions.

-Corey

Actually, you will DEFINITELY WANT to shoot in 720 24P/N this mode records ONLY the 24 frames per second - the OTHER mode (720/24P) records in a 60P stream with pulldown added, wasting space. The ACTUAL frame size is 960x720 - anamorphic. If you're editing in Final Cut - it handles the format with no problem.

 

As far as synching - an easy method is to record the playback from the shoot to the camera - that way, in Final Cut, you only have to slip the footage until the audio matches up.

[Michael Collier]

Nice tip with the Ipod Corey. I am shooting a music video next month and I think I might try that out. Just got an iPod touch, so it should be pretty visible on cam (large bright screen). saves me rental on a TC slate and playback.

[Corey Bringas]

thanks for the correction on the image size. you're right in fcp its 960x720, for some reason in QT it tells me its 1248x702. Still looking into this. Yeah Michael, try the ipod thing. Its not my invention, but my friends-they shoot a lot of music vids that I am usually Ac'n for. Thats how they've always done it. You'll still need some sort of playback system- i.e. 2 or 3 speakers + a mixer. Be careful in your planning on how you will route the cables and test it before hand. That's always an issue on set. You have to go from Mini plug on the ipod to 1/4 inch on the mixer, or sometimes we've put it in a splitter so you have 2 channels. This system does work really well though. When the director tells you to start the song @ 1 min 48 sec, just spin the ipod dial! Very easy.

-Corey