thecamphnd-blog

[thecamphnd-blog]

Music Video Production Diary

Preparation:

Once pre-production was complete, we set out booking necessary equipment (cameras, lenses, tripod, etc). Given my enhanced knowledge with the available items, I wished to experiment with the GH4 (focus peaking, 4K, V-Log profile, etc) and DJI Ronin gimbal (capturing smooth movement). While everything was procured, it was soon decided the DJI wouldn’t be utilised to due its bulky size - limiting portability and possibly attracting unwanted attention where we planned to film - therefore we switched to a compact steadicam rig. While not as able to produce steady footage, it seemed to be a valuable tool for our production given the amount of moving shots.

Between us, Conor handled and transported props, Mike handled the tripod, and I maintained and checked camera equipment. Weeks before we intended to shoot, I tested each individual lens in order to be accustomed to their abilities and uses; the Sigma 18-35mm would be utilised for moving/steadicam shots due to the wide angle minimising any shake, while the Samyang primes could capture close-ups, delicate moments, or if the background should be spaced out further from the subject (using telephoto lengths).

While testing the GH4, I experimented between suitable colour profiles (neutral, Cinelike-D and V, and V-Log) to observe which perform best at preserving details and being flexible for colour grading. While the first three produced increasingly less contrasted footage, giving back shadow and highlight details, V-Log produced a noticeably flat image. However, consulting online forums showed it producing subtle macroblocking effects as a result of the GH4 internally recording at 8-bit 4:2:0. Simply put, this would hinder the flexibility of grading, let alone adjusting any under/overexposed shot. As for resolution and frame rate, there was some deliberation over having 1080p@200Mbs or 4K (DCI)@100mbps; the later was soon decided upon seeing how details would be retained, even downscaling to 1080p. The only downside, of course, would be more stringent data management (recording when actors and crew are ready).

Lastly, while Conor managed to procure the majority of props for Days 1 and 3 of shooting, we were missing an air bed as to give the idea the main character is poor and helps fit with the bedsit he resides.

Day 1:

After purchasing the air bed, we arrived at college to shoot in the “quiet room”. However, once setting up we discovered the plugs weren’t working - a missed consideration in pre-production on my part. We thankfully found a space in a teacher’s office, but this limited our filming area as we wished to present it as the protagonist’s bedsit; Conor Powell brought enough props to dress the area we had. Moving on we found out the airbed’s built-in pump was having trouble; I managed to buy an electric pump from the local store, but it felt like a mismanagement of funds in hindsight when cheaper, combined solutions were available (airbed and electric pump).

Once set up, our actor arrived on time. We made sure he didn’t have any epilepsy issues as we planned to have flashing lights, and informed him he could take a break and have lunch when he wanted (this is in lieu of him acting for free). From here, shooting had no hitches - despite Conor not having a detailed shot list. Mike, despite handling tripod and camera plates, didn’t have much creative input and could have made an attempt to suggest changes.

Day 2:

All of us arrived at Haydon’s Road station on time. In order to minimise walking time with the equipment we had, our plan involved walking to the furthest location from the meeting point (Wandle Meadow Nature Park) and shooting there. We also made provisions to have at least one person with us at any one time, as the perceived crime rate in the area would have made carrying expensive equipment dangerous.

For this day, we intended to have more dynamic and moving shots which saw me using the steadicam. The first scene, our protagonist being chased through the park, saw me produce a few decent shots from different angles - giving the feeling of the camera “flying” alongside/behind the actors. While not as smooth as what the DJI Ronin may have produced, its smaller weight and size benefited our shoot by striking the perfect balance of portability and function. On the contrary, even with the relatively simple setup, our shoot time was limited and thus required changes from dynamic to handheld/tripod shot to be kept to a minimum.

As for Conor, we both collaborated further with cinematography suggesting camera placement, shot type, as well as using his area knowledge to decide setting. Again, Mike didn’t have much input, yet he handled setting up the tripod and held umbrellas during rainy periods. From this I can gather Mike would be best suited as a runner: he can be delivered menial tasks and can be trusted to fulfil them.

Day 3:

Looking back through footage, we realised that not enough coverage was as desired, so we organised another day to shoot. Like Day 2, however, we had a limited time frame to work with since other students had booked the studio. Therefore Conor and I attempted kept props and setup to a minimum, yet lighting proved to be problematic. Conor wanted an ambient setup with our secondary actor’s face barely lit, yet being able to make out lip movement and facial expression. Another problem arose as the GH4 and specialist lenses weren’t available, and had to make do with the lesser performing GH3 and its stock lens. This meant ISO couldn’t be raised high enough without noise ruining image quality. As a result, Conor and I compromised on a slightly brighter setup, balancing his vision with my technical assurance.

As shooting began, our actor had slight issues remembering her lines, but managed to produce a crop of takes for sections she performed - giving us plenty to work with in post. We changed camera angles as the song progressed, and despite getting close up to our actor, she didn’t have any issue and still delivered her performance.

For this day, Mike didn’t help out, though the shot we worked on would have been excessive for 3 people to work on. And besides, despite his ability to act as runner, his lacking feedback from previous shooting days wouldn’t have helped much either.

Reflection:

Over the past three days, we have managed to produce a selection of usable to excellent shots based upon cinematography and mise-en-scene, mostly helped by my camera option and equipment choice, Conor’s framing and direction, as well as slight assistance from Mike for quicker production.

[thecamphnd-blog]

A quick film for editing practice. The narrative is based upon running late for college.