Music Video at DVinfo.net

Tom Elliott · January 30th, 2006, 11:33 AM

Wow!
Just did the preliminary shoot of my first music video since 1963 when I worked for Gene Weed of "The Film Factory" when they were known as "Song Films".
Paul Hoyle, an Emmy award winner for musical production, asked me to do the video on music video he was directing. He, his wife Nancy and our Rabbi Rebecca Lillian of Temple Beth Or, wrote the lyrics and Paul the music. A young performer, Liza Berse sang.
It is a social concsiousnous song and the lyrics strongly influenced the images.
Liza's mom, Jennifer, picked up all of the rest of the production: keeping the talent happy (no problems for we all thought it was fun), lunch, playback, makeup, stylist, wordrobe, driver, well you get the idea. We had a great crew of four, Paul, Jennifer, Liza and of course me.
Paul and I have some pickup shots to do and then comes the editing session.
We shot blue screen in my studio and then moved to the location on the grounds of Temple Beth Or, using their gardens and landscaping.
So far one hour 20 mintues on tape done on my GL-2. We will edit on my laptop with Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5.
No glitches. None.
Playback was so good my wife wanted to know if it was real or playback. That was the first postive breakthrough for if she could not tell then we had 99% of tech accomplished. All that succes goes to our star, Liza, for we were able to get "five camera" takes with my one GL-2.
Blue screen will be replaced with B&W images to get across the lyrics.
I will update, as permitted for I am only the DP and editor.
Yours,
Tom Elliott

Len Imbery · January 30th, 2006, 01:10 PM

Congratulations!...It's always nice when you don't run into any major problems with a shoot....
I'm currently editing my first attempt at "concert" video....Unfortunately, I also have to play in the band so I can't be doing the actual shooting....We put on our own event and I used 3 camcorders....1. my old TRV510 D8 getting the sound from the board and with a wide shot of the whole stage, 2. a Pannasonic "somethingorothermodel" 3 chip on mainly the main vocalist with a med. shot....also with an audiotechnics mic for ambient crowd sound, and 3 a mobile operator with my GL2 for closeups and crown reaction shots...
The Gl2's footage looks fantastic....the D8 is a bit overexposed and I'll only use any footage from it if I have nothing else....and the other stationary of the singer was OK....Next time I'd have a mobile operator and hire another guy to man one of the stationary cams....I think I'll be able to edit something reasonably good though out of the 6hrs. of footage I've got...Not bad considering our $0 budget
Len

Graham Bernard · January 30th, 2006, 02:44 PM

Nice one Tom! - The XM2 is a superb piece of kit for the price. Every time I use it I get stunned by what it can capture and present.

Would REALLY like to see some footage of your work? - Yeah?

Grazie

Travis Cossel · January 30th, 2006, 06:24 PM

Yeah, when you've got something you can show . . . please do . . .

Tom Elliott · January 30th, 2006, 07:34 PM

Many thanks for the commentary and request so see some footage.
1st. Some corrections: Paul won a Latin Grammy and Liza's correct name is Eliza.
2nd. Given the style of music videos I probably should have shot in a wider aspect ratio.
3rd. And yes I will post some footage, however two things we still have to get some cutaways for further telling of the lyrics and also I do have to get permission from Paul, and last but not least, learn how to convert the files to be able to post some footage on the internet. As I said we are editing with Premiere Pro 1.5. I am hoping that I can do everything Paul wants and not have to purchase more software.
All in all was a great experience. Paul was happy with the coverage to date and we have another artist who wants a music video. However we are waiting untill this one is finallized.
Meanwhile I have to get the footage on the hard drive so Paul can view it.
I did some photos for him for his web site. This a page they appear on:
http://homepage.mac.com/paulhoyle/orchestralarrang.html
What is interesting is that he is Mac based I am PC based.
All for now, and I promise you all will see some footage as soon as I get clearances and better yet when the project is finished and in the can.
Yours,
Tom Elliott

Tom Elliott · February 3rd, 2006, 10:21 AM

Minor up date:
Paul Hoyle e-mailed me an MP3 of the song. I burned a CD copy of the song and then loaded it into the project. Lined up the the video with the MP3. So far so good PERFECT sync. The talent made it happed. This Sunday Paul and I going out to do the gehtto/rich backgrounds. He will drive and I will shoot with the GL2. Because of both of our other professional commitements we pland on a two hour shoot, not neccesarily two hours of video, but just the two hours to get what we think we might need.
Tom

Tom Elliott · February 25th, 2006, 05:15 AM

Out late last night to get some more "b" camera cutaways. Rained like crazy on Lincoln Road Mall here in "Sunny" Miami.
Still need more.
However I showed the first rough cut to my client, Paul Hoyle the music producer. He loved it and coached me on the general techniques of cutting musicals.
This project has been nothing short of a "silver box" assignment = perfect assignement in all ways and a great way to learn Premiere Pro 1.5 and my GL2.
Also learning how to work "with" others. I know now why making films is a team effort. I like it. Of course this team is only four: me, Paul (person who hired me and the producer/director), Eliza (the performer), Jennifer (Eliza's mom/makeup/costume/general gaffer best "boy".
After showing the rough cut, rumour has it there is more money to come. YES!!!
Yours,
Tom

Graham Bernard · February 25th, 2006, 08:43 AM

Tom, Go 4 It!

Graze

Tom Elliott · April 2nd, 2006, 09:29 AM

Whew!
Final cut done yesterday in an intense 5 hour session.
Well, intense for me anyway, a walk in the park for Paul Hoyle. He was VERY patient for he know all the keyboard short cuts. I am now on a mission to
1: Get a training DVD on Premeire
2: Get a keyboard just for Premeire
3: Learn the keyboard shortcuts
4: Practice, practice, and....practice
5: DREAM HARDWARE (aside from a faster box) DUAL MONITORS like maybe 36inchers!?!?!?
Friends have told me that when Paul is in his editing suite for music, it is like watching a concert pianist playing the "Flight of the Bumble Bee".
Paul was VERY VERY patient with me.
The session probably could have been much shorter had I been more familiar with Premiere and knew the keyboard strokes.
Also a minor glitch: Make sure all, and I mean ALL cables are FIRMLY connected. My firewire was not thus we only had the the laptop monitor to veiw our work on.
I went to the Photoshop Convention that was held here in Miami and got trial versions??? (two cds) of the newest Production Suite. I am presently looking for a way to load it without disterbing my current installation of Premiere Pro 1.5 for it works. Would loading it on an external HD be the way to go??
Anyway the experience was great and Paul and I agreed that it was fun and a growing experience.
I am looking for more clients like Paul. Not only for music videos, but just clinets in general with his patience and coaching skills.
Thanks Paul.
All for now. Now working on archiving the master cut and learning how to repurpose the video for different kinds of presentations.
For now,
Tom

Tom Elliott · April 7th, 2006, 05:55 AM

Meeting with Paul Hoyle today to resolve sync problem of half of a frame off.
I think I solved it about three am this moring using the slip tool on the master sound track. Since it was not LOCKED to picture the Slip Tool works on the sound track the same as it does on the picture tracks, at least I hope it did.
I frankly need his eye and ears to make sure.
Other than that I am ready to burned the DVDs (did already but the synce problem showed up) and prepare the video for you guys and gals to see.
Tom

Tom Elliott · April 7th, 2006, 08:11 PM

DID SOLVE THE half frame sync problem.
Since he has a Mac I now have to figure out on how to send him a edited music video file so he can add credits and repurpose the file for the internet.
Tom

Tom Elliott · May 9th, 2006, 01:47 PM

I know I have said this before, however just made a quicktime and sent it to Paul for approval.
There is to be a small concert to kick off Eliza's cd and the video will be shown at that time AND I am also to video the event.
Because of a head bobbling out of frame at the top, did a last minute "Letterbox" croping so one can see the her head. Not shot with letterbox in mind, but at least random overscans won't do more damage. Waiting for approval. I might have to do a little less that the offical letterbox so that compositions aren't completely ruined. Maybe make it cropped to safe titlel areas.
We shall see.
Yours,
Tom

Dale Guthormsen · May 9th, 2006, 10:33 PM

Tom,

I am looking forward to seeing your music video as soon as you can get it up and running.
I will be doing my first comercial music video this summer. One muscian playing all the instruments to the song. Wants to have three of himself on stage. That may be a challange.

Tom Elliott · May 10th, 2006, 11:38 AM

Wow, three of the star in one shot! Back in the late 60's that was an incredible feat of special EFX. I think ABC-TV did it first with one of their shows.
Now I am sure it is much easier, however can it be done with the Adobe Suite? Since reading your e-mail I have been trying to figure it out. Wouldn't one take have to have your star against a blue/green screen? Or do you intend to roto all the takes with After EFXs?
All the best to you,
Yours,
Tom

Dale Guthormsen · May 12th, 2006, 11:20 PM

I was going over it with the performer this afternoon. The plan is to shoot with a country background, probablly hilly not overly to much detail. I will place the original footage with the musician to one side of the wide screen and back a bit. I will then croma key in the musician playing the other instruments setting up to place one center and one to the other side. At least that is the plan.
I have preimere pro and after effects so i will get it done one way or the other.
I also do not plan to run all three together for the full length of the video but rather short segments scattered through the video using close ups between the various shots.

I have a freind that is a pro photogapher and I will borrow his studio to do the chroma shoots.

I am looking forward to the challange of it all, definitely the most complex project i have undertaken. Onoy hope I can pull it off.

I am open to any suggestions, that is for certain!!

January 30th, 2006, 11:33 AM	#1
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Music Video Wow! Just did the preliminary shoot of my first music video since 1963 when I worked for Gene Weed of "The Film Factory" when they were known as "Song Films". Paul Hoyle, an Emmy award winner for musical production, asked me to do the video on music video he was directing. He, his wife Nancy and our Rabbi Rebecca Lillian of Temple Beth Or, wrote the lyrics and Paul the music. A young performer, Liza Berse sang. It is a social concsiousnous song and the lyrics strongly influenced the images. Liza's mom, Jennifer, picked up all of the rest of the production: keeping the talent happy (no problems for we all thought it was fun), lunch, playback, makeup, stylist, wordrobe, driver, well you get the idea. We had a great crew of four, Paul, Jennifer, Liza and of course me. Paul and I have some pickup shots to do and then comes the editing session. We shot blue screen in my studio and then moved to the location on the grounds of Temple Beth Or, using their gardens and landscaping. So far one hour 20 mintues on tape done on my GL-2. We will edit on my laptop with Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5. No glitches. None. Playback was so good my wife wanted to know if it was real or playback. That was the first postive breakthrough for if she could not tell then we had 99% of tech accomplished. All that succes goes to our star, Liza, for we were able to get "five camera" takes with my one GL-2. Blue screen will be replaced with B&W images to get across the lyrics. I will update, as permitted for I am only the DP and editor. Yours, Tom Elliott __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

January 30th, 2006, 01:10 PM	#2
Len Imbery Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 106	music video shoot Congratulations!...It's always nice when you don't run into any major problems with a shoot.... I'm currently editing my first attempt at "concert" video....Unfortunately, I also have to play in the band so I can't be doing the actual shooting....We put on our own event and I used 3 camcorders....1. my old TRV510 D8 getting the sound from the board and with a wide shot of the whole stage, 2. a Pannasonic "somethingorothermodel" 3 chip on mainly the main vocalist with a med. shot....also with an audiotechnics mic for ambient crowd sound, and 3 a mobile operator with my GL2 for closeups and crown reaction shots... The Gl2's footage looks fantastic....the D8 is a bit overexposed and I'll only use any footage from it if I have nothing else....and the other stationary of the singer was OK....Next time I'd have a mobile operator and hire another guy to man one of the stationary cams....I think I'll be able to edit something reasonably good though out of the 6hrs. of footage I've got...Not bad considering our $0 budget Len

January 30th, 2006, 06:24 PM	#4
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	Yeah, when you've got something you can show . . . please do . . . __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

January 30th, 2006, 07:34 PM	#5
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Many thanks for the commentary and request so see some footage. 1st. Some corrections: Paul won a Latin Grammy and Liza's correct name is Eliza. 2nd. Given the style of music videos I probably should have shot in a wider aspect ratio. 3rd. And yes I will post some footage, however two things we still have to get some cutaways for further telling of the lyrics and also I do have to get permission from Paul, and last but not least, learn how to convert the files to be able to post some footage on the internet. As I said we are editing with Premiere Pro 1.5. I am hoping that I can do everything Paul wants and not have to purchase more software. All in all was a great experience. Paul was happy with the coverage to date and we have another artist who wants a music video. However we are waiting untill this one is finallized. Meanwhile I have to get the footage on the hard drive so Paul can view it. I did some photos for him for his web site. This a page they appear on: http://homepage.mac.com/paulhoyle/orchestralarrang.html What is interesting is that he is Mac based I am PC based. All for now, and I promise you all will see some footage as soon as I get clearances and better yet when the project is finished and in the can. Yours, Tom Elliott __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

February 3rd, 2006, 10:21 AM	#6
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Minor up date: Paul Hoyle e-mailed me an MP3 of the song. I burned a CD copy of the song and then loaded it into the project. Lined up the the video with the MP3. So far so good PERFECT sync. The talent made it happed. This Sunday Paul and I going out to do the gehtto/rich backgrounds. He will drive and I will shoot with the GL2. Because of both of our other professional commitements we pland on a two hour shoot, not neccesarily two hours of video, but just the two hours to get what we think we might need. Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

January 30th, 2006, 02:44 PM	#3
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Nice one Tom! - The XM2 is a superb piece of kit for the price. Every time I use it I get stunned by what it can capture and present. Would REALLY like to see some footage of your work? - Yeah? Grazie

February 25th, 2006, 05:15 AM	#7
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Out late last night to get some more "b" camera cutaways. Rained like crazy on Lincoln Road Mall here in "Sunny" Miami. Still need more. However I showed the first rough cut to my client, Paul Hoyle the music producer. He loved it and coached me on the general techniques of cutting musicals. This project has been nothing short of a "silver box" assignment = perfect assignement in all ways and a great way to learn Premiere Pro 1.5 and my GL2. Also learning how to work "with" others. I know now why making films is a team effort. I like it. Of course this team is only four: me, Paul (person who hired me and the producer/director), Eliza (the performer), Jennifer (Eliza's mom/makeup/costume/general gaffer best "boy". After showing the rough cut, rumour has it there is more money to come. YES!!! Yours, Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

February 25th, 2006, 08:43 AM	#8
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Tom, Go 4 It! Graze

April 2nd, 2006, 09:29 AM	#9
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Whew! Final cut done yesterday in an intense 5 hour session. Well, intense for me anyway, a walk in the park for Paul Hoyle. He was VERY patient for he know all the keyboard short cuts. I am now on a mission to 1: Get a training DVD on Premeire 2: Get a keyboard just for Premeire 3: Learn the keyboard shortcuts 4: Practice, practice, and....practice 5: DREAM HARDWARE (aside from a faster box) DUAL MONITORS like maybe 36inchers!?!?!? Friends have told me that when Paul is in his editing suite for music, it is like watching a concert pianist playing the "Flight of the Bumble Bee". Paul was VERY VERY patient with me. The session probably could have been much shorter had I been more familiar with Premiere and knew the keyboard strokes. Also a minor glitch: Make sure all, and I mean ALL cables are FIRMLY connected. My firewire was not thus we only had the the laptop monitor to veiw our work on. I went to the Photoshop Convention that was held here in Miami and got trial versions??? (two cds) of the newest Production Suite. I am presently looking for a way to load it without disterbing my current installation of Premiere Pro 1.5 for it works. Would loading it on an external HD be the way to go?? Anyway the experience was great and Paul and I agreed that it was fun and a growing experience. I am looking for more clients like Paul. Not only for music videos, but just clinets in general with his patience and coaching skills. Thanks Paul. All for now. Now working on archiving the master cut and learning how to repurpose the video for different kinds of presentations. For now, Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

April 7th, 2006, 05:55 AM	#10
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Meeting with Paul Hoyle today to resolve sync problem of half of a frame off. I think I solved it about three am this moring using the slip tool on the master sound track. Since it was not LOCKED to picture the Slip Tool works on the sound track the same as it does on the picture tracks, at least I hope it did. I frankly need his eye and ears to make sure. Other than that I am ready to burned the DVDs (did already but the synce problem showed up) and prepare the video for you guys and gals to see. Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

April 7th, 2006, 08:11 PM	#11
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	DID SOLVE THE half frame sync problem. Since he has a Mac I now have to figure out on how to send him a edited music video file so he can add credits and repurpose the file for the internet. Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

May 9th, 2006, 01:47 PM	#12
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	I know I have said this before, however just made a quicktime and sent it to Paul for approval. There is to be a small concert to kick off Eliza's cd and the video will be shown at that time AND I am also to video the event. Because of a head bobbling out of frame at the top, did a last minute "Letterbox" croping so one can see the her head. Not shot with letterbox in mind, but at least random overscans won't do more damage. Waiting for approval. I might have to do a little less that the offical letterbox so that compositions aren't completely ruined. Maybe make it cropped to safe titlel areas. We shall see. Yours, Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

May 9th, 2006, 10:33 PM	#13
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	music video Tom, I am looking forward to seeing your music video as soon as you can get it up and running. I will be doing my first comercial music video this summer. One muscian playing all the instruments to the song. Wants to have three of himself on stage. That may be a challange. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

May 10th, 2006, 11:38 AM	#14
Tom Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 75	Wow, three of the star in one shot! Back in the late 60's that was an incredible feat of special EFX. I think ABC-TV did it first with one of their shows. Now I am sure it is much easier, however can it be done with the Adobe Suite? Since reading your e-mail I have been trying to figure it out. Wouldn't one take have to have your star against a blue/green screen? Or do you intend to roto all the takes with After EFXs? All the best to you, Yours, Tom __________________ Tom Elliott - Photographer http://www.tom-elliott-photography.com Studio Phone: 305-251-4315 Miami, Florida

May 12th, 2006, 11:20 PM	#15
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	green screen I was going over it with the performer this afternoon. The plan is to shoot with a country background, probablly hilly not overly to much detail. I will place the original footage with the musician to one side of the wide screen and back a bit. I will then croma key in the musician playing the other instruments setting up to place one center and one to the other side. At least that is the plan. I have preimere pro and after effects so i will get it done one way or the other. I also do not plan to run all three together for the full length of the video but rather short segments scattered through the video using close ups between the various shots. I have a freind that is a pro photogapher and I will borrow his studio to do the chroma shoots. I am looking forward to the challange of it all, definitely the most complex project i have undertaken. Onoy hope I can pull it off. I am open to any suggestions, that is for certain!! __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen