How to make a music video? at DVinfo.net

Mel Abdo · April 5th, 2007, 07:04 PM

I made a song, and now, I want to make a music video for it.
The only thing that I don't know how to do it sync it up while editing!
Actually, I have no idea how to shoot this at all.

I've got FCP, a camera, and a tripod.
Let the replies pour in :D

Stick Tully · April 6th, 2007, 02:43 AM

what sort of music is it?

im going to presume there is a vocal on the track. If so whilst filming get your artist to sing along in sync.. make sure your microphone picks up their voice + the sound you are playing

but plan out the video before you begin shooting... a narrative or interesting concept will make it much better to watch... youtubes a good place for researching videos to similar genres you are aiming for

but be original ;)

as for syncing it up.. once the footage is captured onto your editing station cut your footage and match it to a .wav or .aiff of the track (in full quality) so that it syncs... you might have to toy around to get it exactly in sync, but when you do.. you'll know

a frame either side of the perfect sync point and the 2 audio sources will sound off, but once you hit it on point you will know that its right. once you have you can mute your recorded audio and play your clip back, if synced correctly it should look perfectly matched with the original song

it may take a while but shuffling your clip a frame to left or right on the timeline you should be able to accurately hit it

Best of luck

Steve House · April 6th, 2007, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Abdo

I made a song, and now, I want to make a music video for it.
The only thing that I don't know how to do it sync it up while editing!
Actually, I have no idea how to shoot this at all.

I've got FCP, a camera, and a tripod.
Let the replies pour in :D

You need a concept and a script before you do anything else. It's going to take one set of techniques to shoot a lone performer playing acoustic guitar on a bare stage and a whole different set (not to mention budget) if you envision a dozen Cobra helicopters dancing a Fandango in the skies around the Statue of Liberty in time to your music. For anyone here to be of much help with the techniques you need, you're going to have to post a lot more detail of just what you're trying to do.

Evan Donn · April 6th, 2007, 09:28 AM

Take your song into final cut pro, drop it into a sequence, and fill the video track with slug. Don't start the song right at the start of the sequence - have it start about 30 seconds in. Apply the Timecode Reader filter to the slug.

Now you have a copy of the song with visible timecode - you need some way to play this back on your set/shoot location with the timecode visible. You could:

- record it out to dv tape and play it from a spare camcorder with an lcd.
- export it as a quicktime movie and play it from a laptop
- burn it to a DVD and play it on a portable player or tv

The best option depends on your resources - here's how you use it:

- Start recording with your camera
- start playing the timecode video.
- point your camera at the timecode video playback device (camera/laptop/tv) for just a second or two.
- frame up your shot again
- play along with the audio from your timecode video
- repeat as many times as neccessary for alternate takes, angles, etc.

After you've captured all of your clips into FCP, just line up the timecode that is visible at the start of each shot with the timecode that's on your original music sequence and every shot should sync up perfectly.

Mel Abdo · April 6th, 2007, 01:02 PM

I'm more confused than a chicken at a slaughterhouse!

I'm not so good with all this timecode stuff...

I just want to sync up a video with a prerecorded sound! Although, if I even go off beat for a second, the whole video is messed up.

????

Steve House · April 6th, 2007, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Abdo

I'm more confused than a chicken at a slaughterhouse!

I'm not so good with all this timecode stuff...

I just want to sync up a video with a prerecorded sound! Although, if I even go off beat for a second, the whole video is messed up.

????

That's why you need to shoot the video to a playback of the pre-recorded music if the picture and sound need to be in sync (like lip sync for singers, the drum sticks hit the drum head at the instant their sound is heard, dancers are in step to the music, etc) AND you need an absolute time reference of some sort that's identical in both the music track and the video that allows you to align an identifiable instant in the music to its matching frame of picture. You can't shoot without the playback and common reference and have a hope of matching them up in post. You don't necessarily HAVE to use timecode but you do have to have something that serves the same function - you can re-record the music during playback and use a conventional clapper slate at the start of each shot to sync things up, for example, but code makes it easier.

Mel Abdo · April 7th, 2007, 06:38 AM

I've finally done it!
I recorded me lip-synching to the song in slow motion, then sped it up in post!
I then set the in points to to when the song started on the boombox, and made a multiclip!

:D

Alessandro Di Vita · April 7th, 2007, 10:17 AM

Uh, Lipsync! The easiest thing to do in music videos.
1)Make sure your playback song on set is the exact one you'll be cutting to in post.
2)Make sure on set that your performer is actually IN SYNC with the song.
3)If you run into problems in post, you can always move the clip up or down by a frame or two to get it right.
4)If you run into speed problems, you can always map the time in a software like After Effects where you can use the timeremapping feature to speed up or slow down a cut for like 2 to 3% (usually you won't be off more than this) -- the timewarp is a huge problem saver in post, but the downside is compression.

Good luck mate!

April 5th, 2007, 07:04 PM	#1
Mel Abdo Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 42	How to make a music video? I made a song, and now, I want to make a music video for it. The only thing that I don't know how to do it sync it up while editing! Actually, I have no idea how to shoot this at all. I've got FCP, a camera, and a tripod. Let the replies pour in :D

April 6th, 2007, 02:43 AM	#2
Stick Tully Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton Posts: 92	what sort of music is it? im going to presume there is a vocal on the track. If so whilst filming get your artist to sing along in sync.. make sure your microphone picks up their voice + the sound you are playing but plan out the video before you begin shooting... a narrative or interesting concept will make it much better to watch... youtubes a good place for researching videos to similar genres you are aiming for but be original ;) as for syncing it up.. once the footage is captured onto your editing station cut your footage and match it to a .wav or .aiff of the track (in full quality) so that it syncs... you might have to toy around to get it exactly in sync, but when you do.. you'll know a frame either side of the perfect sync point and the 2 audio sources will sound off, but once you hit it on point you will know that its right. once you have you can mute your recorded audio and play your clip back, if synced correctly it should look perfectly matched with the original song it may take a while but shuffling your clip a frame to left or right on the timeline you should be able to accurately hit it Best of luck

April 6th, 2007, 09:28 AM	#4
Evan Donn Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 795	Take your song into final cut pro, drop it into a sequence, and fill the video track with slug. Don't start the song right at the start of the sequence - have it start about 30 seconds in. Apply the Timecode Reader filter to the slug. Now you have a copy of the song with visible timecode - you need some way to play this back on your set/shoot location with the timecode visible. You could: - record it out to dv tape and play it from a spare camcorder with an lcd. - export it as a quicktime movie and play it from a laptop - burn it to a DVD and play it on a portable player or tv The best option depends on your resources - here's how you use it: - Start recording with your camera - start playing the timecode video. - point your camera at the timecode video playback device (camera/laptop/tv) for just a second or two. - frame up your shot again - play along with the audio from your timecode video - repeat as many times as neccessary for alternate takes, angles, etc. After you've captured all of your clips into FCP, just line up the timecode that is visible at the start of each shot with the timecode that's on your original music sequence and every shot should sync up perfectly.

April 6th, 2007, 01:02 PM	#5
Mel Abdo Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 42	I'm more confused than a chicken at a slaughterhouse! I'm not so good with all this timecode stuff... I just want to sync up a video with a prerecorded sound! Although, if I even go off beat for a second, the whole video is messed up. ????

April 7th, 2007, 06:38 AM	#7
Mel Abdo Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 42	I've finally done it! I recorded me lip-synching to the song in slow motion, then sped it up in post! I then set the in points to to when the song started on the boombox, and made a multiclip! :D

April 7th, 2007, 10:17 AM	#8
Alessandro Di Vita New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Beirut, Lebanon Posts: 5	Uh, Lipsync! The easiest thing to do in music videos. 1)Make sure your playback song on set is the exact one you'll be cutting to in post. 2)Make sure on set that your performer is actually IN SYNC with the song. 3)If you run into problems in post, you can always move the clip up or down by a frame or two to get it right. 4)If you run into speed problems, you can always map the time in a software like After Effects where you can use the timeremapping feature to speed up or slow down a cut for like 2 to 3% (usually you won't be off more than this) -- the timewarp is a huge problem saver in post, but the downside is compression. Good luck mate!