Apollo (Original Music Video) at DVinfo.net

Nick Rothwell · May 10th, 2009, 02:48 AM

What I'm posting today, is my first try at a music video, we got rained out and missed a lot of shot opportunities so near the end the video starts to fall apart so to speak. I will happily take any criticism constructive or not. I know this video has many flaws but I learned a lot while making it. It was shot on a barebones Canon HV30.

I recently made a pledge to film, edit and upload at least one video every week (this week being the 4th) and I have to say that it is really helping me to get out there and film, and I hope to improve over time.

YouTube - Apollo (Original Music Video)

thanks ;)

Paul R Johnson · May 10th, 2009, 04:34 AM

I couldn't quite work out if the inside and outside shots had some kind of link - why was she in the water. actually lots of questions. why was the glass in focus important. Were the out of focus outside shots out of focus for a reason? The one overwhelming thing that by the end was driving me mad was the lip-synch. Frankly, she's rubbish at it and needs to get much better. Not just the timing but facial expressions that don't match what we hear.

The song is boring, and she looks like she just came back from the shops. There's been no attempt to use lighting or makeup that look 'artistic'. Some shots work hand held, others need support badly, because the movement detracts, rather than enhances. Overall, I thought it an attempt to be a bit clever, that didn't quite come off because of the material, not so much the production. What was the significance of the clock?

I think I may have missed the point a little.

I'm assuming the strange singing style is because she's french language first, english second?
Technique wise - the only thing that really jarred was the sudden zoom near the start. The rest of my comments are to do with the art style concept, and a duff song.

Lori Starfelt · May 10th, 2009, 12:12 PM

Nick,

You've got a way to go but you're at the beginning so that's okay. :) The only thing that really bugged me was the shots of her sitting at the table - particularly in the beginning. While I don't like any of them, it's nowhere near strong enough to our first visual introduction to the singer. I think you need something more dynamic there. If that was somehow changed, or reshot, and the lip synch was tied up a bit, I think you'd be in good shape with your first video. The indoor/outdoor stuff was fine with me, I don't need a connection there. i liked the shots of her in her shorts sitting playing her guitar with her bare legs sticking out. Cute and sexy.

If you don't have a lighting kit, look at the Lowel DV Creator series. They are really well thought out, fairly light to carry around and not terribly expensive.

Best of luck.

Nick Rothwell · May 10th, 2009, 02:27 PM

@ Paul, thanks for your honesty! The subject of her song is a french poet named apolliniare, who was responsible for some of the first "surrealist" work he was also an alcoholic and had his vices. I tried to make the outdoor scenes a little surreal, that's why a lot of them were out of focus. They were shot in focus, but I altered them after. I'll admit that there was no attention to lighting or makeup, I've not progressed that far yet :P. The significance of the clock was one of the themes in her song "time flows on" So I wanted to show time flowing at the beginning and end.

@Lori, thanks for all this feedback! I'm glad you didn't like those shots either. I hated having to use them. The real problem was that we ran out of time shooting and I had to use some of my test shots in the final video! A light kit is the next thing on my list of things I need to acquire.

@ both, I agree the lip sync was my biggest issue, and a lot of it had to do with the way that I shot it, and now I at least know what I did wrong and what to look out for next time!
Thank you both for your feedback, all the best!

May 10th, 2009, 02:48 AM	#1
Nick Rothwell Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St.Catharines, Canada Posts: 33	Apollo (Original Music Video) What I'm posting today, is my first try at a music video, we got rained out and missed a lot of shot opportunities so near the end the video starts to fall apart so to speak. I will happily take any criticism constructive or not. I know this video has many flaws but I learned a lot while making it. It was shot on a barebones Canon HV30. I recently made a pledge to film, edit and upload at least one video every week (this week being the 4th) and I have to say that it is really helping me to get out there and film, and I hope to improve over time. YouTube - Apollo (Original Music Video) thanks ;)

May 10th, 2009, 04:34 AM	#2
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,049	I couldn't quite work out if the inside and outside shots had some kind of link - why was she in the water. actually lots of questions. why was the glass in focus important. Were the out of focus outside shots out of focus for a reason? The one overwhelming thing that by the end was driving me mad was the lip-synch. Frankly, she's rubbish at it and needs to get much better. Not just the timing but facial expressions that don't match what we hear. The song is boring, and she looks like she just came back from the shops. There's been no attempt to use lighting or makeup that look 'artistic'. Some shots work hand held, others need support badly, because the movement detracts, rather than enhances. Overall, I thought it an attempt to be a bit clever, that didn't quite come off because of the material, not so much the production. What was the significance of the clock? I think I may have missed the point a little. I'm assuming the strange singing style is because she's french language first, english second? Technique wise - the only thing that really jarred was the sudden zoom near the start. The rest of my comments are to do with the art style concept, and a duff song.

May 10th, 2009, 12:12 PM	#3
Lori Starfelt Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Los Angeles, california Posts: 228	Nick, You've got a way to go but you're at the beginning so that's okay. :) The only thing that really bugged me was the shots of her sitting at the table - particularly in the beginning. While I don't like any of them, it's nowhere near strong enough to our first visual introduction to the singer. I think you need something more dynamic there. If that was somehow changed, or reshot, and the lip synch was tied up a bit, I think you'd be in good shape with your first video. The indoor/outdoor stuff was fine with me, I don't need a connection there. i liked the shots of her in her shorts sitting playing her guitar with her bare legs sticking out. Cute and sexy. If you don't have a lighting kit, look at the Lowel DV Creator series. They are really well thought out, fairly light to carry around and not terribly expensive. Best of luck.

May 10th, 2009, 02:27 PM	#4
Nick Rothwell Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St.Catharines, Canada Posts: 33	@ Paul, thanks for your honesty! The subject of her song is a french poet named apolliniare, who was responsible for some of the first "surrealist" work he was also an alcoholic and had his vices. I tried to make the outdoor scenes a little surreal, that's why a lot of them were out of focus. They were shot in focus, but I altered them after. I'll admit that there was no attention to lighting or makeup, I've not progressed that far yet :P. The significance of the clock was one of the themes in her song "time flows on" So I wanted to show time flowing at the beginning and end. @Lori, thanks for all this feedback! I'm glad you didn't like those shots either. I hated having to use them. The real problem was that we ran out of time shooting and I had to use some of my test shots in the final video! A light kit is the next thing on my list of things I need to acquire. @ both, I agree the lip sync was my biggest issue, and a lot of it had to do with the way that I shot it, and now I at least know what I did wrong and what to look out for next time! Thank you both for your feedback, all the best!