Aussie band Promo video at DVinfo.net

Matthew Ebenezer · April 30th, 2005, 08:07 PM

I'd like to share a promo video I've put together for an Australian band called Soulframe. Comments and feedback on the video are most welcome.

http://www.ebenezerfilms.com/010_Soulframe_Promo.wmv

The video will be sent out to prospective promoters/concerts/festivals to help garner the band more gigs. The video will be accompanied by a printed bio etc ...

Thanks,

Matthew.

Rob Lohman · May 1st, 2005, 06:47 AM

I thought it was nicely done, felt okay. However, I also felt it was perhaps
just a tad over the top on color corrections and stuff, especially in the
sections inbetween the concert footage (which was slightly over exposed?).

Nice job though!

Matthew Ebenezer · May 15th, 2005, 11:36 PM

Hi Rob,

Thanks for you feedback on the video.

The over exposure was actually the intention but possibly because that "random" footage in between the concert footage was shot with an old Sony Digital8 handicam :)

The rest of it was pieced together from a documentary the band gave me (shot on who knows what?), the live concert footage (shot on a variety of Sony PD150, PD170 etc.. and captured from a DVD) and concert footage from my own Canon XL2.

I've also noticed that compressing to WMV darkens the image a lot and changes the end result. Not sure whether this is just the price you pay with compression etc ... or something I'm not getting right.

Anyway, thanks again.

Matthew.

Dave Ferdinand · May 17th, 2005, 06:36 PM

I acutally liked the contrast between the live footage and the 'artsy' inserts you placed throught the video. It gives it a real life/dream feel to it which works well.

Mainly when dealing with music videography it's good to go a bit overboard and do something a little different. Not be too shy or conservative, and I think you weren't.

Good stuff.

Matthew Ebenezer · May 17th, 2005, 06:43 PM

Thanks Dave - appreciate your comments.

Josh Allen · May 17th, 2005, 07:47 PM

I really enjoyed it. I like the footage quite a bit and also liked the artsy b-roll stuff that is in there. Good job.

Sean McHenry · May 17th, 2005, 09:21 PM

Wow. I liked it. Good use of disconnected colorized shots. I liked it.

We just shot a live band promo and I am sending the link to your video to our producer/director to show her what's possible.

Thanks,

Sean

Thomas OHara · May 17th, 2005, 11:48 PM

good stuff you got going here! as for the artsy stuff i liked the greenish-tree shot best. I actually thought as the video went on it could have used a little bit more of the "random" shots.

Terry Thompson · May 18th, 2005, 12:35 AM

Goodday,

Watched it a couple of times. Most of the shots were well composed and there were some very good lighting effects. I liked the song.

My question is...Is this video to promote the band or show a music video? If it's to promote the band it needs more of the band and less of unrelated footage. Your song is good and it is musical (which I can't say about much of the music these days) so the disjointed effect you were trying to achieve did exactly that. It left me disjointed and unnerved as I couldn't focus on one thing long enough to get a "feel" for it. Kind of like when you have a fever and can't sleep with your mind racing. I don't think this was a "mind racing" song.

I would like to see you make a video with more "soul" in it meaning more emotion generating footage and less all-over-the-place footage. You've got the music down as well as shot composition. It would be great to see more of the band members in close ups and interacting with each other and the crowd.

I like the video in pieces but not as a whole. That reflects my own personal taste and you might be focused on a different type of person.

Good luck in your endevors and thanks for putting it up for comments.

Thanks,

Tery

Matthew Ebenezer · May 18th, 2005, 04:05 AM

Thanks again for the comments.

Terry,

The video will be used to promote the band. It will be sent to potential concert promotors/venues etc ... to try and get them gigs. It will be accompanied by their written bio which outlines their acheivements/awards won/big gigs played etc .... The bio will be informational, whereas the video is more to create an impression/feel for the band.

The brief given to me by the band requested the kind of chaotic/random feel. I'm hoping to put something together for another one of their songs using some more 'emotive' footage I've gathered.

I agree with you about the live footage - unfortunately I didn't have any control over the shooting of that - it was all done by the video team at that particular festival. I only had control of my XL2 which was used to fill out their footage. I remember saying that I wish I could clone about 6 or 7 copies of myself and my XL2 to capture concerts :)

Having said that though - the video team's main focus was providing footage for the two big screens at the side of the stage - for the crowd to see better. Just a bonus it came up well enough to use for another purposes.

Thanks again.

Matthew.

Terry Thompson · May 18th, 2005, 10:12 AM

Matthew,

I appreciated all the work that went into it-especially the editing. Those who do editing know what a big thing that is.

I'll like to see something where you are in charge.

Tery

Matthew Ebenezer · May 21st, 2005, 07:11 PM

Thanks to everybody for the feedback.

The link has been down for a few days but is now working again if others want to take a look.

Matthew.

Ken Beals · May 28th, 2005, 09:02 PM

Just being curious. Was the video "built" on top of a studio produced version of the song ? (Which by the way is a cool song)

I have heard a few considerations that "decision makers" (ie Club managers,concert promoters etc.) employ when viewing a promo music video that's designed to persuade them to sign up the band for gigs;

1) They would like to hear some live audio
- the thought being : in studio anyone can be made to sound phenomenal but can they produce a great sound live?

2) Are there shots of actual audience or fans? If they hire this band will they rock the house.
- Does the video show raving fans or emotionally numbed zombies
- by the way, the shots you had at the bands live performance definitely gave the impression of raving fans.

Am sure each decision maker looks for different things , these are merely a few insights I've discovered hanging around musicians and those who hire musicians.

Appreciate your work !

~kb

Matthew Ebenezer · May 29th, 2005, 05:48 AM

Ken,

Yes, the video was built on top of a studio track. Luckily the band plays to a click-track so syncing it up wasn't too difficult. The live audio that was recorded was of very poor quality (the recording of it, not the band's playing) so I made the decision to go with the studio version.

All the fan shots occur "as is" throughout the performance - i.e. no crowd shots were inserted to make it look better - it's all 100% live action.

Thanks for your tips about what promoters etc ... are looking for. Your comments are much appreciated.

Matthew.

April 30th, 2005, 08:07 PM	#1
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Aussie band Promo video I'd like to share a promo video I've put together for an Australian band called Soulframe. Comments and feedback on the video are most welcome. http://www.ebenezerfilms.com/010_Soulframe_Promo.wmv The video will be sent out to prospective promoters/concerts/festivals to help garner the band more gigs. The video will be accompanied by a printed bio etc ... Thanks, Matthew.

May 1st, 2005, 06:47 AM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I thought it was nicely done, felt okay. However, I also felt it was perhaps just a tad over the top on color corrections and stuff, especially in the sections inbetween the concert footage (which was slightly over exposed?). Nice job though! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 17th, 2005, 06:36 PM	#4
Dave Ferdinand Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 359	I acutally liked the contrast between the live footage and the 'artsy' inserts you placed throught the video. It gives it a real life/dream feel to it which works well. Mainly when dealing with music videography it's good to go a bit overboard and do something a little different. Not be too shy or conservative, and I think you weren't. Good stuff. __________________ Do or do not, there is no try.

May 17th, 2005, 09:21 PM	#7
Sean McHenry Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hilliard, Ohio Posts: 1,193	Wow. I liked it. Good use of disconnected colorized shots. I liked it. We just shot a live band promo and I am sending the link to your video to our producer/director to show her what's possible. Thanks, Sean __________________ ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m shooting on D.V.’ - my hero - David Lynch http://www.DeepBlueEdit.com

May 18th, 2005, 12:35 AM	#9
Terry Thompson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 578	Goodday, Watched it a couple of times. Most of the shots were well composed and there were some very good lighting effects. I liked the song. My question is...Is this video to promote the band or show a music video? If it's to promote the band it needs more of the band and less of unrelated footage. Your song is good and it is musical (which I can't say about much of the music these days) so the disjointed effect you were trying to achieve did exactly that. It left me disjointed and unnerved as I couldn't focus on one thing long enough to get a "feel" for it. Kind of like when you have a fever and can't sleep with your mind racing. I don't think this was a "mind racing" song. I would like to see you make a video with more "soul" in it meaning more emotion generating footage and less all-over-the-place footage. You've got the music down as well as shot composition. It would be great to see more of the band members in close ups and interacting with each other and the crowd. I like the video in pieces but not as a whole. That reflects my own personal taste and you might be focused on a different type of person. Good luck in your endevors and thanks for putting it up for comments. Thanks, Tery __________________ He's only mostly sDEADy. sort of from "The Princess Bride" www.indicam.com

May 15th, 2005, 11:36 PM	#3
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Hi Rob, Thanks for you feedback on the video. The over exposure was actually the intention but possibly because that "random" footage in between the concert footage was shot with an old Sony Digital8 handicam :) The rest of it was pieced together from a documentary the band gave me (shot on who knows what?), the live concert footage (shot on a variety of Sony PD150, PD170 etc.. and captured from a DVD) and concert footage from my own Canon XL2. I've also noticed that compressing to WMV darkens the image a lot and changes the end result. Not sure whether this is just the price you pay with compression etc ... or something I'm not getting right. Anyway, thanks again. Matthew.

May 17th, 2005, 06:43 PM	#5
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Thanks Dave - appreciate your comments.

May 17th, 2005, 07:47 PM	#6
Josh Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wildomar, CA Posts: 89	I really enjoyed it. I like the footage quite a bit and also liked the artsy b-roll stuff that is in there. Good job.

May 17th, 2005, 11:48 PM	#8
Thomas OHara Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 37	good stuff you got going here! as for the artsy stuff i liked the greenish-tree shot best. I actually thought as the video went on it could have used a little bit more of the "random" shots.

May 18th, 2005, 04:05 AM	#10
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Thanks again for the comments. Terry, The video will be used to promote the band. It will be sent to potential concert promotors/venues etc ... to try and get them gigs. It will be accompanied by their written bio which outlines their acheivements/awards won/big gigs played etc .... The bio will be informational, whereas the video is more to create an impression/feel for the band. The brief given to me by the band requested the kind of chaotic/random feel. I'm hoping to put something together for another one of their songs using some more 'emotive' footage I've gathered. I agree with you about the live footage - unfortunately I didn't have any control over the shooting of that - it was all done by the video team at that particular festival. I only had control of my XL2 which was used to fill out their footage. I remember saying that I wish I could clone about 6 or 7 copies of myself and my XL2 to capture concerts :) Having said that though - the video team's main focus was providing footage for the two big screens at the side of the stage - for the crowd to see better. Just a bonus it came up well enough to use for another purposes. Thanks again. Matthew.

May 18th, 2005, 10:12 AM	#11
Terry Thompson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 578	Matthew, I appreciated all the work that went into it-especially the editing. Those who do editing know what a big thing that is. I'll like to see something where you are in charge. Tery __________________ He's only mostly sDEADy. sort of from "The Princess Bride" www.indicam.com

May 21st, 2005, 07:11 PM	#12
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Thanks to everybody for the feedback. The link has been down for a few days but is now working again if others want to take a look. Matthew.

May 28th, 2005, 09:02 PM	#13
Ken Beals Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tempe, Az Posts: 172	Just being curious. Was the video "built" on top of a studio produced version of the song ? (Which by the way is a cool song) I have heard a few considerations that "decision makers" (ie Club managers,concert promoters etc.) employ when viewing a promo music video that's designed to persuade them to sign up the band for gigs; 1) They would like to hear some live audio - the thought being : in studio anyone can be made to sound phenomenal but can they produce a great sound live? 2) Are there shots of actual audience or fans? If they hire this band will they rock the house. - Does the video show raving fans or emotionally numbed zombies - by the way, the shots you had at the bands live performance definitely gave the impression of raving fans. Am sure each decision maker looks for different things , these are merely a few insights I've discovered hanging around musicians and those who hire musicians. Appreciate your work ! ~kb __________________ Mediocrity is a disease...

May 29th, 2005, 05:48 AM	#14
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Ken, Yes, the video was built on top of a studio track. Luckily the band plays to a click-track so syncing it up wasn't too difficult. The live audio that was recorded was of very poor quality (the recording of it, not the band's playing) so I made the decision to go with the studio version. All the fan shots occur "as is" throughout the performance - i.e. no crowd shots were inserted to make it look better - it's all 100% live action. Thanks for your tips about what promoters etc ... are looking for. Your comments are much appreciated. Matthew.