Sci-Fi fantasy short film (as a music video for a synthpop band)

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Hi! It's been a long time since I last posted something in this dear forum that's made me grow so much since the early HDV years. :)

I've been very busy, lucky me, and this is a part of what's had me occupied: a short film I was commissioned to do as a music video for synthpop band Distant Project (Distant Project Music | offical website | synthpop universal).

It was a very hard task to tackle, as I filled pretty much every role with the help of two assistants (plus the occasional girlfriend and actor) only through the three day shooting schedule (with the exception of a friend, a couple of relatives and again my girlfriend helping on pre-production with the costumes). But the end result was very well worth it. Please tell me what you think!

Distant Project - 'Life Source Reborn' on Vimeo

For those interested, it was shot on the Panasonic GH2 with two Minolta MD lenses (actually, one is a 28mm f2.8 Rokinon and the other is a 50mm f1.7 Minolta Rokkor-X).
And, by the way, here's a three way comparison of the storyboard, the raw edited footage and the final composite so you can see exactly what work has been done to get the image I was after!

Before & After - 'Life Source Reborn' (Storyboard / Raw Footage / Final comparison) on Vimeo

[Mark Koha]

Holy crap. That looks awesome.

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Thanks a lot! :)

[Alan Melville]

Ernesto,

Watched it twice and then watched the Storyboard.

Pretty cool, mate...... prrretty cool!!!! :)

Al

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Thanks, man!

[Buba Kastorski]

Amazing work!

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Thank you!

[Steven Digges]

Great stuff! One comment. The video was so cool it overpowered the "music video". My brain was viewing it as a movie, I could not interpret it as a music video. Even when I tried to focus on the music it just seemed to drone on as a background track for good video. Intense visually and very well done. Music lacked spark and fire. Not trying to be negative, just my take on the music. Imagery was outstanding. Even the acting as good. I would be very proud of a piece like that if I shot it.

Steve

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Thanks a lot! That's actually a great compliment for me. I feel a music video should make the song more powerful and follow the changes in intensity it has, but this one did also inspire me into making a story and the song kinda became the soundtrack of the short film. The band is really glad with the result and they actually want to continue the story in the final video of their next album, which is something I'm all up for.
I love telling stories, and love how I was able to tell one with this song, and specially with the creative freedom I was given. Up from the start, the first time I heard this song when I had my interview with the band, a couple of weeks before we made "Love Room", I knew this song needed a story and the images coming to my head were those of the space and that pulsing light was the first sure thing I had. It grew from there.

I know somehow I shouldn't take protagonism off of the song, but I love that I was able to tell a story of mine and get paid for it! Plus they are getting recognition for having done such a video which is unheard of in our region. Now, they only comissioned it and found some lady to do the costumes (oh, and they acted) but it's natural they get praise from their fans and people watching the video, and that's what they were aiming for.
So all in all, it's been successful.