Video Production

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by gfirob

The camera is set up wide open (which I think is about 4.5 on that cheap zoom lens) with an exposure index (or the digital equivalent of ASA) of 800

I'm surprised the video is that dark with the aperture all the way open and (ASA) 800. But...

And the iphone is exposing for the equipment and letting the windows burn out.

This is probably the key. The iPhone auto-exposure (and probably my Galaxy too) tries to balance everything and boost the darker areas. I think if I were able to manually set the exposure it would help. I think my lighting is not bad, but the camera is getting in the way.

I may try some experiments later using still photos, since I do have some amount of manual control for those.

[gfirob]

Well the back wall where the book shelves are is probably 15 or 18 feet from the windows, and exposing for the lit face, they are going to be down a stop or two. But a good camera with more manual control will allow you to control the light better for sure, not to mention the focus.

Probably the biggest thing is the physical distance between the subject and the background. This will give you the most options for separating the subject from the background and make the shot feel less crowded, less claustrophobic. But not everybody has access to big rooms...

[Al Acuff]

I used to work at 'Stereophile' magazine and one of the reviewers came up with a rule that goes, "The better the recording the worse the performance."

It's understandable that because you are focused on the production values your performance is a little stiff. You play and sing well. Your singing and picking remind me of Utah Phillips who I like tremendously.

Even if your video and audio production are perfect your primary job is to sell the song and to make me believe you. If you want some advice I'd suggest that you loosen up a little bit and put more emotion into the performance. If you have fun the audience will have fun!

The best thing about some of the alone at home videos is the heartfelt performances. I'm OK with seeing and hearing a rough and unpolished production as long as the performance is heartfelt. Just my 2 cents.

[gfirob]

That's a fair point, Al, and we certainly see this as otherwise very accomplished performers struggle to play to an ipad or a video camera alone in their room. To be completely honest, I don't know if I am actually capable of any more than this performance in the way of selling the song or whatever, though I am much more comfortable playing for people rather than a whole lot of hardware and technical issues. I think a lot of players feel the absence of an audience when trying to do one of these videos. I notice that many people even have a problem making eye contact with the camera.

Your point, which I would interpret as the importance of really inhabiting the song, really being relaxed in it and owning it, is a challenge for anybody, but of course those are the best performances. Being in an empty room looking at a lens does make that harder, but thanks for the thoughtful comment.

[Silly Moustache]

All that gear is too much for me, but thanks for reminding me of a song I used to sing way back and now, hopefully will do so again, although about two tones down!

[Al Acuff]

Agreed, overseeing all the technical aspects of video production makes it difficult to perform spontaneously in the moment.

I have found that even with plain old audio recordings I can get a better performance when I play to someone who is in my studio listening while I record. I have a buddy who actually bought some second hand store mannequins and has them in his home studio for an audience. Whatever works is OK LOL.

When I worked in TV my agent used to say that performing is about "having a private moment in public." She never said it would be easy, but it sure can be a lot of fun

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by Al Acuff

Agreed, overseeing all the technical aspects of video production makes it difficult to perform spontaneously in the moment.

There's also the "red light effect"--when that red RECORD button lights up and you're trying to get a perfect take, it adds that much more difficulty!

[Al Acuff]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

There's also the "red light effect"--when that red RECORD button lights up and you're trying to get a perfect take, it adds that much more difficulty!

Ansel Adams taught his students that "The perfect is the enemy of the good." He was pianist and if he were among us today I bet he'd agree that it applies to music as well as to photography.

[gfirob]

Silly Mustache, it is a good old song, though I think I am playing it too fast here. That is a hazard (for me) of this kind of three fingered picking. And anyway, what do you think of my facial hair?

Al, I am afraid that the more elaborate the technical setup the harder to relax and work on the performance. I have started to just pay a set to video and then go back and sort through the footage for the best performance, rather than just work on perfecting one song. On this occasion I played for about about 45 minutes and chose this song. The “red light” effect that Chipotle refers to is true and playing a full set kind of lets you settle in to it—but there is really no replacement for an audience, the energy it gives you and the human responsibility to entertain.

The whole point here was trying to get the best video without anyone else to help. When I shoot other performers I usually use two or more cameras with two or three people. But making solitary videos that look good with a genuinely good performance is a major challenge.

Thanks for the comments.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Al Acuff

Agreed, overseeing all the technical aspects of video production makes it difficult to perform spontaneously in the moment.

I have found that even with plain old audio recordings I can get a better performance when I play to someone who is in my studio listening while I record. I have a buddy who actually bought some second hand store mannequins and has them in his home studio for an audience. Whatever works is OK LOL.

When I worked in TV my agent used to say that performing is about "having a private moment in public." She never said it would be easy, but it sure can be a lot of fun

Yikes!!!

[hubcapsc]

A boom stand is like a light stand

Or a tomato stake ...



Thanks for the post and all the good tips...

I have started to just pay a set to video and then go back and sort through the footage for the best performance, rather than just work on perfecting one song.

I find that to be the only way I can record something...

That camera slider is really cool!

-Mike

[gfirob]

Creative use of that tomato stake, Mike. Nice old Gibson too. And that is some serious facial hair.

If I am playing alone, I try to imagine an audience, in fact a specific kind of audience, but I find a real audience of human beings (I have not tried the mannequin gag) always demands more care in the playing and the performance.

It is true that the perfect can be the enemy of the good and I think a lot of musicians find themselves dissatisfied with a pretty good performance for that reason. And feedback from the audience is much more motivating than feedback from a camera.

I plan on leaving this set up in place and doing a lot more videos until I am just really used to it, til I can just turn it on and forget about it for an hour or so. At some point my wire is going to get really tired of having to step around all this junk, but I want to get to the point where I set it and forget it.