Music Video-Dealing with drums.

[Artisticaz]

Hi All,
I’m shooting a music video for some friends in a few weeks and I’m trying to figure out a way to deal with the drums. In the previous videos I’ve done the band basically lip synced/played to a CD on the clubs PA system. This technique works OK except it makes for a lot of takes because the drummer, who actually has to play the drums (faking it doesn’t cut it!) has a really hard time hearing the music and gets off beat and then the rest of the band does too.
Does anyone have any ideas/experience on how to get around this?? I’m stumped!
Thanks in advance.

Russ

[dnathan]

Drummers are over-rated 8)

[TomScratch]

Hi,

Keeping to the subject, mostly drummers are under-rated and underexposed due to being concealed behind the other musicians. Thus, it would not be hard to shoot the whole song quite normally with only a few glimpses of the drummer. To cover glitches in my band shoots, I have sometimes inserted slo mo shots of the drummer (1/15th or 1/30th if shooting at a normal 1/60th), sometimes even from a different song. Because the shot is obviously not in real time the drum sticks wont be coming down synched to the beat, but that can work visually in an offbeat way. (Some drummers might have a fit about this, but they are getting more screen time) This is a music video right, so you can do some things to spice it up.

On some concert shoots I have been on stage with my wandering cam as the band performs. One of my best takes was during a New Years Eve gig where I was sort of poking my cam between the cymbals during a fiery rendition of WIPE-OUT. Takes a lot of finesse, esp after champagne.

Happy Shooting!

REGARDS TOM 8)

[Artisticaz]

…for the input. This is going to be a half live/half concept shoot. So I’ll try shooting around the drummer I suppose. I’ve been watching music video’s lately and have even seen shots where the "Live" part doesn’t sync up at all. Probably not even playing the same song. Maybe I can talk them into a "live" and "behind-the-scenes" mix type video. That would solve a lot of problems.

On a lighter note:

how do you get a drummer (guitarist/bass player/singer) off your poorch?

Pay him for the pizza.

Russ

[TomScratch]

Hi,
That porch thing: Also goes for actor, writer, student, recent PhD recipient, de-elected politician, etc etc. 😀
You might check out the video doc: DIG. Female filmmaker followed Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre around for 7 years and put together a compelling doc on their lives and performances. Among other things, you have an encyclopedia here of the many ways to shoot band performances and music videos. There is also a solid storyline that holds the doc together.
Immersed in the editing process, the filmmaker had an inflexible deadline or a finished film was not to be; she was about to give birth (not in the film but in bonus interview material). So she made the deadline just barely and DIG went on to win either best film or best doc at Sundance in 2004. Avaliable from the usual places.
Don’t forget your ear plugs!
REGARDS … TOM 8)

[immacabre]

what we did and it worked out pretty well was just had them play the song a few times live and mixed them together to fit the music. then you can take the live audio out in post

[dfwsphotog]

First, I’d like to thank everyone who posted here and dissed drummers. Aren’t there enough drummer jokes already?
Second, have the band use a click track to record the song. That’s how the "pro’s" do it. Each take is in the same time, every time.

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