AN ACA-TASTIC MUSIC VIDEO
My friends Aris (Director) and Talia (Editor) asked me to step in last minute to DoP the Oxford Belles' annual charity music video. The production raised money for Inspiring Girls International.
It was very cool to work on a music video – something I had never really done before. Aris's background is in music so it was great to learn from him. Because I joined the project a few days before, the shot list had already been done, but I was able to make a few tweaks on the day. I used a tripod for some shots and free handed the others. We tried to get a variation of individual and group shots for each piece of the music.
We filmed in Corpus Christi College, New College (where scenes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire were filmed) and on Queens College Lane. The Belles were wonderful to work with.
The transitions between segments were particularly important to the video; we were very precise with shots so the edit could be seamless. This meant more rehearsals and takes. The most difficult shot was the walking shot at the end. We needed a road wide enough for the Belles to join the group and all remain in frame. Queens Lane was perfect – and a beautiful background – but exceptionally busy. The shot is long so we struggled with people walking into the shot part way through (especially cyclists). I had to walk backwards, keep the shot steady, and ensure the Belles were not visible before they stepped into frame. After a lot of persistence, we finally got the shot. The battery died immediately after so it was perfect timing. I'm very happy with the shot; it was definitely worth the extra time.
Talia did a brilliant job with the music video. It looks aca-tastic.
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