Adapt, React, Readapt, Apt

Here is a series of photos documenting the making of the Elegy by Jeremy Collins video. I’ve recorded a few music videos with my good friends Andrew Chu and Sean Taylor who have generously lent their time and skills to these projects. I was grateful that they were both able to join me on this project. All set photos taken by Andrew Chu.

Recording the audio

I first record and edit the audio before filming because I have to “lip-sync” my playing while we record the music video. The syncing helps make the video editing process significantly easier.

Filming

Sean checking his shot at the initial shoot location, Petroglyph National Monument.

Staying warm between takes.

A ‘stunt double’ for my Martin Blackwell guitar.

Change of plans

The winters in New Mexico are notoriously deceiving and hard to plan around. While it was a moderate 40 F in the Metro, the high winds and exposed nature of the Petroglyphs made it nearly impossible to play the guitar. My hands would freeze up within a couple minutes of playing (if I was lucky). Here, Sean and I discuss our options and what else we could possibly do.

Adapt

As I have gone through the process of shooting a few music videos, I have learned that it is important to have a plan and to be as prepared as possible. That being said, it is just as important to be willing to throw that plan out the window if need be.

We changed course and decided to shoot a video lit by candle light, indoors. In the wise words of Michael Scott, one must be able to “adapt, react, readapt, apt”.

Testing lighting and camera options.

Cleaning the shoot location.

“Final” Result

After testing multiple options, this is the shooting set -up we settled on. I had to sit on the ground so that the candle light could light my entire face. When I was sitting in the chair, there wasn’t quite enough light to make the shots work.

We recorded 5-6 angles so we had plenty of options for the editing process, where the video actually comes together.

Editing

Editing is where the whole project finally comes together. Together with color grading and some visual effects work, the project finally culminates in a smooth and convincing audiovisual illusion.

Once all of the clips are synced with the audio and cut together, color grading is one of the final steps that can really breathe life into footage. As seen here, between the before (left) and after (right).

Before

After

Visual effects were also need on this project in order to create a completely black background for some of the shots. Thanks to Sean for his work on the visual effects!

Before

After

How the editing timeline looked by the end of the project.