Yup, that's usually the way its done ;)

- Ray
Underground Planet

Not a fan of the song, but..wow, I watched the entire video because it looked great. Superb job. I didn't even notice the beautiful model. Thanks for sharing your work!

Thanks man, totally appreciate it!

- Ray
Underground Planet

Very nicely done, Ray!

Hey John! Thanks =)

- Ray
Underground Planet

Outstanding! How big a lighting crew did you have?

Excellent as usual, Ray! Great job keeping yourself out of the window reflection! I bet that was a lighting challenge!

Thanks and thanks again =)

I'm actually in the window!!! But not enough that it bothered me, if anything I kinda thought it was funny ta leave it in. Only one or two shots.

Lighting wise, it was two 12x6 LEDs with tungsten gels and black wrap. That's it! Oh, and we put napkins over the practicals to dim em a bit, they were warm florescent. That counts as lighting right?

- Ray
Underground Planet

If I were you, I'd be thankful there was a lot of equipment between me and the talent.
Nicely done, Ray.

Really well shot and put together Ray.

Actress was very good, but I thought she seemed a little old for the young fella!

nice one - very well crafted.

lol, crackin me up.

Young pop-stars date up, only old pop-stars date younger ;)

- Ray
Underground Planet

Very nice indeed!

Do you plan ahead which lyrics words correlate to close up/ medium shot etc?
Or do you shoot different shots of the talent singing the whole song and choose the shots in post?

Also do you train the talents to (playback) sing and act like that?
You know looking/ singing at the camera and doing the typical video clip movement/ choreography stuff.

I have always wondered how one gets to learn to do that, look at other video clips as reference?
Where and how should the talent look while singing etc.
It could really look akward when it is not done right.

VMP

"Also do you train the talents to (playback) sing and act like that? "

The image that conjures, one of an aging videographer training the young talent their "moves," is mildly amusing.
However if Ray is also choreographing the piece, he is truly blessed . . .

lol@musicvid10, that's pretty accurate!!!

Well, hm, I tell the talent a lot of things before a shoot but I've never shown reference, I don't want them imitating. Whiten teeth, get a manicure, trim eyebrows and nose hair, and bring Visine. I more or less explain that their singing to the camera is basically the same as having a conversation with someone and we rarely if ever look or stare at someone when were talking with them. I point out how they and I are talking right then, whats natural, and then I stare at them while I'm talking and demonstrate how awkward that is. Looking at the camera is somewhat for punctuation. Of course than during shooting I may have them direct them to look at the camera more or less, whatever seems right, or perhaps a certain line that feels warrant's a gaze.

Then I tell them were doing one just to practice (though often times clips for that make it in the vid) and put em at ease that it doesn't matter. Even though it's technically a throwaway I shoot it as if it was real. I want the shot to look awesome because the next thing I do is play it back for them. Inevitably, even if on accident, they are going to have a few golden moments. I'll point out "When ya did that there that was f*ckin awesome!" 99.99999% of the time seeing that first take is a huge relief for them and they relax and really start trusting that I'm going to make them look good. Oh, and I always make singers sing for reals, on more than one shoot I've temporarily trashed their voice =) But as I explain the authenticity of them singing shows up everywhere from their eyes to their throat.

I don't have a formula as to what my shots/angles will be and quite often I don't get to see the location in person before the shoot. So that part is pretty organic. Yes with shooting multiple times, multiple angles, though there are always some I'll know I won't need much of. Obviously, in this case, there was no point in having him sing to her the entire song after she goes in the other room. No point in having him sing the entire song shirt open.

Hope that slice of babel helps in some way! =)

- Ray
Underground Planet

"Only one or two shots."

I caught one of them, but I wasn't gonna say anything, ha!

lol, GOOD! I do love my lil cameos!!!

- Ray
Underground Planet

Thanks Ray! That's a great insight!

Keep up the good work.

Best,
VMP

Anytime Sir!

- Ray
Underground Planet

Outstanding as usual!

RAY - I'll be sounding redundant here, but indeed, very nice job on this. As with others, I don't care for the style of music (I'm 60, OK? - lol) and/but unlike some, I did notice the "girlfriend"/model for she fits my archetype since I was, uh, 5 years old... (was in love with a girl named Leslie Paradise - no joke, her real name). And having had to be a kind of monk most of my adult life, I was far more interested in glimpses of her than of the young singer. (Hey, just because I'm old doesn't mean I can't enjoy feminine beauty clothed in younger biosuits--from a respectful distance. :)

I was also impressed with your intro production/company logo: classy, bold, easy to read and nice fx.

Appreciate it Laurence!

And "feminine beauty clothed in younger biosuits--from a respectful distance." ... still "loling." =)

- Ray
Underground Planet