Is this music video good? Yes or No?

[Rum Middleton]

The first nigga looked maaad awkward holdin the AK and movin his hands around..

 

[5 Grand]

The video was cool. It wasn't bad. I understand the concept, the director was trying to show the bad, negative side of Niagra Falls.

I will offer some constructive criticism. There's something called color correction. Basically if you take a whole bunch of different shots you want them all to have the same amount of lighting. You don't want some shots to be brighter than others.

If you watch TV shows like Law and Order they have shots at nighttime and shots during the day but the lighting is always constant. The nighttime shots aren't darker than the daytime shots. Its a feature on most video editing software. Try to run the entire video through a color correction feature and it should smooth the video out.

Otherwise, its a decent first effort. If I were you (or your crew) I would try to find a professional videographer to shoot the next video. Not saying that this video is bad, but a professional could make it a lot better.

Good luck!

 

[dr funky resurrected]

The video was cool. It wasn't bad. I understand the concept, the director was trying to show the bad, negative side of Niagra Falls.

I will offer some constructive criticism. There's something called color correction. Basically if you take a whole bunch of different shots you want them all to have the same amount of lighting. You don't want some shots to be brighter than others.

If you watch TV shows like Law and Order they have shots at nighttime and shots during the day but the lighting is always constant. The nighttime shots aren't darker than the daytime shots. Its a feature on most video editing software. Try to run the entire video through a color correction feature and it should smooth the video out.

Otherwise, its a decent first effort. If I were you (or your crew) I would try to find a professional videographer to shoot the next video. Not saying that this video is bad, but a professional could make it a lot better.

Good luck!

I appreciate the constructive criticism! This was my first time and all I have is a Sony NEX, I don't exactly have Canon money. And I had a bunch of B level footage left over from covering news stories so I threw it all in.

Everyone keeps saying the lighting was crap. I don't know anything about lighting so I'm gonna have to brush up.

And i want to cop a canon but I gotta wait til I have canon money. Lol

 

[dr funky resurrected]

The first nigga looked maaad awkward holdin the AK and movin his hands around..

Lol its my ak actually. And I think the ak was bigger than him.

 

[5 Grand]

The video was cool. It wasn't bad. I understand the concept, the director was trying to show the bad, negative side of Niagra Falls.

I will offer some constructive criticism. There's something called color correction. Basically if you take a whole bunch of different shots you want them all to have the same amount of lighting. You don't want some shots to be brighter than others.

If you watch TV shows like Law and Order they have shots at nighttime and shots during the day but the lighting is always constant. The nighttime shots aren't darker than the daytime shots. Its a feature on most video editing software. Try to run the entire video through a color correction feature and it should smooth the video out.

Otherwise, its a decent first effort. If I were you (or your crew) I would try to find a professional videographer to shoot the next video. Not saying that this video is bad, but a professional could make it a lot better.

Good luck!

I appreciate the constructive criticism! This was my first time and all I have is a Sony NEX, I don't exactly have Canon money. And I had a bunch of B level footage left over from covering news stories so I threw it all in.

Everyone keeps saying the lighting was crap. I don't know anything about lighting so I'm gonna have to brush up.

And i want to cop a canon but I gotta wait til I have canon money. Lol

Well it wasn't bad. I've seen a lot worse. That shot by Niagra Falls was the money shot.

Next time you do a video get that same Niagra Falls shot.

But you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by getting a professional to do the next video. Save up a couple of thousand dollars and try to get a professional to work with you. The difference will be noticeable.

 

[dr funky resurrected]

You mean this shot right here?

 

[dr funky resurrected]

I wasn't in the video at all, I just rounded up 5 dudes I knew or heard of from.around the way and threw a video together.

 

[dr funky resurrected]

But you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by getting a professional to do the next video. Save up a couple of thousand dollars and try to get a professional to work with you. The difference will be noticeable.

We'll considering I wasn't in the video I feel like if I hire someone then I literally will have no ties or claim to any other videos that are produced except for just the idea. Thats not me rapping.

The next idea I want to do is a Buffalo/NF/Rochester/Syracuse like NY state kind of anthem.

But if i dont film it then I won't really have any claim to the video except for just the concept creator...

 

[5 Grand]

You mean this shot right here?

Thats the one

But you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by getting a professional to do the next video. Save up a couple of thousand dollars and try to get a professional to work with you. The difference will be noticeable.

We'll considering I wasn't in the video I feel like if I hire someone then I literally will have no ties or claim to any other videos that are produced except for just the idea. Thats not me rapping.

The next idea I want to do is a Buffalo/NF/Rochester/Syracuse like NY state kind of anthem.

But if i dont film it then I won't really have any claim to the video except for just the concept creator...

OK, so its not you rapping, you produced the video, is that right?

Its a good effort. I used to make videos and I know how difficult it is to coordinate everything.

Keep doing it. I don't know how much you charged for that video but you can use that as your resume and try to charge double for the next video.

Here's how I got started: Every town/city in America has a community access cable station. Back in the 1970s and 80s the cable companies made a deal with the cities and towns. Since they were running cable wires through all the towns and cities and charging the customers $30 per month (there weren't that many channels back in the 80s, I think we had about 50 channels when we first got cable in 1986) congress passed a law that said the cable companies would have to give a certain percentage of their revenue to the towns and cities so they could have their own cable channels for the purpose of recording and showing school committee meetings and town hall and/or city council meetings.

So every town/city in America has a community access channel that members can join and make their own programs.

Where I was from, Newton, MA, you had to take a bunch of classes (not that many) in lighting, sound, editing, etc. and after you took those classes you could use their equipment. The only condition was that you couldn't charge people money for a project if you were using the station's equipment.

So I took all of the classes and they let me use their equipment. I put together a few music videos and edited them myself. I got better at it but I wasn't making any money so I stopped, moved, got married and moved on with my life.

But my point is that every town/city has a community access station and if you join and become a member they'll let you use their equipment. They'll even teach you a few things about lighting and editing so your videos will look better.

Good luck!

Also, here's an idea: do a posse jam with 4,5 or 6 people rapping but do the entire video in front of Niagra Falls. Thats the money shot. No other city in America has a waterfall like that.

 

[dr funky resurrected]

You mean this shot right here?

Thats the one

But you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by getting a professional to do the next video. Save up a couple of thousand dollars and try to get a professional to work with you. The difference will be noticeable.

We'll considering I wasn't in the video I feel like if I hire someone then I literally will have no ties or claim to any other videos that are produced except for just the idea. Thats not me rapping.

The next idea I want to do is a Buffalo/NF/Rochester/Syracuse like NY state kind of anthem.

But if i dont film it then I won't really have any claim to the video except for just the concept creator...

OK, so its not you rapping, you produced the video, is that right?

Its a good effort. I used to make videos and I know how difficult it is to coordinate everything.

Keep doing it. I don't know how much you charged for that video but you can use that as your resume and try to charge double for the next video.

Here's how I got started: Every town/city in America has a community access cable station. Back in the 1970s and 80s the cable companies made a deal with the cities and towns. Since they were running cable wires through all the towns and cities and charging the customers $30 per month (there weren't that many channels back in the 80s, I think we had about 50 channels when we first got cable in 1986) congress passed a law that said the cable companies would have to give a certain percentage of their revenue to the towns and cities so they could have their own cable channels for the purpose of recording and showing school committee meetings and town hall and/or city council meetings.

So every town/city in America has a community access channel that members can join and make their own programs.

Where I was from, Newton, MA, you had to take a bunch of classes (not that many) in lighting, sound, editing, etc. and after you took those classes you could use their equipment. The only condition was that you couldn't charge people money for a project if you were using the station's equipment.

So I took all of the classes and they let me use their equipment. I put together a few music videos and edited them myself. I got better at it but I wasn't making any money so I stopped, moved, got married and moved on with my life.

But my point is that every town/city has a community access station and if you join and become a member they'll let you use their equipment. They'll even teach you a few things about lighting and editing so your videos will look better.

Good luck!

Also, here's an idea: do a posse jam with 4,5 or 6 people rapping but do the entire video in front of Niagra Falls. Thats the money shot. No other city in America has a waterfall like that.

I leased the beat for $100 from a local beat maker, then I contacted all the rappers on facebook and asked them each to write a verse. A friend of mine owns a studio so the studio time was free. All I had to do was organize it and get everyone to spit.

Then I started filming the scenes. Overall it only cost me 100 bucks to make. And I didn't charge the rappers.

The point was to show the slums so that's why I didn't do ONLY shots in front of the waterfalls.

If i do a new york state anthem I will be focusing on the hoods in all those cities as well.

But I had no idea about the cable access tv show stuff.. thankyou for that information...

Im married now as well so my time is limited.

 

[dr funky resurrected]

I also moved. Lol i live in the toronto area now. I was thinking of going to film school but that shit cost $10,000 per semester. Fuck that shit.

 

[5 Grand]

Well if Canada is anything like America you should look into the local community access station. They'll give you a crash course in whatever they teach in film school for free.

 

[bkkbully]

Ok I'm gonna give you a critique from beginning to end. Niagara Falls and Buffalo are two of the most depressing cities I've ever step foot in. Thank God that fucking waterfall is there because there is nothing else. At all. It's like putting a tourist hotspot in the middle of Silent Hill. Really these two cities have been left back behind in fucking time but while I was there I was always interested in hearing someone from the city tell their experience of what its like to live there, so I'm very interested in your topic already. Ok I'm going to press play.

Great use of the news clips setting up the narrative. Depressing sad and stricken. Just how I remember it. I like your use of locations, I think that Buffalo & NF on a visual level translates beautifully. I do find charm in the aesthic of it urban decay on video/film. You could get some great shots using a DJI Ronin and Sony A7SII, hire a videographer or possibly rent it give it a shot. I would love to see steady tracking shots through these locations you're in. Some over the shoulder shots with you walking in slow motion through the hell that is Niagara would look pretty cool.

I'd like to see more people in this, especially in the shots with you and the AK. Or possibly some more movement involving your performance. How comfortable are you on being in front of the camera? Some more confidence on camera is never a bad thing.

This isn't a bad video at all, the story is strong and ultimately if you can do that well you've got most of the job done. I can definitely see what you want to accomplish. I would say invest in a videographer who has their own equipment and has a good understanding or hunger for lenses, cameras, lighting, etc and make a deal with them. Get a steadier hand behind the camera, and OVERSHOOT with your locations. In this video it seems like it could've been covered more, I wanted to see more of Niagara Falls/Buffalo. As another poster said, the lighting needs to be consistent. I wanted to see more movement with the edit as well, I think it dragged at times, but for a first video you guys did good.

 

[dr funky resurrected]

Ok I'm gonna give you a critique from beginning to end. Niagara Falls and Buffalo are two of the most depressing cities I've ever step foot in. Thank God that fucking waterfall is there because there is nothing else. At all. It's like putting a tourist hotspot in the middle of Silent Hill. Really these two cities have been left back behind in fucking time but while I was there I was always interested in hearing someone from the city tell their experience of what its like to live there, so I'm very interested in your topic already. Ok I'm going to press play.

Great use of the news clips setting up the narrative. Depressing sad and stricken. Just how I remember it. I like your use of locations, I think that Buffalo & NF on a visual level translates beautifully. I do find charm in the aesthic of it urban decay on video/film. You could get some great shots using a DJI Ronin and Sony A7SII, hire a videographer or possibly rent it give it a shot. I would love to see steady tracking shots through these locations you're in. Some over the shoulder shots with you walking in slow motion through the hell that is Niagara would look pretty cool.

I'd like to see more people in this, especially in the shots with you and the AK. Or possibly some more movement involving your performance. How comfortable are you on being in front of the camera? Some more confidence on camera is never a bad thing.

This isn't a bad video at all, the story is strong and ultimately if you can do that well you've got most of the job done. I can definitely see what you want to accomplish. I would say invest in a videographer who has their own equipment and has a good understanding or hunger for lenses, cameras, lighting, etc and make a deal with them. Get a steadier hand behind the camera, and OVERSHOOT with your locations. In this video it seems like it could've been covered more, I wanted to see more of Niagara Falls/Buffalo. As another poster said, the lighting needs to be consistent. I wanted to see more movement with the edit as well, I think it dragged at times, but for a first video you guys did good.

I'm gonna answer all that. But first, this is me lol

https://vimeo.com/127910928

 

[Ear2DaSt]

I know who got next since you paved the way for those that come after ...

 

[dr funky resurrected]

I know who got next since you paved the way for those that come after ...

I don't get it

 

[dr funky resurrected]

Well if Canada is anything like America you should look into the local community access station. They'll give you a crash course in whatever they teach in film school for free.

Yea i dont know about Canada but the public access stuff back home was a little bit low budget... 

No good access to good cameras...

 

[5 Grand]

Its not the cameras, its the lighting, costume design and make up.

You can have a state of the art camera and it will still look low budget if the person isn't wearing any make up and the lighting isn't done right. Also the colors in the background make a big difference.

Look at a Hype Williams video from the late 90s, its not just his lens, its the clothes and the colors in the background that make a monumental difference.

 

[dr funky resurrected]

Its not the cameras, its the lighting, costume design and make up.

You can have a state of the art camera and it will still look low budget if the person isn't wearing any make up and the lighting isn't done right. Also the colors in the background make a big difference.

Look at a Hype Williams video from the late 90s, its not just his lens, its the clothes and the colors in the background that make a monumental difference.

you have been very helpful, thankyou

 

[Max.]

Man that place looks dangerous