Filming a gig?

[DeadFishProductions]

So some friends of mine in a band expressed an interest in me filming a music video for them and that might possibly include filming them at a gig...

So I got thinking... just how the fuck would I do that???

So I've been thinking for filming a gig how many cameras would I need... What would I need to capture... but most importantly How can I get decent non-shitty audio... Also how should I light it so I don't get gay white-outs... I mean setting a shot up with white balance is one thing... but with a gig what should I do...

So any advice on that would be appreciated...

[Wraith 5]

I work for a company that does this a lot. If you have total control over camera placement, you'll want at least three cameras;
One camera on a tripod placed level with the centre of the stage, quite far back to capture long shots. This camera can be left on it's own.

Two cameras on tripods either side of the stage to capture left and right angles, which you'd need two camera men to operate these in order to track the band members.

If you watch programmes like "Friday night with Johnathan Ross", or any sort of live music coverage, you'll notice that there's usually a mobile cameraman hidden at the back, usually to get closeups of the drummer and capture other dynamic angles.

The way we do it is to have all the cameras hooked up to a mixing desk via S-video, then the director and producer can edit it live.. This method probably isn't adviseable unless you have a mixing desk and have experience using one. Otherwise, just make sure you have enough tapes, and capture and edit the footage later as you would a regular film.

[jawahunter]

If you're shooting a music video you may want to go about it two ways. You could shoot it at a live concert (like they (http://youtube.com/watch?v=0TyWadP9Npk) did. I know because I was at the concert.) They used 2 cameras (from what I could tell. They may have only used 1 actually) shooting 16mm and edited it later (obviously).

Or you could do what I'm doing in June and that's staging the concert. Get a venue, fans to come in, the works.

The advantages/disadvantages of each are follows:

Shooting live: You only get two chances at the song. The first time they play it and when they play it in the encore (which they will for you). However it will be cheaper for you to do this since you're not paying for anything but equipment really.

Shooting staged: Costs more but you get TOTAL control of EVERYTHING. Plus you can have as many runs of the song that time allows and it will allow you to place the camera in places that would normally disrupt the audience.

As for the technical end both are pretty much the same. Make sure the stage lights are nice and bright and that they fill the area of the stage. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN AC with the camera op. It'll make your job 10x easier.

[The_Count]

im gona try help with the audio.

how big is the venue? are the drum kit, guitars and bass etc being micd up and running through the pa? because your best bet for audio is to record it just as you would if you were making only an audio recording.

have a computer there running a good sequencing program ie cubase/logic and ask the sound guy to help you out abit and when he is happy with his levels from teh soundcheck then just take an output from the mixer into the computer via a line in and hit record. that will get you one track of audio.

if the sound guy is willing to help you out abit more then you could record seperate channels on the mixer into seperate tracks in the sequencer program. this will allow you to get a much better audio mix in post

but my advice, it would make your life a hell of a lot easier if you got someone in purely to handle sound recording. and you just focused on your video and then put the two together afterwards.

hope that was some help

[jawahunter]

Wait, are you recording a concert or shooting a music video? If you're shooting a video you don't need to worry about audio since you'll be using a pre-recorded track for the video and not the concert track.

[The_Count]

Wait, are you recording a concert or shooting a music video? If you're shooting a video you don't need to worry about audio since you'll be using a pre-recorded track for the video and not the concert track.


thats a good point. re-reading your original post now i realise it is a music video, not a live recording. apologies :)

[DeadFishProductions]

thats a good point. re-reading your original post now i realise it is a music video, not a live recording. apologies :)

No, no... this was extremely helpful... It's what I really wanted to know... Although I am shooting a video for my friends I was thinking about shooting in concert and was curious as to how it was performance was shot.

Thanks to everyone for your comments it's been really helpful!

[LIVELAX22]

i'd say about 3 cameras,and you could probably record the audio to a separate device and then add it to the video in post

[punkandska66]

Sorry to bump this old thread but I didn't wanna make a new one for a topic that's been previously discussed.

So, I'm recording a live concert (or multiple, probably). I got a good answer from reading The Count's post, but what if there's no sound guy there? I have an 8 track recorder similar to this one here. (http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Tascam-DP02CF-Digital-Portastudio?sku=241796) Would it be at all possible to record audio to that somehow? Then sync it in post? I've got some junky XLR mic's and the Rode Videomic. I can't use the XLR's on my camera, but they'll hook up to the 8 track, so I could use those I guess, right? Or since it will be at a live show, there will probably be plenty of extra mics that the bands aren't using. I could probably snag one of those just fopr the show.
So could I set up two mics (it can only hold 2 at a time) and record through those, and have the 8 track off to the side?
I'm really confused. If anyone knows how to do this, I'd really appreciate some help.

[cyrax037]

Hmm, I'm not sure. I'm not sure what that "8 Track" is capable of. When I record our shows at the theater, I record line out from the board, so its cleaner.

If its a concert, there WILL be a sound guy. Those kinda of things can't go without a sound guy. Sometimes on REALLY small things, the sound guy also is in the band and sets the levels before going up. There is a festival for the Rodeo here, and there is a guy I met that has a band. Our theater's adult music group sings there aswell, and we run off his system. Thats what he would do, but for larger productions, there almost ALWAYS is a sound guy.

But, if you can use condenser mics with that device(most require phantom power) that might be better then using a dnamic mic.(like the handheld ones)

Other then that, asking the sound guy to help you might be your best bet. Tell him what your doing, and why, work with him, and he'll probably be willing to help ya out.

You do have permission from the band and everything to do this project right? Otherwise, there might be some copyright issues. Especially if its a cover band or something.

[Hoverboy]

So some friends of mine in a band expressed an interest in me filming a music video for them and that might possibly include filming them at a gig...

So I got thinking... just how the fuck would I do that???

So I've been thinking for filming a gig how many cameras would I need... What would I need to capture... but most importantly How can I get decent non-shitty audio... Also how should I light it so I don't get gay white-outs... I mean setting a shot up with white balance is one thing... but with a gig what should I do...

So any advice on that would be appreciated...
Yeah I'd stay away from those gay white-outs man...

:rolleyes: what can I say?

[punkandska66]

You do have permission from the band and everything to do this project right? Otherwise, there might be some copyright issues. Especially if its a cover band or something.

Yeah, I wouldn't record them unless I told asked them before. I already have a thumb up from the only band I've asked so far.

The only reason I'm worried that there won't be a sound guy is because I'm planning on recording punk bands in small bars and stuff like that, not really a big event. So I don't know. There might or there might not be.

Thanks for the help!

[cyrax037]

Yeah I'd stay away from those gay white-outs man...

:rolleyes: what can I say?

#1, your replying to a very old post, and #2, WTF?



Yeah, I wouldn't record them unless I told asked them before. I already have a thumb up from the only band I've asked so far.

The only reason I'm worried that there won't be a sound guy is because I'm planning on recording punk bands in small bars and stuff like that, not really a big event. So I don't know. There might or there might not be.

Thanks for the help!

Yeah! Usrally, unless the band is running all on their instruments on their own amps and stuff, there will be a main mixer somewhere, even f its just one of those portable boxes(which I'm not a fan of, but that has no point in this topic lol) If there is a mixer somewhere, it should have a record out line on it, most are RCA type. Thats pretty easy to jack into a laptop or something. Talk to the bands, and ask about their setup, that'll give you some better ideas on how to setup your stuff! Even if there is no one that sits at the mixer all the time (In nightclubs and such, this would be the DJ) the band might let you jack into the mixers record out ports.

If there isn't a main mixer tho, then you'll have to use your own mics.

[michaelbak]

I can't really say "How" to shoot a Gig but After doing a couple I can give you some tips.

Meet the AT and become friends because He'll save your ass. Get a recorder of a live feed out of his mixer and you have instant great audio.

Use a stereo mic to pick up the crowd noise and effects.

3 cameras is a good number. I've done a wedding with only 1 but I was looking like an idiot running around getting other shots.

Rent extra cameras if you don't have them.

If you have a Leather Men tool, Gaffer Tape, and a basic understanding of electronics you can basically fix anything on a shoot.

If you don't know how to edit while you're shooting then bring 3 cameras.

Try to get SD cameras with big cards. Tape cameras are fine but expect to be checking your watch and running around the stage replacing tapes.

Hire an extra cameraman. On the other gigs I did I was a "Subcontracted" cameraman for my friend.

Have at least on stationary camera in a locked off place AWAY from the crowd. If you leave it in the back seats people will just walk up to it and "Add a little spice" to your shot. Trust me, they always do it.

Try to plug in unmanned cameras with an AC adapter so that if an audience member wants to "See what you're getting" and opens the LCD screen you won't later come up to a dead camera.

Go to the venue before hand and scope out where to place your gear.

Mark all your stuff with your name and use bright colored tape on everything you rented.

Keep all your gear in one location, preferably in a hard case. And somewhere disclosed like in the mixers booth.

Try to use autofocus cameras.

Put a lens hood and a shotgun mic on your camera. Even if you don't use them people will just think your cameras expensive and will stay at least five feet away from it at all times.

Shoot lots of B roll.

And if someone keeps getting in your shot then take your finger and gentle push in to their back. It doesn't hurt but it's really weird and annoying so they'll move. They may give you the stink eye later on though.

And finally bring extra everything extra cards/tapes, extra gaffer tape, extra cables, extra battery's, hell even an extra cheap tripod.

[michaelbak]

Oh man, I didn't know this post was this old.

...Awkward...

[punkandska66]

Wow, that was an awesome post Michael!
Just one more question. I don't know if you saw it before, but I have this big ugly 8-track recorder. So if I wanted to take audio from the sound guy, I would just have to take a cable and put it from his 'audio out' to my 'mic in'?

[michaelbak]

Wow, that was an awesome post Michael!
Just one more question. I don't know if you saw it before, but I have this big ugly 8-track recorder. So if I wanted to take audio from the sound guy, I would just have to take a cable and put it from his 'audio out' to my 'mic in'?

Yes. Thats how I did mine except it was direct to my cameras mic in.

[punkandska66]

Yes. Thats how I did mine except it was direct to my cameras mic in.

I only have a 8mm jack (or whatever the regular sized jack is). I don't have XLR or the 1/4" on my camera. Otherwise I would do that. Although to be fair, leaving the 8-track off to the side gives me the chance to walk around instead of being tethered to a cable.
So that's all I gotta do though? Sound simple enough. Thanks for the help!

[michaelbak]

I only have a 8mm jack (or whatever the regular sized jack is). I don't have XLR or the 1/4" on my camera. Otherwise I would do that. Although to be fair, leaving the 8-track off to the side gives me the chance to walk around instead of being tethered to a cable.
So that's all I gotta do though? Sound simple enough. Thanks for the help!

You might have to mess with your levels because the AT is setting them to output through a speaker system and not to be recording. And they'll probably have ether XLR or 1/4" so you'll have to get a adapter.

[cyrax037]

You might have to mess with your levels because the AT is setting them to output through a speaker system and not to be recording. And they'll probably have ether XLR or 1/4" so you'll have to get a adapter.

All the mixers I've worked on(granted its not many, but still) the Rec Out is RCA, and 1 has a USB out AND straight usb flash recording but thats beside the point. I haven't personally used one that has an XLR or 1/4 Rec Out.

I use an RCA-1/8 adapter to record on a laptop. You may have to keep a eye on the levels. During a show, I record with Wavepad recorder on a laptop. The "audio in" level is set, and it does all the work. I have it set where it wont go into the red(Wavepad recorder doesn't have a yellow, and the low red is more like yellow, so its easy) and its fine no matter who's singing or anything.

[michaelbak]

All the mixers I've worked on(granted its not many, but still) the Rec Out is RCA, and 1 has a USB out AND straight usb flash recording but thats beside the point. I haven't personally used one that has an XLR or 1/4 Rec Out.

I use an RCA-1/8 adapter to record on a laptop. You may have to keep a eye on the levels. During a show, I record with Wavepad recorder on a laptop. The "audio in" level is set, and it does all the work. I have it set where it wont go into the red(Wavepad recorder doesn't have a yellow, and the low red is more like yellow, so its easy) and its fine no matter who's singing or anything.

And every mixer I've seen has a XLR out or a 1/4 out.

[cyrax037]

And every mixer I've seen has a XLR out or a 1/4 out.


Well, of course they do, how else do you send the sound to the speakers. But the question would be, if any of those are not being used by the speakers. Other then the headphone jack of course, which may or may not give you a clear enough sound.

My main point was, is that, of the ones I've worked on (Including a Peavy 16FX, an XR 1600F and two portable mixer boxes that I don't know the brand and model of, and a 2 channel portable all in one system case) all of them have a left and right RCA audio jack that specifically says "Rec-Out". Its not just any line out port, it is MADE for recording, so why not use it!;)