Behind the Lens:
As Director of Photography I had a significant impact on the creation of the music video, far beyond the usual DOP roles such as storyboarding, lighting and filming. Our team were given a wide scope of input into the creative process by the director which allowed for a fantastic learning opportunity and some pretty cool content. I helped shape the narrative of the video, scout locations, coordinate transport of equipment to and from set, assisted with the direction of talent and many other aspects of production.
Filming with 5 Cameras
Five?! Yep, we filmed using a mixture of cameras including a Sony FS5, lens-whacking on a Canon 80D, a mounted Go Pro, a 360 camera on a boom pole, and an Iphone on a DJI gimbal. This opened a huge range of creative possibilities and I learnt a lot about filming on a range of different devices - really fun and worthwhile!
The Wall-Smash Effect
There was no CGI here - we built and smashed a wall on the beach. I pitched the concept to the team and we discussed the possibility of green-screening it in studio but decided the practical effect would sell the scene far better. We bought the materials and I built a test wall (it was perfect!). We then constructed a 2x2m frame, mounted jib sheets on both sides, and painted it to match the interior colour of the office location. We carefully loaded the hefty slab onto a trailer, drove it out to Pines Beach 20mins north of Christchurch and lugged it 200m down the beach ready for sunrise!
Adaptability was critical, because no sooner had we carefully laid it down and the bass player put his foot through it! With limited time, we assessed the wall and constructed it in a way that would mask the broken segment. It worked even better than we could have hoped as you can see in the completed video - we were stoked with the final result!
