Techniques for filming a band

The usual way to film a band is to get close ups during rehearsals (songs are played all the way through) earlier in the day. Players have to wear the same clothes in rehearsal as for the performance, lighting has to be set for the rehearsal and left set for the performance. A camera can wander around amongst the band at this stage to give interesting angles that would be impossible during the real performance but be careful not to get a view of the empty seats!

The instruments/band arrangement and position on stage has to be the same in rehearsals and performance. Note that no camera should not be turned off during both the rehearsal and the live performance to give easy sound sync. Keep running even when changing position, never mind the pictures of feet etc.

Ok so we now have all our close ups/cutaways. Then film from the front and both sides during the performance as well as the all important audience reaction shots.

The height of the stage above the camera is important (assuming the camera is at audience level). If you look at music videos nowadays they would normally use a dolly and rails to add movement to the shot to keep visual interest.

One camera needs to act as a master for the sound from the band microphones. This is provided by a feed from the mixer desk. Once again this and all cameras continue to run with no stopping. Do not use the camera microphone for the master sound track. The track from other cameras will be needed for the sound of the audience clapping at the end of songs as well as to synchronise camera tapes on the timeline.

Remember: camera operators shouldn't interfere with the audience view of the band as they have paid.

It certainly means a long day and it might mean using ear defenders for Health and Safety!

Editing the film

Once all the camera material has been put on the timeline and the sound synchronised on all tracks, and if the editing software supports it, the editor can do a multi-camera edit as if it was a live vision mix. Adobe Premiere CS4 will give this using 4 tracks while Grass Valley Edius it will give you up to 9 screens (top right is the master output) on the record monitor. A simple mouse click on the picture you would like to cut to and the software makes the necessary cuts in the tracks below and above the track selected by the click. Fine tweaks and dissolves are added after the multi-camera cut.

by Mike Sanders