Can i have your opinion ?

Can i have your opinion on this clip :

Tell me about the editing side of it knowing that not much can understand creole ( a french dialect used in the Caribbean).

Thanks for posting your work, Gino.

The first choice in making a music video, is selecting the right song. The best rap songs have contrast, interesting rhythms, clever wordplay, changes in flow, a melody & a hook. You're correct in assuming we don't understand the dialect, so I can't comment on wordplay, but as for the other desirable attributes... this song has none of them.

Next we look at the best music videos, they too have contrasts, visual variety, creative genius & visual hooks that draw us in. As we begin watching, your singer appears relatively interesting, as does the song, but with little to no variety in either audio or visuals the viewer's interest levels plummet rapidly.

You're expressing about 90% performance video with the remaining 10% aiming for conceptual. The "flashback" scenes (if that's what they're meant to be), have too strong a vignette. We need to feather the edges of those so it's more of a gradual fade or light fall off. Right now it's too strong, like we're looking thru a tube. We understand you want a contrast between the performance footage, but having those scenes in B&W is probably enough of a hint that we're elsewhere in time & space. A slight vignette is ok, but don't overdo it. The gunshot & subsequent wound look fairly realistic. But without understanding the words, it's difficult to comprehend what this section is about. Looks like somebody was molested, then there are drugs & murder involved. However, it all happens so fast it appears the one who was shot is our singer? Not sure, but it all comes off as confusing.

Speaking of confusion, let's get back to your performance sections. As mentioned, the best music videos offer a variety of visuals, synced in time with the audio track. You will often see the star from different angles, focal lengths, hair & wardrobe may change from shot to shot, as do angles, lighting & locations. Here we have nothing. We're always seeing him from basically the same angle, same focal length, same location, wardrobe, everything. That's boring. But you knew that, so you started throwing effects at it. Like doubling the singer. Not understanding the song or if there's any meaning to him being twin'd, it all comes across as more confusion. Same with fragmenting the frame, or the immediately irritating screen shake.

The purpose of effects is to embellish a good product to make it even better, not to try to overcome boredom or try to create interest where it's lacking. That comes off as amateur or desperation. Sorry if these words seem a bit harsh, I'd like to encourage you to develop your artistic talent & subtleties. Yes, there's still plenty of room for subtlety, even in a rap song.

Study some videos, all types. Imagine in your mind's eye, seeing your artist in different ways. Moving thru shadows & lights, different textures, settings, situations, these add dimensions to your film.

We understand you're in the Caribbean & it may not be easy or ideal to capture the inner city urban feel that's usually associated with this musical genre. However, there's a curious connection with the majority of your visuals, the weathered looking wooden wall, with the burnt orange textures is very nearly the choice of many working in country music, it almost looks like the side of a barn. Sure the concrete below lessens that connection, but having your man walking by some cement walls with graffiti, interacting or passing other people, gives us a better context & placement. Yes, graffiti walls are cliché (there's a French word), but we need a bit more of an urban feel for this artist. A deserted alleyway or whatever that little street is, really isn't going to grab anyone & make them feel... "Oh man, I have to see this!"

Build excitement early on in the production, start with the music, then the film preproduction & shooting, finally the post production. Then you have something full of passion that generates an infectious buzz. Many 3 minute music videos have months of preproduction, location scouting, costume selection, casting, conceptual rewrites, etc.

As it stands, it looks like you didn't plan anything here. That's lazy, & you can't expect your audience to respond with anything more than that.

The good news is, your basic camera skills & editing show promise, you've got a working understanding of the gear & tech. Now it's time to get creative!

Thanks for sharing, Gino.







J. Matthew
Global•Watch•Media•Consulting
www.GWM2.com

@GlobalWatchM3

Gino971 wrote: Can i have your opinion on this clip :… 

First of all: thanks for sharing - and daring to face up criticism!
I'm old, very different culture… so, that is not my everyday music :lol:

But, being old, I experienced first hand, when video killed the radio star. I spend literally weeks watching MTV.-

I noticed, there are sort-of 'categories' of music-video:
• the live recording, e.g. Beatles on the rooftop
• the art video - Prince/Sign of the Times (kinetic typography from '87!!!)
• the story video - sub-category: illustrating the song/a completely diff. story

'Art' videos often look like 'demoes' of new software, compare M.Jackson/Black or White = 'first' morphing video.

In YOUR case, you're using these surprising jump-cuts/re-framing to set accents into the video - I like that! I like the photography, I like the … 'groove' or 'flow'. In my categories, your video subsume into 'art'.-

That b/w shots are highly … annoying - what's that!? Why that? (ok, I miss the lyrics…). Seem to tell me something… I don't know what.- And in very contrast to the 'beauty' shots of your singer.

imho, I would have done more scenery shots … the surrounding seems to offer lots of picturesque places… more camera work, more perspectives, more movement. But no 'story telling cut-aways', for me, these drop the overall quality of the video dramatically.

And your singer is good lookin' - don't be shy, show him! :lol:

_______

A very rational respond, I know, sorry, you should judge music by your guts not by your brain. As mentioned - not exactly my kind of music. (I'm more, as many old man, in the Jazz corner, although I'm open minded from Kraftwerk to Electro Swing :silly: )

If this was your first - awesome!!!!

Thanks to Karsten Schüler and to TrixTrax9000 for their opinion. I highly appreciate critics because i always take them on the constructive way.

I red again and again what you said so i'll make sure to use your advices.

On my next video, i'll make sure the story can be understand even without sound.

Thanks again and if anyone want to add something on what that have being said, feel free to do it.