The Video Log - What Did You Do In Your Video Studio

[Constructed Identity]

I actually finished this video a few weeks ago, but just now got around to uploading it. This is a cover of Sade's "Cherish the Day" that I recorded with our Ukrainian model/singer friend Kameliya. She handled all the vocals, I did all the music, including playing the guitar parts. I'm definitely no guitarist (bassist/keys by training) and the acoustic part was REALLY hard to get the feel and timing right, so please be gentle on me, guitarists! Anyway, I've got two more songs in the works with Kameliya and plan to make at least one more video with them.



For my fellow gear nerds:
Video
- Nikon Z6 with 40mm f/2 & DJI Ronin SC gimbal
- iPhone 14 Pro Max & DJI Osmo Mobile 4 gimbal
- Final Cut Pro X

Music
- Oberheim OB-X8
- Studio Electronics SE-1X
- Elektron Analog RYTM mk2
- cheap Epiphone Les Paul
- Yamaha nylon string acoustic/electric
- Mojave MA-200 tube condenser mic (vocals) & UA Apollo X6

The vocals are fantastically well done! But you need to have her do something besides move her arms the same way over and over.

[4damind]

My first attempt to create a music video with AI
I had to write a small storyboard at the beginning and then generate the corresponding prompts for the individual scenes in order to create the scene images using AI. The images were then animated with AI and then edited and composited in Davinci Resolve. For a complete and long video, however, you have to plan a few hours of work, it probably takes just as long as if you film it with actors.
Of course, you could also combine it with real footage. I didn't do any color grading (I was too lazy for that)

[cryophonik]

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Spent the morning shooting video with Bella for a song we just finished. This shot is using my projector and fog machine blasting Bella in the back with some animated spinning squares and light rays I made in After Effects last night.

[cryophonik]

Got my Blackmagic Speed Editor with a free upgrade to Resolve Studio yesterday, so I spent the morning installing Resolve 19.1 and getting to know the Speed Editor. This thing is pretty fantastic, especially if you’re like me and can’t keep track of so many keyboard shortcuts. I’m going to dive in and start editing my next video with it this weekend.

[cryophonik]

I also added the Micro Panel for color grading while it was on sale!

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[elxsound]

Got my Blackmagic Speed Editor with a free upgrade to Resolve Studio yesterday, so I spent the morning installing Resolve 19.1 and getting to know the Speed Editor. This thing is pretty fantastic, especially if you’re like me and can’t keep track of so many keyboard shortcuts. I’m going to dive in and start editing my next video with it this weekend.

The speed editor comes with Resolve 19.1?

Just want to check… This one I might jump on.

I’ve always worked in FCP, but they’ve made so many dumb changes that it’s not fast. They basically killed all the reasons they mentioned deviating from the old FCP workflow.

[cryophonik]

Got my Blackmagic Speed Editor with a free upgrade to Resolve Studio yesterday, so I spent the morning installing Resolve 19.1 and getting to know the Speed Editor. This thing is pretty fantastic, especially if you’re like me and can’t keep track of so many keyboard shortcuts. I’m going to dive in and start editing my next video with it this weekend.

The speed editor comes with Resolve 19.1?

Just want to check… This one I might jump on.

I’ve always worked in FCP, but they’ve made so many dumb changes that it’s not fast. They basically killed all the reasons they mentioned deviating from the old FCP workflow.

Yes, it includes a license for Resolve Studio! And, yeah, I'm also moving away from FCP and planning to stick entirely to Resolve.

[elxsound]

Got my Blackmagic Speed Editor with a free upgrade to Resolve Studio yesterday, so I spent the morning installing Resolve 19.1 and getting to know the Speed Editor. This thing is pretty fantastic, especially if you’re like me and can’t keep track of so many keyboard shortcuts. I’m going to dive in and start editing my next video with it this weekend.

The speed editor comes with Resolve 19.1?

Just want to check… This one I might jump on.

I’ve always worked in FCP, but they’ve made so many dumb changes that it’s not fast. They basically killed all the reasons they mentioned deviating from the old FCP workflow.

Yes, it includes a license for Resolve Studio! And, yeah, I'm also moving away from FCP and planning to stick entirely to Resolve.

Alright, seems I’ve got my homework set for the night.

[cryophonik]

This week I didn’t do any work “in the studio “, but it was a pretty big week for us (my wife, son, and I) on the video/photo side because we got our LLC, insurance, bank account, etc. all set up and we’re now a bona fide photography and videography business. We’ve been putting this off for a while, but the requests for us to shoot weddings, graduations, celebrations, events, etc. finally got to the point that it was time to just do it. For now, it’s just a side gig and it will eventually become our retirement gig, but it’s a great way for our son, who is an amazing photographer, to make money as he finishes high school and starts college.

[elxsound]

This week I didn’t do any work “in the studio “, but it was a pretty big week for us (my wife, son, and I) on the video/photo side because we got our LLC, insurance, bank account, etc. all set up and we’re now a bona fide photography and videography business. We’ve been putting this off for a while, but the requests for us to shoot weddings, graduations, celebrations, events, etc. finally got to the point that it was time to just do it. For now, it’s just a side gig and it will eventually become our retirement gig, but it’s a great way for our son, who is an amazing photographer, to make money as he finishes high school and starts college.

Congratulations! Definitely good money and great side gig for your son to get into now. Nice big steps!

[cryophonik]

This week I didn’t do any work “in the studio “, but it was a pretty big week for us (my wife, son, and I) on the video/photo side because we got our LLC, insurance, bank account, etc. all set up and we’re now a bona fide photography and videography business. We’ve been putting this off for a while, but the requests for us to shoot weddings, graduations, celebrations, events, etc. finally got to the point that it was time to just do it. For now, it’s just a side gig and it will eventually become our retirement gig, but it’s a great way for our son, who is an amazing photographer, to make money as he finishes high school and starts college.

Congratulations! Definitely good money and great side gig for your son to get into now. Nice big steps!

Thanks! He's pretty excited about having income from a job that doesn't involve flipping burgers.

[cryophonik]

This week, I’m putting together a couple of videos for a wedding we shot (photos and video) last week at the LA Museum of Natural History (coolest wedding venue ever!). The hardest part is finding royalty-free background music that the couple likes, fits the vibe, is the right length and tempo, etc. I thought it would be easier than this to find a few different pieces that would be close, but it feels like an endless search and I keep coming up empty.

[cryophonik]

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Got some great video accessories for our Z6’s for my birthday/Father’s Day - a couple of Atomos Ninja Vs, a cage for one of the Z6’s with top and side handles, and (not pictured) an extension arm for the other Ninja V that attaches it to our gimbal. Now I just need to get out and shoot another video!

[cryophonik]

I just finished a video for my latest song "Sanctuary". The video was shot around the Sacramento and Roseville areas last weekend using a couple of Nikon Z6s/Atomos Ninja V's (shot in 10-bit N-Log) and DJI Mavic 3 drone (shot in 10-bit D-Log) and features our good friend Darina B, a 24-yo Ukrainian model, singer, and pianist. The entire video was assembled, edited, and color-graded in Davinci Resolve 19.

[cryophonik]

Recorded lots of footage for a new music video featuring my friend Breeona Cox. I’m pretty excited about this one for lots of reasons, one being that we recorded inside, outside by the pool, underwater/in the pool, and with my drone. Time to start editing….