Feedback on music video, shot on BMCC

I just finished my first music video. I never done a music video before, so this was just a service i did for a friend. Feedbacks would be much appreciated.

It is shot in Oslo, Norway. Only a three hour shoot and 16 hour edit.

For some reason I felt like burbling out a general reply; partly commentary on my observations of your music video, partly just me talking about what I've figured out or narrowed down as part of my "style," as it were, at the moment, from years of producing, directing, shooting and cutting music videos and about a billion television adverts. Anyway, here's my spiel:

When I shoot music videos I tend to "search" with the lens, and by that I mean to subtly pan and tilt the camera around gently changing the framing (not, necessarily, the focus) on the subject, just to add a little visual interest. I also try not to place talent against walls and I'm always looking for ways to create visual depth. Each shot has to work for only a few seconds most of the time. I don't particularly care for DSLR-style shallow depth of field, but I also don't like to have 0-infinity in sharp focus, either. I usually don't use a lens wider than 24mm (35mm equivalent, whatever camera we're talking about) and I generally try to keep my exposure around T5.6. I enjoy using graduated filters on exteriors or to create subtle vignettes that lead the viewer's eye toward the subject. This can also be done in post.

I generally light from the subject's side facing away from camera and I like a lot of negative fill on closeups. I also like large catchlights on women and children, and I tend to focus on the eye that is either closest or in the key light.

When I cut, I try to support the rhythm of the song rather than cut on the words or create my own beat cutting whenever; the slower the song, the slower my cuts. In the grade I don't like to crush blacks, but I do like to keep highlights alive, especially on skin, and I like a lot of saturation in the greens, blues and reds. I do like to kill yellow as much as I can, and I usually leave orange alone, if not just to desaturate it a bit. I don't like magentas, pinks or purples, for some reason. I also don't pour milk into my breakfast cereal.

I tend to favor long telescopic lenses for portraits (shoulder to top-of-head close-ups and closer); anything over 85mm is generally more flattering than shorter focal lengths. I also like strong backlights and very soft fills, and then let the light naturally wrap around my subjects. Then I'll up the contrast with negative fill, usually cutters or flags near the subject on the shadow side. I like a lot of contrast, but without crushing blacks. Crushed blacks (and highlights) decreased the perceived dynamic range of the image and makes the image look like cheap video. I also shoot everything at 24p or playback under or overcranked footage at 24p. In other words, my editing timeline is always as-film, following the cadence of film, because it just looks more expensive...like a movie. So, if the network asks for a 29.97i NTSC (here in the US, but PAL almost everywhere else), then I am simply performing a telecine of my 24 converted to 30 for accurate-looking TV playback. If I ever receive 30fps footage, I always conform it to 24, cut it in 24 and then deliver in 24 unless someone wants 30, then I do the conversion so even the 30 still has that nice film cadence.

Women and low angles never seem to look right.

Men and high angles never seem to look right.

Always show detail closeups of the artist performing on the instrument. Never crop out the instrument unless on a closeup. Ignore everything I just said whenever you feel like it. There are no rules.

Always go with your gut.

If anything, if I could give you actual advice, it'd be this: keep shooting. Even when you discover your style, you'll be free to change it whenever you need to or want to. So, really, your style should be appropriate to each individual project, whatever it is. So, I think you were appropriate with your shots on this music video, but I think the editing was too fast. Make sure the camera loves the subject, it needs to be sex all the time...flirt, make love to the subject. If the camera loves the subject, then the audience will, too. So, always make sure the subject looks flattering and amazing...unless the subject is supposed to look horrible, then I guess it's okay to not make love to him.

And wake up early and shoot at sunrise...it's a cleaner light quality.

So, keep shooting, you'll get better and better as you go...you'll see the little things that need to be seen and fix them before you roll...always be your own worst critic...always hate the last project you just finished and "do better" on the next one...never settle...just keep shooting, and editing, and talking to people and never let anyone make you feel like you're an idiot. It's not a bad thing to learn how to say "no" and walk away from a gig based on a gut feeling.

Always go with your gut.

And make sure your friends you do free projects for tell they're friends are great you are and if they want a similar production for themselves, it'll cost ???? that much. Good word of mouth is key, but if you're known as the free guy, then you'll have no street worth and that's bad word of mouth. And if you're just starting out, don't charge a lot of money. Charge a little bit of money for your time and effort, get a lot of small jobs and build up your experience and then, as you start winning awards and getting recognition and need to start upgrading and meet costs of maintenance and stuff, then you can start charging more and deal with bigger clients...with lawyers and contracts and stress................

Always go with your gut.