A few weeks ago I got a text from a colleague of mine... "hey, want to help shoot a music video for Christmas?"
Most of the work I do is corporate or business based video, focused around talking heads, showcasing a product or service, or something like that. I enjoy doing the work, but getting the chance to do something different is always fun and refreshing, so I jumped at the chance.
The other thing that made it fun is that this wasn't just a music video, it was a music video for a Christmas song! Christmas gives you fun opportunities to use decorations and lighting to evoke nostalgia, and a really cozy, warm look that is not something you see all year round.
Often new Christmas songs are boring re-treads of already over recorded songs, or they are lazily written and produced. This is a generalization, but often Christmas albums feel rote and mechanical. If I hear another version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" or a song that is basically a description of how Christmas feels ("it's my favorite time of year" and a list of things the artist likes) or is just a pop song with sleigh bells I may go out of my mind.
But Brad Chase wrote this song years ago as a simple explanation of what makes Christmas... Christmas. The true reason we celebrate this holiday. Light coming in the darkness. Love breaking through time and space. As such its a simple song, refined over many years, that isn't trying to be "Christmassy". It is just a good song. About Christmas. That is "Christmassy". Even if you aren't a Christian, this song can speak to you of the power of light and love to overcome darkness and depression.
So, one night, we set up a few lights and decorations in a nearby "barn" and shot this video.
We ran it through a few times, with 3 cameras and different angles. As far as a technical rundown, we used 3 GH5's shooting V-log with a Canon 70-200mm on a speed booster and two Sigma 18-35 lenses (one on a speed booster, the other just on an adapter). The light came from an Diva and a few well placed LED lights, and of course, the fire in the fireplace. Very minimal setup, shot in fairly low light to really evoke that sense of warmth we all feel at this time of year.
We used my motorized slider for several shots, and I got to mess around with tight focus on the figurines in the creche. Be sure to look for them!
You can find the song on iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify and other places where you get your music! Just head to Brad's Facebook page. Here's hoping he records more songs!
So hey, while I have you here, if you have a music video, or any other kind of video you need produced, let me know! I'd love to work with you!