8mm Vintage Camera Music Video with the iPhone 4
As an experiment I decided to make an 8mm Vintage Camera Music Video using my iPhone. The 8mm Vintage Camera app for the iPhone is excellent and by using it one can minimise the amount of post production work needed to achieve the 8mm effect in After-effects or Premiere. My song Win or Lose has a vintage vibe in the sound so I decided that the 8mm Vintage Camera app would save me a bunch of time.
As there was no one around to help, I shot the video myself, which helped give it that shaky camera vibe but also made playing the instruments very tricky. Some shots were done using a tripod (eg the drumming ones) and I added movement in Premiere too simulate shaky camera work (to help it fit in with the vibe of video).
Win or Lose by Ben Simon
A look around the 8mm Vintage Camera App
The app is well laid out and has a help button which overlays the GUI with instructions. It gives you a choice of lenses and film types as well as a frame jitter button (which you can see in the intro of the video). Once you have shot a video clip you can view it instantly in the “My Reels” area of the app. Then you have to export the clips to your camera library before you can download them to your computer. I prefer the way this works compared to the Super8 app where you have to develop the clip before you can watch it. I also find I get a bit lost with the Super8 app with all the different screens and areas. Generally the 8mm Vintage Camera App seems to be a bit more user-friendly. The other thing I like about the 8mm Vintage Camera App is that you can process normal videos from your camera’s library (something not possible with the Super8 app). So why don’t you make yourself an 8mm Vintage Camera Music Video?
8mm Vintage Camera Music Video Clip Sizes and Rendering
The only thing that is a bit disappointing about the app is that it only outputs 480-360 clips and not 720p HD (which is what the iPhone 4 camera is capable of), saying that they have made an iPad 2 version which can do HD footage. It’s worth noting that if you process your 720p footage through the app, it is rendered at 480-360 as well (bummer!). I didn’t find this resolution to be to much of an Issue considering I’m trying to achieve a low-fi effect, the quality is good enough. I set my premiere project at the resolution of the clips (480-360) but rendered the final movie at 720p. I’m not sure if there is any point in doing that but the results are good. I tested the final video though my 42in TV and it looked good (it looked authentically low-fi, as I wanted it to be, but good enough to enjoy on a large screen).
Tips for making an 8mm Vintage Camera Music Video
– Take video clips of at least 5 different performances of the song
– Make sure you’re recording when the first beat of the song plays (it will help for syncing)
– Leave your camera to roll through the whole song. This means you only have to sync the clip at the beginning and it should stay in sync for the rest of the clip
– Get your 5 different angles onto 5 different channels in your editing software
– Cut randomly between the channels (choosing the best bits of performance from each clip)
– Don’t cut on the beat (try cutting before or after so you’re not emphasising the edit)
– Film close up (close crops look slick)
– Film detail e.g. the fingers on a piano, the snare drum being hit etc
– When doing shaky camera work remember to keep good composition
So if you’re wanting to get that 8mm Vintage Camera Music Video look, I can highly recommend you use the 8mm Vintage Camera app or give me a call on 07766306310
For more music visit: http://soundcloud.com/ben-simon