So… I don’t normally make videos. I have been experimenting a bit with it since I got the Canon 5d MK II, but I still have a lot to learn. Two days ago (Feb 4th) I stumbled upon a contest for the photography conference WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) and thought I would enter.
Jake and I just finished meeting with a soon to be bride and groom and were brainstorming all sorts of nonsense in the car ride home. We finally were set on making a rap video. Since neither of us have actually been to WPPI, it was hard thinking of reasons why we want to go back or be there… I spit off a few lyrics and we laughed pretty hard (Use to make crappy freestyle videos in college… long story).
I got home and was pumped. We were gonna get grillz, flava flave clocks, and bikes (Impalas are a lil out of my budget). I looked at the site for the details and say this: “ends on February 5, 2010″
Holy crap!!! It is Feb 4th and this thing is due tomorrow! Screw all that biz… I gotta get to work on this. No grillz, no girls, and no bikes. That night I got to work on the lyrics. Started writing and workin it out. Also, looked online for a beat, since I didn’t really have a program or time to make one. Found a beat from someplace like “freebeats.com” and decided to work with it. Polled twitter for a free music program and found Audacity, which worked for what I needed. Finished up verse two then hit the sack… had a long day ahead of me.
Got up early in the morning and started to record the tracks. I don’t own a mic, so I had to record into my iPhone, email it to myself, put it into iTunes, converted it into an mp3, then put it into Audacity. Had to do it a lil ghetto because, well… that’s where I’m from. We just make things work.
From there my friend @kumays dropped by and helped me film for a bit. He didn’t have a whole lot of time, but we shot for about an hour and got almost everything that we needed. Next I put the files on my comp, sorted through a whole lot of crap where I forgot the lyrics and spliced it all together. I really don’t do video, so this was the most frustrating part. Converting files, sorting through clips, trying to figure out how to put words on it… ugh. I need a teacher. I put everything together in a really old version of Vegas Movie Studio (kinda ironic), which was annoying. It was super hard to do things that should be really easy. I think. I BS’ed my way through the program and finally got it uploaded to Youtube and to the contest page.
It was a lot of fun and lots of work, but the headache today was worth it. (Until they extended the contest until Feb 12th) Hopefully I will win, but if not, it was fun to put something out that was creative and different.
18 Comments, Comment or Ping
Thanks for sharing the creative process. Much props to your mad skills. It’s exciting to see what will open up as you venture more into creating videos.
February 5th, 2010
Your video is awesome! Looks like it took much longer than 24 hours to put together. The Mark2 produces awesome footage as well, helps make it look more professional. I hope you do more videos, for fun and practice!
February 5th, 2010
I really hope you win too! Fantastic video!!
February 5th, 2010
After reading the post, I was prepared for… well, not what I saw! Despite your technical issues and tight deadline, I think it turned out really well. Congrats on making something entertaining… I hope you win!
February 5th, 2010
Stumbled across your video from Twitter. Great job!!! Gotta love Midwest winter weddings!! Hope you’re in for WPPI!
February 5th, 2010
Hey dude!
I was going to make a video today for the contest (last minute, right??) about how freaking cold it is in MN.. and I thought I’d check out the competition today, and then I saw yours… and I have to thank you, because you’re saving me some time, because I’m not going to do the video now… (no honestly, thanks for saving me time… I have tons of stuff to get done). I realized I don’t even have a chance– I LOVE YOUR VID:) You totally deserve the win!
February 5th, 2010
Awe… You should make one just because you can… And yes… MN is freaking cold. Im from Mpls and know all about it.
February 5th, 2010
You’ve gotta win! That is such an awesome video!
I am soooooo keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Anna S.
February 5th, 2010
Love the video….We will definitely buy you a drink when you are at WPPI!!
February 6th, 2010
love the video. you are totally going to win. see you in vegas!
February 8th, 2010
Sweet video. Since you’ll win you now need to make another one while in Vegas. On the Strip, dancers, etc..
Good luck.
February 8th, 2010
Thanks [b]. Hope to get to the bschool party.
February 8th, 2010
Hey, I found this vid via Twitter (and the [b] school) as well…SO funny, because right before I watched it I thought, I guess one of my main reasons to go to WPPI would be to get out of the freezing cold! Haha!
The video looks great, you’d never guess you were scrambling to get it done.
Nice to meet (via the internets) another MKE photographer!
February 8th, 2010
Hey Simon,
Greetings from Japan and from a fellow [b] schooler. I gotta give you props for that video. That was awesome! You have my vote. See you at WPPI! BTW, I’m originally from the Midwest (Chicago).
February 10th, 2010
so after I saw your video dont think anyone else has a chance, you have my vote, and I am applying for this too, lol
February 11th, 2010
LOVE the video, so funny, so creative!
i have a watched it several times. it makes me laugh. I hope you win!! You deserve it
February 11th, 2010
Loved it, man. Also been browsing around your site for 15 minutes – love that too. Good stuff.
February 16th, 2010
Look at you – all video’d up. Lovin’ it — make more!
February 17th, 2010
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