‘Unbreakable’ by The Saving Grace

So many things went wrong for me shooting this gig, I am so glad that some of it worked…

This was the final song, that’s why Paul’s voice is buggered.

They played for at least an hour, so there will be more songs in the coming weeks.         

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One down… many to go

Right – that’s one song finished. That song being The Saving Grace playing ‘Unbreakable’, which runs to almost 10 minutes.  The audio wasn’t quite as tricky as I thought it might be – where the minidisc glitched, I filled the hole with audio from the camera (which sounds like a Yeti in a wind-tunnel). It kinda works, though.

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The editing starts…

I am now starting on the editing of the debut gig by ‘The Saving Grace’. I hope to have it finished by the end of the week, please gods. The footage isn’t the problem, getting the audio to work with the footage is going to be the problem.

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Things that went wrong…

My list of things that went wrong with filming the bands:

• Trying to get leads out from under my bed, I caught my watch strap and broke one of the small metal spring-loaded things that keep the strap on
• I get there at 6pm but don’t really need to be, so have eaten only half of my tea…
• …And the jumper I’m wearing is to warm for the venue, but it’s all I’ve got
• The promoter is going to let me use his camcorder – but it is broken
• Batteries got loose in my rucksack
• 4GB memory card doesn’t work in one of the cameras
• There is nowhere safe to keep the laptop while the gig is going on…
• …So I have to run home to fetch the minisdisc recorder
• There is no way to plug the minidisc recorder into the mixing desk
• Forgot to bring spare minidisc, so had to record bands on ‘long play’ quality
• Forgot the mini tripod for the microphone
• Forgot to change batteries before The Insults start – they run out half-way through
• Change filming position during TSG set, find it’s not as good. Can’t return, as someone else has taken my spot
• Lose the CD cards from the second camera sometime
• The minidisc is getting stuck on playback, either the disc is buggered or the deck is broken
• There’s more, bound to be, I just don’t know what it is yet…

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Finally getting to grips with Youtube

Youtube is always there, it has always been there. In Web terms it is elemental. Like rocks or the ocean, or something. Ebay too (Difference is, I never use Ebay, never quite know what I’m doing, what pitfalls exist to trap the unwary. And there are many, so I hear. And anyway, I can’t be bothered).

So, Youtube. Two things have happened: My USB dongle connection seems to be so much better these days –  watching online video is actually possible, and I have started making my own movies. If you make your own movies, you need to find them a home, so that other people can see them and say “what is this shit? are there no hilarious cips ofcute kittens falling down the stairs while chasing a spider?!!“.

So I am trying to set up my Youtube ‘channel’, edit my tags, try to view statistics about my video which I can’t do because only 40 people have watched the wretched thing, and pick which pretty colour the page is. I am also trying to remember which clips I have seen that I want to add to my favourite list, in a vain – and futile – attempt to make me look cool.

Like this one, by Spoon:

Far Black Furlong: I’ve got to start somewhere

Here it is : my first ever youtube video*. Yes, I know it isn’t very exciting, but I’ve got to start somewhere, eh?

*Well, the promo for The Saving Grace was the first, technically.

The Saving Grace now on Youtube

This is the ‘film’ I did for my friends in The Saving Grace as mentioned a couple of days ago.  We are already planning the follow-up, although it will be couple of months before that happens.

Just made my first music video…

The recording session for The Saving Grace went very well indeed, and we ended up with more than we expected. A lot more.

After we’d recorded a couple of songs, Rob had to go out and fetch a curry – he hadn’t eaten – so me and Paul recorded ‘You’re Not Alone’ (originally done by The Enemy) because we didn’t really need Rob for that. Then I had the crazy idea that I could use the movie function on my digital camera to film Paul miming along to the track he had just recorded, then sync the film with the music later.

Even though he had the music coming through his headphones, Paul’s miming was poor. So we recorded the music again, filming at the same time so that miming didn’t come into it. When I got it back home I got it sync’d up, turned it to black and white (Paul says it makes him look thinner)and stuck some credits at the beginning and end.

So now they have a music promo to stick up on youtube, etc. Although as Rob commented, we could’ve done it for an original song, not a cover. Next time, eh?

My gods, Windows Movie Maker isn't completely useless...