Ok cool, so you want to book a Live Session! Here's the form to do so. I'll be in touch as soon as possible with a quote for the work and you can say yes/no from there. Some of the queries you may have might have been answered in the Live Session FAQs below so do check them out before you book!
Awesome! I'll have a read and i'll be in touch ASAP with a quote
LIVE SESSION FAQs
DO YOU PROVIDE THE LOCATION?
No. I can point you in the direction of some places in the Manchester area if you are stuck but I usually leave this up to you. Feel free to send me ideas of places and talk to me; I'll be able to tell you if somewhere could work well or not. Cafes after closing time, garden centres, cute shops and music venues are regular places where I've shot live sessions. Shooting in a local shop/cafe etc can get you extra exposure when you release the video!
HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO TRAVEL
I'm available to work worldwide. My travel and parking costs are always added in on top and are always calculated fairly. If we're working overseas I'd ask for you to pay for my flights and accommodation before the shoot takes place. If we feel an overnighter is needed to make it to a shoot then I'd request for that to be covered as well. This will be made clear and communicated at the time of booking if this is needed.
HOW LONG DOES THE AVERAGE SHOOT TAKE?
A live session shoot usually takes 1-3 hours. I like to spend an hour moving things round, setting up lights and making it all look great. Then we'll sound check and start shooting until we nail the take; then put everything back as we found it!
DISCOUNTS FOR MULTIPLE VIDEOS
Yes - if they are all booked at once. Contact me and we can talk about it and I can sort out a quote.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?
I bring my camera, gimbal, lighting and audio recording equipment. You just need to bring yourself and whatever you usually bring to a gig (I'll be able to tell you if you need to bring a PA system). Please remember things like leads, power extensions and tuners.
CAN YOU SHOOT A FULL BAND?
Yes. To shoot a live session video with a full band I would need to hire in my audio guy. This will increase the price. Stripped back setups work best to keep it cheap.
CAN WE DO A FEW SONGS?
Yes you can do more than one song. As long as we clarify how many we are doing in advance so I can quote accordingly this is fine.
HOW MANY TAKES DO PEOPLE USUALLY DO?
Between 3 and 6. If we're shooting a one-take video please send me a version of the tune ahead of time so I can learn where things happen and plan my route round the room in advance. One-take videos are a combination of you nailing it musically and me nailing it visually as a combined effort. It's unlikely but not impossible that this will happen on the first go. I will need a couple of gos to get a take that I love - you can't hide errors on a One-taker. It has to be perfect throughout. So just as you may need a couple of run throughs to get a take you're happy with, I will also - so please expect this. The more takes we do the closer we'll get to the perfect take. By take 3 onwards we should be well on our way. Take 4 or 5 is a regular winning number.
CAN YOU DO MULTI CAMERA SETUPS?
Yes. I mostly do one take videos for this category but yes multi cam is an option if you prefer that style. I can't move round the same without obscuring other cameras so expect a slightly different video to the example product. We would film a wide and a close up of the singer live then play along to the chosen recorded take for the remaining shots. Filming in Multi Cam does increase the price a little as more editing is needed. Contact me for an exact quote.
CAN YOU FILM ME AT A GIG?
This is something I'm working on expanding into. I'm not offering it as a commercial service right now but probably will venture out in the future once I have some examples together. If you are local and up for being a guinea pig then get in touch.
WHEN DO I PAY?
I take a 20% deposit at the time of booking. If you need to rearrange then that's fine. If you want to cancel then I keep the deposit. I ask for full payment via bank transfer once you have viewed the first edit of your film before I send any files or make any amendments.
TURNAROUND / EDIT REVISIONS
You should expect your first edit within two weeks. If it's going to be longer then I'll communicate that with you on the day of the shoot. Please tell me in advance if you are working to a tight deadline. My first edits are always what I deem to be almost complete. If we have shot a one take video you'll have seen and approved the RAW footage on the day. Unfortunately it's not possible to change a one shot video, I can smooth things out but we can't hide anything so make sure you're happy with the shot we choose. If we've shot a multi cam video and you want any changes, send me a list with time-codes of the things you want changing so I can make all the amendments in one sitting. Most of my videos are finalised after one round of tweaks.
CAN YOU TUNE MY VOCALS
Maybe. I am good at detailed and subtle vocal tuning but whether we can or not depends on what instruments are in the video with you and where you're positioned. If you are singing with a keyboard or a digital instrument then we can get away with some subtle but effective tuning. Acoustic instruments will hurt your chances of tuning the vocal in the mix. If you feel we'll need to, please flag it with me at the start of setup. If you are well rehearsed then I'm sure we'll be fine.
CAN WE EDIT / MIX IT?
Yeah if you want. However I would always recommend using me. I would offer you a very slight discount but I am a quick editor, so you'll be better off if I do it. If you choose to do your own edit please run the final video past me if you want to put my name on it.
CAN I PUT A FILTER ON IT AND UPLOAD IT TO INSTAGRAM?
Instagram filters generally don't look very good and crush the quality out of your super Hi-Res video. It's best not to. If you want the colour grade changing just ask.
I'M NERVOUS ABOUT THE SHOOT / NEVER DONE ONE BEFORE
I make sure all my shoots are as fun as possible. I'm going to find your best angles, coach & direct you to perform so it comes across right on camera and get rid of any awkwardness so you feel you can really go for it. We'll try things out and if things don't look right we simply won't use them. I'm good at putting people at ease and your confidence will grow as the shoot goes on. I've filmed loads of people where they're being filmed for the first time and they've come out the other end buzzing with the results. There's lots of things we can try. Don't worry. You'll smash it and I guarantee it'll be great fun.
THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING! GET IN TOUCH.