Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 11/24/2009, 10:25 AM
The Good: I loved the red-themed accessories and costuming that carried through from beginning to end. Choreography and camera angles and use of color were world-class. Video editing was appropriate and unobtusive.

The Rest: The instrumental and vocal backing tracks were way too exposed and too dry. Instrumentals sounded really midi-ish. Overdubs overpowered the natural singer. Was the static at the beginning intentional? I put me off a bit.

Suggestions: Your idea of expanding the stereo backing tracks more to the sides and keeping the natural voice and piano more to the center of the mix is a good one. In order for it to be effective, bring out the center more and suppress the sides. Introducing even a 5ms delay on the sides would enhance the effect. I wouldn't introduce the phase-shifted vocal overtracks until the second verse of the song. If you "must" use synth strings, add some reverb to make them less artificial and keep them well below the vocals and piano. Same with percussion, although I would always use a live track. Keep the vocal backing and overdub tracks below the singer; i.e., illuminate her natural vocals, don't eliminate them. The acoustic piano should lead the other instruments, not bow to them.

All in all, a provocative and effective effort. The audio presentation needs some tweaking. Keep up the great original work!
MUTTLEY wrote on 11/24/2009, 10:34 AM
Thanks for the positives on the video portion of it, unfortunately I'm not a sound guy and thats just the wave taken directly from her CD via Vegas import. By the time they get to me the album is usually done and the song already mixed. Not sure if there's some compression in rendering to mp4 that may cause any of the problems you're perceiving with the sound but I personally did nothing to alter it in any way during the editing process.

- Ray
Underground Planet
musicvid10 wrote on 11/24/2009, 10:40 AM
See if you can get the raw tracks and remix the audio yourself. I'm sure you could do a better job, and yes, there is probably some adjustment that needs to be made for the compressed AAC audio.
mjroddy wrote on 11/24/2009, 4:16 PM
I've been away from this forum for an unfortunately long time. I come back and find another excellent video from Muttley/Underground Planet.

Only constructive crit I can come up with is I felt in a few shots, I thought the lighting wasn't overly flattering. But then, I'm not a fan of low lighting (from a low angle) and harsh cheek bones.

But other than that,
Yikes, dude... You're work is consistently awesome. Damn Good Show all the way 'round.
PeterWright wrote on 11/24/2009, 5:34 PM
Very classy job Ray - enjoyed reading about all the preparation stages you went through - it paid off handsomely!
ushere wrote on 11/24/2009, 5:57 PM
gorgeous.....

and nice background info. thanks
UlfLaursen wrote on 11/24/2009, 9:14 PM
As always Nice Ray - love your work a lot :-)

/Ulf
farss wrote on 11/24/2009, 10:36 PM
Excellent work, best yet.
A couple of minor niggles.
In a couple of places her miming wasn't convincing, not a kind of shoot I've ever had to wrangle but off the top of my head make certain she's singing first and then doing whatever else she has to do.
The selective focus got me a couple of times. Not that you didn't use it very well but sometimes what was in focus was quite soft and at others it was tack sharp. Also I found cutting as soon as focus was resolved disconcerting.
I'm being very picky, so much of it is so very good the little bits that don't match up to the rest of it get me.

Bob.

MUTTLEY wrote on 11/25/2009, 9:40 AM

Really appreciate it all, totally makes my day. =)

mjroddy, Im guessing you mean the shots where she was on top of the piano playing with her toes?

Peter, ushere, Ulf, thanks for watching/posting and gladja liked it.

Id have to watch it again Farss to see if theres any synch issues I overlooked. Before last render had slowed it down a good 25% or more and watched the entire thing like that just to tweak. Doesn't mean I got everyone of em but sure did try. And I get what you were saying about the rack's, I actually originally had a couple at the beginning a bit longer but in the ended had a lot I wanted to introduce before certain other parts and musical cues so ended up having to trim.


- Ray
Underground Planet

farss wrote on 11/25/2009, 11:45 AM
I didn't notice any sync issues as such. Rather she just doesn't look like she's singing it. The shot where she looks back from the waiter to camera is where I noticed it.

Bob.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 11/25/2009, 2:04 PM

Can't think of anything clever or terribly original to say... Good job, Ray!

Thank you for sharing your work with the rest of us. It's been interesting to watch you grow.


stevengotts wrote on 11/26/2009, 9:11 PM
Great Stuff. Thanks for Sharing.
Steven
MUTTLEY wrote on 11/27/2009, 12:40 PM

Hey Jay and Steven, thanks a bunch for giving it a glance and taking the time to post, means a lot! =)


- Ray
Underground Planet
mjroddy wrote on 11/28/2009, 3:45 PM
> mjroddy, Im guessing you mean the shots where she was on top of the piano playing with her toes?

Yes. Mainly just the CUs of her.
But no one else commented on that, so if I were you, I'd dismiss my comment.
I just am not a fan of underlighting (low angel). It's just not flattering, in my opinion, but again, it's just a personal prejudice, so nothing to really consider.

Again, great job.