Good Loco video studio hire Sydney is proud to introduce our interview series ’Shooting Stars’; a quick chat with some of Sydney’s best photographers and filmmakers, who have been kind enough to pass on some tips on where to start when looking for photography and / or videography services. 

Today we’re fortunate enough to catch up with Samuel Bright, who is a director and editor who has worked in the film industry for over a decade. Sam is also the Curator and Founder of CLIPPED Music Video Festival; Australia’s only festival dedicated to the art of music video. 

1. Thank you for taking the time to catch up with us at Good Loco videography studio Sydney. We’ve touched on a brief introduction, but could you please tell us a bit more about what you do exactly?

Since completing the study of a bachelor of Electronic Arts (video/sound installation art degree) I worked for a decade in post-production companies as a commercial editor, whilst also freelancing as a director and producer of anything from branded content to live shows, charity documentary and of course music videos. This led me to identify a lack of recognition and support for the music video community, which was my inspiration for starting CLIPPED Music Video Festival, running part of Vivid Sydney since 2016.

2. When people are looking for the right videographer, what kind of things should they be looking for and taking into consideration?

• Equipment suited for the required result - for example sometimes you don’t need a RED or ARRI Camera for an online interview piece or you may need sound gear that an experienced cinematographer may not have, if it’s, say, a smaller budget or charity job. Also, certain cameras and lenses will get completely different looks for whatever outcome you are looking to achieve, and equipment is essentially an extension of the videographer themselves.

• Skill or quality of operator - looking at previous work or even examine references together is never a bad idea to give confidence you’ll nail the brief. Over time you will work with different people and naturally form solid working relationships with understanding of strengths and weaknesses (we all have them). Certain jobs may be possible or better suited to junior operators to give them an opportunity however with this there is more risk of technical problems or issues with footage, often discovered in a panic after the shoot.

• Personality - it's worth anticipating the videographer’s anticipated synergy with other people, collaborators or clients in your project. There is nothing worse than having someone who (may be technically amazing) doesn’t gel or get the message, ethos or feelings behind the project as it can sometimes (like with any crew member really) effect the vibe for better or worse.

• Ability to adapt or think outside the box - with filmmaking things will often most always change or go wrong so it’s important to problem solve. It’s worth doing a brief or talking through the project as this often flags a lot of potential issues.

3. Finding the right space can be quite overwhelming too. What advice would you give here? Is it just as easy as punching key words like 'video studio hire Sydney’ and 'videography studio Sydney’ into Google? Are there other platforms that might be more helpful? 

It all depends on how much luck you have and the specific project. The most important factor is usually budget and logistics or proximity to your client and / or talent. Then it really comes down to the type of space you are after for the shoot to facilitate your needs visually and also from a sound perspective if clean dialogue is important. I tend to prefer natural or actual real locations rather than studio sets where possible, but there will be times where this simply isn’t feasible or to brief. Especially as finding or sourcing spaces independently via scouts or location companies can be both time consuming and costly. Sometimes building in a studio environment or shooting on a cyclorama will be the most effective way to a successful result albeit can get expensive if elaborate. Looking at gumtree or Airbnb or even real estate websites can be additional sources that may sometimes come through with the goods. There is also no harm in a cheeky Facebook post call-out to friends and family, as you’d potentially be able to save some money if you go down this route. If so, finding similar style or desired looking places online on sites such as Pinterest or google image search can help relay your vision.

4. How important do you think video content is within the current climate? Have you seen an increase of business with more companies wanting to exploit the digital realm further?

Video content is crucial to a majority of businesses today looking at expanding their reach or simply advertising what they do. Not only is video an amazing format for showcasing but social media platforms have favourable algorithms. While it’s easy to make average content, storytelling via film can be an insightful and compelling way to engage your audience in ways that other mediums cannot. There has been a steady increase in companies looking to venture into video however that has also been matched by filmmakers offering services in these fields. 

5. For the novice / DIY videographer, what setup of gear is considered essential? 

1) Camera & Lenses - a nice cross section is handy for smaller projects and ideally a camera like at least a Sony A7S which is great in low light situations.

2) Sound - a zoom h6n recorder for basic sound recording, a few lapels and a couple of Rode NTG shotgun microphones will go a long way when starting.

3) Lighting - a few even cheaper few options here would be handy to get yourself out of some tricky situations or even give a scene a dash of colour.

After a successful 2020 held at the Randwick Ritz, CLIPPED Music Video Festival 2021 will return as part of Vivid. If you are an artist or filmmaker with a music video you’d like to submit for the opportunity of awards and prizes, you can submit it here: http://filmfreeway.com/clippedfestival