Two YouTube videos I’ve watched recently really gave me a mental boost...or a “Cheer Up” as John calls it. Both of them being of ‘Flash Mob’ dancing.
Naff? Not really....on studying them, you’ll see there’s real skill gone into the filming and editing processes.
I know that our man in Wales, Rob Phillips, films quite a few song and dance routines, so I sent him the second of the links, and asked him to give his opinion. Here’s what he says...
thanks for that one - right up my street actually. Although it looks like an impromptu event, it was very well planned and rehearsed,
and also there was an acceptance that every onlooker would be filming it on their mobiles - which is exactly what they were bargaining for as this was a live promotion for their group.
Most of the camera work was on floor level and there were at least two official mobile camera operators (as I could see when they sometimes got into each other's shots) and probably at least three wide cameras set at higher vantage points than the ground level ones. It is similar to what I do in the theatre except my camera positions are at four set points and are at the mercy of whatever the theatre lighting crew provides, (there is very little co-operation regarding lighting control I have found), but in this case with this group, they were using a very well lit arcade with plenty of room to dance - (after the 'Lion' group kind of 'persuaded' people out of the way) thus creating a space quickly filled by the very entertaining dancers.
I would choose to be one of the moving and closer-in cameras, going with the flow and taking in the occasional shot of the spectators. I have often filmed my dance group’s rehearsals in very much the same way that this dance was performed, weaving through the dancers and timing my position with theirs, something I couldn't do when they were on stage.
Whether I could do that now is another matter however, but I like to think I still could! My show rehearsals were filmed in sports halls with similar lighting to the arcade where this performance took place, beautifully lighting the details of the costumes - another bonus. It would be necessary for all cameras to be recording continuously until the whole show was over as this would benefit the editing afterwards. The editing in this was really well done with plenty of good inserts from many varying angles and I'm sure there were a few mobile phone shots synchronised into the edit. Excellent dancing, excellent filming and the whole show was excellently choreographed. - Rob