Mandys Nyckel
December 7
I was assigned the responsibility of helping a local band in Helsinki called Mandys Nyckel produce a showreel music video. The video contains parts of 4-5 songs and is going to be about two minutes long when it's finished, serving as an engaging showcase for the band.
About three weeks ago, I attended one of their live music events and managed to capture some great footage. Unfortunately, the recordings were unusable for the showcase because the band didn’t play with a metronome, which makes syncing the video to their recorded music difficult. I will edit a different live video using that footage instead.
To avoid any other issues, I carefully planned and structured the showreel video. I decided to use the film studio at Arcada University, where I have access to a controlled environment and could minimize critical errors. I wanted the production to be professional and captivating for the audience while also ensuring a smooth process.
The equipment I booked was lightweight, allowing me to work solo in the studio without needing additional crew. I programmed theatrical lights already mounted in the ceiling, which did most of the "heavy lifting" and made the setup highly efficient. This was a practical and, in hindsight, the right decision on my part.
Mandys Nyckel plays Finn-Swedish, cultural, Nordic folk music. They are talented musicians and wonderful people, and I highly recommend checking them out. Their music is smooth and well-composed, with a rhythmic quality that immediately caught my attention. Some parts of their songs are so soft and light that they reminded me of a feather, which inspired the overall concept for the video.
To visually match the music's flowing, airy feel, I decided to use a crane/jib to create a sense of flying with the rhythm. Many of the planned movements resembled manoeuvres I enjoy while piloting drones. The results exceeded my expectations and turned out smoother than anticipated. However, one major challenge was managing the manual lens focus while operating the crane. I wanted to maintain depth in the shots without increasing the aperture, so I had to be strategic.
To overcome this, I developed a technique where I used the crane to handle the heavy lifting of the camera while I manually adjusted the focus and simultaneously executed tilts, pans, twists, and turns. It required some practice and precision, but I think I eventually mastered it. Having an extra set of hands would have been helpful, though.
In the end, the band was happy with the result, which is what matters most to me. The creative market is challenging, and I believe artists should support one another as much as possible. We're all in this together.
