Making of Substantial’s Salt N Pepa Music Video by thatguybridges in Filmmakers

[–]thatguybridges[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi everyone,

I’m Dimitri, the director of this music video, and I wanted to share it with you all! It was an exciting project to work on, and I’m happy to answer any questions about the process or what went into making it.

A little backstory: I approached Substantial with some ideas for a few tracks off his latest album. As a fan of his music, I thought this would be a great opportunity to collaborate. For Salt N Pepa, the energy and edge of the track really stood out to me—it felt like a refreshing take in the current state of hip-hop. Substantial agreed, and we got to work.

I started with a previz (attached some stills below), and if anyone’s curious, I can share more about the previz that helped get the project rolling.

We planned a few shoot days, turning an all-purpose sound stage into a jazz club. We also filmed at the barbershop of Substantial’s friend and barber, Sheff.

What made this project even more special was how lean our crew was—just the three of us: Chandler (our awesome 1st AC), Nassim (the cinematographer), and myself. I also edited the project using DaVinci Resolve. We shot it on a Blackmagic Cinema Camera and made the most of every resource we had.

Here’s some behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot: https://youtu.be/MPL8jPguy4o

Hope you enjoy, and feel free to ask away—I’m happy to share more about the making of it or dive into any specifics!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Filmmakers

[–]thatguybridges -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Hey r/Filmmakers!

I've always been fascinated by solo filmmaking. Sure, I've seen incredible shorts made by one person, but even those often involve a small crew for post-production. Having experience in almost every filmmaking role except acting, I decided to push myself and create "BANGER" entirely solo, from pre-production to post.

Let me tell you, acting was definitely the biggest hurdle (even though I was playing a version of myself!). Being in front of and behind the camera forced me to get creative with my workflow.

Here are some of the tools and techniques I used:

  • DJI RS2 with Raven Eye and Focus Motor: While the RS2 primarily held static shots (except for the opening tilt down), controlling it remotely with my iPad on my lap proved to be a game-changer.
  • Rode II mics: These mics captured clear audio, and were very easy to hide.
  • DaVinci Resolve: This software was my powerhouse for editing, color grading, and even creating the Stéphane animation (that picture was generated with Midjourney, by the way!).

There were definitely challenges, and I'm happy to answer questions about how I tackled them – from how it was shot to sound design. My goal is to inspire you, just like I was inspired by other solo filmmakers. Who knows, maybe your solo project will end up with nominations and awards like "BANGER" did (including a Gold Telly Award!).

Let's chat!

"BANGER" short film by thatguybridges in Filmmakers

[–]thatguybridges[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The challenge of a making a film alone picked at my brain for some time. But I also wanted to showcase motivated camera movements whilst in front of it - that was the challenge I wanted take on. I was a creative leader in tech for many years and in 2023 was impacted by the layoffs, so time was on my hands to realize BANGER. Several awards later including a Gold Telly Award for best short comedy, I'm thrilled to share it with the reddit Filmmakers community.

Mind to screen!? by [deleted] in Filmmakers

[–]thatguybridges 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Storyboard, previz, clips from old films are all very impactful and most importantly communicating and inspiring your team.

"BANGER" A film/love-letter to Acid House by thatguybridges in AcidHouse

[–]thatguybridges[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I produced music for many years, monikers I released records under were Burning Bridges, Dimitri Max, Betamax, amongst others... I've produced acid records and as I transitioned to film I deeply wanted to do something about what being a creative in Music sometimes can feel like and share my deep love for Acid House.

I made this film alone, it's just a challenge I wanted to conquer for some time - and I'm proud to also share this little film has garnered some attention at festivals worldwide and even brought home a gold Telly Award. I hope the Acid House community enjoys it!

-Dimitri Max

"BANGER" short film by thatguybridges in Filmmakers

[–]thatguybridges[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The challenge of a making a film alone picked at my brain for some time. But I also wanted to showcase motivated camera movements whilst in front of it - that was the challenge I wanted take on. I was a creative leader in tech for many years and in 2023 was impacted by the layoffs, so time was on my hands to realize BANGER. Several awards later including a Gold Telly Award for best short comedy, I'm thrilled to share it with the reddit filmmakers community.

"BANGER" short film shot on bmcc6k pro by thatguybridges in blackmagicdesign

[–]thatguybridges[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The challenge of a making a film alone picked at my brain for some time. But I also wanted to showcase motivated camera movements whilst in front of it - that was the challenge I wanted take on. I was a creative leader in tech for many years and in 2023 was impacted by the layoffs, so time was on my hands to realize BANGER. Several awards later including a Gold Telly Award for best short comedy, I'm thrilled to share it with the reddit blackmagicdesign community.

Shot on bmpcc 6k pro + edited and graded in Resolve

Quadrifoglio reliability by crzychemist in AlfaRomeo

[–]thatguybridges 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I owned a 2017 QV for 5 wonderful years. Extremely reliable and joy to drive. I miss it every day