Orchestra Concert Filming

Through my career I have taken on may roles to get to the position I am in today. From camera assisting to camera operating, vision mixing to self shooting, producing to now working as a Director of Photography. Now and again I take on some of these ‘old’ roles to help out clients and to give my metaphorical muscles a flex! Here was an oppertunity to put on my live video direct hat for filming an orchestra concert.

Here I was drafted in by Achievement TV to live video direct a concert by Durham University’s music department. This is an annual event held in Durham Cathedral which I have covered on and off for the last 7 years!

The event was cancelled last year due to Covid therefore this year’s event marked a return to the platform!

It’s always an interesting event as there is no time or budget to mark up scores or have a score reader as I have done during much of my work filming Brass Bands. I rely much more on my own classical music knowledge and the work of our professional camera operators to ‘get the shots’.

We made use of two operated cameras, near the front of the stage, my Sony NX80 as a locked off near the PA desk, mounted up high on a lighting stand and ball head, and finally a robotic camera from within the orchestra.

The event went well, with a good selection of music and different groups. With these events I always find doing a live vision mix on the fly quite draining however the adrenilne of the mix keeps me going!

If you’d like to have me live video direct your next event, whether it be an orchestra concert or conference, why not find out a bit more about my live filming experience here and get in touch!