After the Syracuse hockey team got suspended, Jack and I had to come up with another strong idea that would justify a 360 video. As discussed with professor Pacheco in class, 360 videos are meant to transport a viewer’s consciousness to a perspective that is not common. Jack and I brainstormed on certain ideas and shortlisted a few. However, the final idea came quite unexpectedly when I was sitting in a lab alone and accidently met Wasim, a former student from professor’s Pacheco’s class. I started conversing with Wasim and mentioned to him how were brainstorming on certain ideas to replace the original ice hockey idea. One has heard the phrase “Being at the right place at the right time.” This was the case with me because Wasim’s suggestion of filming a live event was perfect. It struck a chord and I contacted the owner of Funkin ‘N Waffles who happened to reply to my email quickly. For those of you who are not familiar with Funkin ‘N Waffles, it is a restaurant in Syracuse that has live events every few days.

After getting permission to shoot at Funkin ‘N Waffles, Jack and I reached the place an hour before the event started and did a quick recce of the place. We decided the spots where we would place the camera i.e. outside the restaurant, on the stage, behind the bar, between the crowd and the singer and more. Jack and I asked the staff for special access to places to shoot the video and they cooperated. We setup the camera at an average human height and utilized the indoor lighting and street lighting for the video. We did not use any special mics to record the event but relied on the camera microphone itself. We blended in the crowd or hid behind pillars or other invisible spots while recording and remained within a close reach of the camera so that we can ensure its safety. We did not add any external audio to our video during the editing process.

I contributed to the assignment by taking permission from the restaurant owner and setting up the camera at various locations. I also handled the smartphone to record and brainstormed with Jack to shoot strategically and efficiently. I made sure we had extra footage so that we have enough raw material for editing. I contributed to the editing by adding subtle transitions and effects that made the video smooth. Collaboratively, Jack and I entered some text to add humor to the video.

Shooting a live concert was a good idea because it allows the viewer to witness a live singer’s performance. The highly stimulating environment of a live performance keeps the viewer engaged at all times and the large crowd around gives the feeling of reality. It is fun to be at a public event at no ticket costs and enjoy a live performance. While shooting the video, I learned that it is always better to recce the place and decided what will you be shooting for how long as it saves times and one avoids confusion. One should also be ready to improvise as per-meditated ideas sometimes fall flat because of external circumstances. While editing, I realized that one should experiment with different effects because one can never know their impact until one practically witnesses it. Additionally, filming extra footage always saves the day.