2 weeks ago I did my presentation to present to the class. In my presentation, I discussed what I will be doing for my final major project, what a nasheed is, what type of research I will be doing, how much I will be spending, what equipment I will be using, who my target audience is, where I will be shooting my nasheed video, what promotion I will be doing for my video, how I will be presenting my idea, what kind of shots I will be using, what deadlines I have set for each task.
The presentation went very well for me. I had discussed my idea which was passion and confidence. This is something I’ve always wanted to do for my project, last year I was going to do this for my fmp project but I changed my mind and decided to do a podcast instead. So I thought to myself, I will be doing an fmp project again next year so why don’t I just leave this for then for my final year? Finish my final year off with something I love. I had been planning this project from last year with a few guys at the degree level. They shoot music videos and are very experienced in doing so. They know what they are doing and have got the equipment to shoot a music video. So one day i sat these brothers down and showed them some examples of nasheed videos, I was giving them some inspiration on how I would want mine to look like, I wanted them to see what kind of shots are mostly used when doing a nasheed video. They were very intrigued and wanted to look at more. From there I showed them some of my work, and they were impressed and asked if they could shoot something for me, my answer was “Yes it would be great.” From here I took their social media and told them to be ready for next year time to do it.
Now and then I would see them around my college building and ask them about the nasheed video I have planned for the next year. Eventually when the time came so this year. All I had to do was contact the team and say I was ready to forward with the Nasheed project.
Then when I came back to college for this year I saw the team again around college and reminded them of my project that I will be doing by the end of the year. Then finally after some weeks or so, I arranged a meeting on teams with Joel and the guys to discuss my project, my nasheed video what I would want etc:
In this meeting call, I discussed my ideas and what I wanted. I was explaining to the guys that I wanted the Nasheed video to be simple and not too much. I told them on the team call that it is something that I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time. They said to me that it is so much easier if the artist knows what he is doing. It makes the job easier for them. I told them that they shouldn’t stress and worry too much because I have experience in the past and I know what I’m doing. I told them I would be directing the video myself. But I would like them to use the drone as well as the camera telling them that a nasheed video is way different to a music video, it doesn’t require as much effort. With a nasheed video, it is more moving shots using the gimble. So wherever I go the camera is following. I was showing them some examples of how I want my video to look. In this call we were discussing where we should do the video, I was giving them some suggestions on where to do it, and I was telling them that shooting it in Bradford is the best option in my area. At Bolton Woods and Wrose quarry then at the Westgate Mosque in town. 3 locations.
They were saying which equipment they needed, and what equipment they needed to bring. I told them to bring the drone, the camera and the gimble that day. We decided to set the date on the 22nd and 23rd of April on the weekend to go out and shoot the video.
2nd Meeting:
In the second meeting, me and Joel were discussing how much rate he would be charging for the video. We had to come to a middle point which was a reasonable price for both of us. At first, he was giving the price of £350 or £400. But that was a price range out of my budget and limit. It was a price which was too high for me. I had explained to Joel that a nasheed video doesn’t cost that much and that I let down 2 other guys to do this video at a way more reasonable price than you’re giving me right now. I told him this price was more than the other guys were charging, and that I am a student and I am not working at this current time. I do not have a job. So I cannot afford this price. Even more, I told him that I am in the same college as you, you knew me as a person that I am allowing you to shoot my video for the first ever time, and that if you shot this video well I may even get you again for my other video’s.
He told me that the reason why he was charging that much was because 4 guys were in on it and he would split the price up between 4 of them which was around £100 each. But I said that with this project we don’t need 4 guys doing it, we just need 2 guys and I will already have 1 other extra person with me helping out. I said to him that the last video I did was only 2 of us that did that and it came out on a professional level. The price that I was giving was max £200. Which means splitting the 200 between 2 people. I said to him to go back to his team and explain what my budget is and why it is that. He said to me they won’t be happy but one of the guys will be happy with doing the video. So we shook for £200. He even said to me that the only reason he gave the price of £400 was because of the other 2 people. He said he needed some extra people to help carry the equipment. At the end of it, we concluded and were both happy with the decision.
I have talked to my friend Akash. He will help me during my video shoot. He has a car so he will be driving us to different locations. He will be helping with the equipment and the video itself.
The other day I spoke to my friend and he said that he won’t be free on Saturday for the shoot. So I had to change the date 4th of May to the 12th of May on a Sunday. Firstly I had to speak to Joel about changing the date. Luckily Joel was totally fine with it. So now we will be recording the video on the 5th Sunday and the 12th Sunday.
I met Joel yesterday in college. We were speaking about the project, and I sent him my audio of the nasheed. I told him to listen to it and think of some ideas when listening to it so that when we come down to actually recording the video them ideas could be put into place.
Shoot day 1st week :
So the other day on Sunday the 5th of May, I went out to record my nasheed video. This was the first day of the shoot. The guys first met up at my house in the morning 10 in the morning. They brought all the equipment including the camera, the gimble and the drone. Before we set off we went through a few things. The location and the shots we will be using. My father was going to be helping us out on the day. So my dad asked them do you know what you’re doing? , they replied and said, “Yeah meher has gone through everything with us, we have a good idea of how he wants it to be”.This was a good sign. From there we went to our first location which was Wrose Quarry. But we didn’t like it so we decided to go to Chellow Dean Reservoirs instead. The only problem was that we couldn’t find the entrance. We asked one of the locals how to get there and he told us where. Eventually, we got there and we were analysing where we should start and which shots would be good to take. we took loads of footage including, moving shots, still shots and even drone shots at this location. We took some amazing footage of where the lake was. The view was very nice. It was just the perfect weather for it as well.
Even more, we took various walking shots in nature and woods. With those shots, I told them when it comes down to editing the video to do the slow-motion effect on those shots. When recording the video I did have to take a few shots again because they didn’t come out like I wanted to. We did have some pedestrians walk past during the shoot, by then we had to stop and then carry on. After spending 2 hours and more at the first location we then moved onto the 2nd location.
2nd location:
So from there, we went to the 2nd location which was the Westgate Central Mosque in Town Bradford. I chose this location firstly because it is very nice from the inside and is very big. There is loads of space inside and from the outside, the mosque looks beautiful. So when we got there we planned to take some drone shots of the mosque outside to get the top view and side view of the full mosque. Then after that, we got our equipment and went straight inside the mosque. We went upstairs but at that time the women’s Islamic class had just finished so we had to ignore whoever was upstairs and go straight to the other side of the mosque to shoot. At the same time, we had to be quick with it because, on that same afternoon, they had an annual event/gathering at 2:30 pm. Which only left us with 1hr to work with until people started coming. So we had to be wary of time and act accordingly. But we faced a problem when we were there. That problem was that another woman on the other side of the mosque had a problem with us coming and taking footage. She was making it very awkward and was making it difficult for us. She didn’t like it and even complained about us to one of the members of the mosque.
He came upstairs to see what we were doing whilst we were taking footage and recording. He asked what we were doing. My father had told him not to worry we were just taking footage and we would be gone. It turned out that the woman complained to us saying we were recording her which was very funny to us because we didn’t come in to do that we came to take some footage of the mosque. But she had a problem with us. We told him that we weren’t recording her and came here to only strictly record myself for a nasheed video. Luckily he understood us and left. Other than that problem, we took some very nice smooth walking shots, close-up shots and even a still shot. We took some B-roll shots of the mosque. In that time we had we did well getting good clear footage. We came out of there happy and cool. That was the main thing.
After everything was done and we were all happy with the footage we took, we discussed what the plan was for the next shoot the week after on Sunday. I was explaining to the team that it will be an evening shoot, which means we will be meeting at the Mercy Oceans Dergah Centre at 7 pm. I told them at this location they would be taking shots of me taking part in the gathering. They will be taking footage of the Islamic talk, the whole gathering, and of course, me reciting on the mic at the end of the gathering. I told them what would be expected at that location.
Next week. Sunday 3rd location at the Mercy Oceans Dergah:
This shoot was done in the evening. I told the guys to meet me there at 7 pm. I told them that they wouldn’t need the drone because it would be done inside the centre. I already got permission for shooting inside so it was all cool. We didn’t face any major problems like we did at the mosque. when they came in at the centre they were welcomed with some drinks. Joel took the camera out with the tripod and set it up. He took some shots of the brothers praying. Then after the prayer was done. The scholar did an Islamic talk so I told Joel to sit in the circle and take some still shots of me next to the scholar and take some shots of the gathering itself. They took some shots of me reciting at the end of the gathering as well. When the gathering was over we still had to take some more shots inside the centre. They had to take some b roll footage of inside the centre and take some more shots of me reciting. We had a few brothers that helped us with one shot as well. This shoot wasn’t too difficult, it went very smoothly. We took a variety of different shots that we were very happy with.
Here are some pictures from my video shoot:
I will be using one of these pictures for my thumbnail and video release poster. Joel took these pictures, he has also edited them.
I will be using this picture for my release poster.
This was when we got to the first location where you can see Joel setting up the equipment and camera. He is adjusting the camera putting the lens on it.
This is behind the scenes of my video. They had my nasheed playing in the back on a speaker and I was singing on top of it. As you can see here Ismail is using a gimble to take the wide shots. Moving shot.
Joel even got his drone out and was taking some moving shots. This drone was taking shots of me reciting, the drone was going around me whilst I was singing.
https://youtube.com/shorts/BZOaKO1apWg
We walk to our first spot in front of the lake where we will be starting for the day. At the same time, we getting an idea of which shots we will be taking, and what will look nice on the camera.
Over here you can see Joel taking out the equipment ready to shoot. As you can see he is taking out the camera and the gimble.
Over here you can see me walking, this shot will be in slow motion. this is a moving walking shot. This will be added to the video where the flute is playing on its own, or to the parts where I am not singing.