How to film a music video underwater or through a microscope

Yeasayer’s new clip for “Glass of the Microscope,” fuses science, technology, and pop culture, to create an awe-worthy and scientifically savvy video.

For the backdrop of their video, the band strategically selected one of the oldest research facilities in Europe, shooting at molecular biologist Hans Tanke’s lab at Leiden University in Holland. This lab was the landmark site where the first electron model was developed in the 17th century by Antoine van Leeuwenhoek.

Shot in the tower of the Dutch Naturalis, the video transforms the band members into futuristic scientists who work diligently in a laboratory to find a cure for a disease. The filmmaker, Ruben van Leer, felt that this location would assist the band in finding the proper aesthetic for the video’s concept, for the tower is filled with the largest collection of natural-history objects in Holland.

Filmmaker Leer is skilled in fusing science and art, as seen in his previous projects. Last year,  Leer released Symmetry, a film where he mastered the filming technique of connecting dance data and quantum physical data to create an image. With projects like the “Glass of the Microscope” music video, Leer considers how the concept of high-energy particle physics could inspire narratives on the larger scale for bodies in motion.

Source: Nederlandse Filmacademie — a scene from another Leer video

Leer’s video techniques are so inventive, using analog and digital to capture the surreal sequences that fit beautifully into the storyline. For some of the shots in Yeasayer’s music video, Leer uses his digital camera to film through microscopes, and enhances the shots with 3D computer animation. A Microsoft Kinect is used to incorporate actual human movement into the picture. The shots where the girl is swimming through the liquid were filmed in two separate steps. The liquid swirling in a beaker was first filmed, and then the girl was superimposed through layers into the shot. 

In the video, Van Leer is attempting to portray a scientifically accurate scene in an ultramodern world where technology will essentially prevail and save the day. In an interview, Leer stated  that “through technology, we can observe our world from an increasing number of perspectives and interact with its data.” The synth-heavy track fits the video imagery beautifully, reminding viewers that the big picture trickles down to particles that are only visible on the microscopic level.

Image captured through the glass of a microscope

So if you’re looking to film a cool music video like Yeasayer’s “Glass of a Microscope,” you’ll need a vast array of different cameras.

The Microsoft Kinect, as used by Leer, is great for shooting layers of movement. 

If you actually want to shoot below the water’s surface on a budget, you could go with an inexpensive Sony Hi8 Digital or the more awesome PC-110. The Canon Optura is a totally great option when traveling, because, at 3 x 7.3 x 3.6 inches, it is truly portable. With any of these cameras, make sure to purchase a housing to ensure that your camera will not get wet. Lights for underwater filming have a steep price range from $500 to $11,000. The best underwater light system is the StingRay Pro HID Video Lights at $3,000.

Now that underwater wireless modems are being tested, people will eventually be able to film underwater video and upload it to their computers all without coming back up to the water’s surface.
Lastly, of course, you could always just get the instagram, vine, or film underwater with your iPhone once you purchase a waterproof case.

Image: geeksugar.com

Source: Wired