Three Dominican film and video directors talked about “Directing a Video Clip” at a panel held in the Vilo Café of the Juan Bosch Library as part of the activities being held with the 2012 Dominican Global Film Festival

(Santo Domingo, Nov 15, 2012) Tabaré Blanchard, Jochy Fersobe and Pedro Urrutia comprised the panel on Wednesday in which they discussed directing film clips. They shared their experiences in taping music videos and commercials and showed some of their work. They also gave lots of practical advice on the process that takes place in the direction, production and post-production of a music video.

Pedro Urrutia said for him video clips are the result of songs in which he likes to show some of the backstory or history of the music. “I do a video clips by starting with an idea that is similar, but not exactly, like the song.”

The well-known Dominican filmmaker said when he works he likes to establish parameters as well as a relationship of respect with his clients.

Urrutia, whose videos are shown on international channels such as HBO, said that he would like to see more talented Dominicans get to the point where they are receiving international recognition with their work.

Jochy Fersobe, another Dominican panelist, talked about how he got started making video clips back when they were using VHS cameras. He said that thanks to modern technology, new cameras have helped to improve the quality of the work being done in this area.

Fersobe cautioned that when it is time to actually shoot the video, the cameraperson has to be totally prepared and ready for every eventuality. “A video has to have a good idea behind it and an exhaustive pre-production plan.”

Tabaré Blanchard, who spoke about music videos, stressed that they must have the right language in order to transmit the sensations. “It is taking music and making it visual,” said Blanchard, a film producer and musician, based in Santo Domingo.

Blanchard added that it is very important to use the singers as protagonists in the video clip even if they don’t know much about acting. “If you use actors in the music clips and not the musicians, you run the risk of taking away the attention from the musician being featured in the video clip”

The panel “Directing Video Clips” was attended by a group of young film students as well as students from the Republica de Argentina School who welcomed the panelists and had lots of intelligent questions for them afterwards.