What do Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Future, and Travis Scott have in common? Besides their status as rap and hip-hop royalty, they've all released tracks with English singer, songwriter, and producer James Blake. Whether it's collaborating with the best in the business, or in his own solo releases, Blake's unique voice and experimental style have seen him push the boundaries within popular music. In line with his innovative approach, Blake's recent collaboration with filmmaking duo The Reids involved shooting the music video for his latest single, "Thrown Around," using none other than Insta360 X4!
The result? A truly creative video that touches on some deep issues in the music industry, including the need for artists to "shag the algorithm". You'll see what we mean.
Now you might be wondering: how could a $500 camera like Insta360 X4 deliver the quality needed for a professional music video? Or perhaps you're curious how it was filmed? Well, fear not! We asked the directors of the video to put together a special behind-the-scenes look at the filming of this project, and got their take on why Insta360 X4 was the best camera for the job.
So, why film a music video with Insta360 X4?
It turns out the Reid brothers had been wanting to use a 360° camera like Insta360 X4 for quite some time:
"Fraser Mitchell, who built the rig for this video, introduced us to the tech a few years ago and we’ve been wanting to use one in a project ever since! But we had to wait until the right idea came along… the 360 cam look is very famous now and lots of people do it really well, so we had to figure out how we’d bring a point of difference to the space."
The video gives a great explanation of the thought process behind using the camera, but allow us to give you the cliff notes for this one:
- Image Quality: even though parts of the video were shot with a full-blown cinema camera, the scenes shot on Insta360 X4 could be seamlessly integrated without an obvious drop in quality.
- One Camera, Multiple Angles: shooting in 360° means you've got your A and B angle all in one, or in fact, limitless angles. Third-person views and POVs captured at the same time. Pretty sweet.
- Light and Tough as Nails: it is an action camera after all, so it's perfect for any dynamic filming, and it can take plenty of drops and hits.
- Invisible Selfie Stick: only possible with a 360° camera like Insta360 X4, and essential for creating the close-up, immersive shots in this video. Opens up so many creative possibilities.
- Battery Life: shoot for hours, no interruptions. If you're really going hard, pack a couple spare batteries and you're set.
Any more advice for filmmakers using Insta360 X4?
As a follow up to their super insightful explanation, we asked The Reids what challenges they faced when using Insta360 X4, and whether they had any advice for fellow filmmakers using the camera for a professional shoot. Here's what they said:
"To be honest, it’s one of the easiest camera systems we’ve ever used. In our behind the scenes video we talk about the importance of having spare Lens Guards on hand - that would be our top advice - but otherwise we were just so excited to use it as it was so much fun. Oh, and use the “Flat” color profile!"
And that's a wrap.
So, there you have it. It might not look like a traditional filmmaking tool but in the right hands, Insta360 X4 really offers endless creative potential.
The "Thrown Around" video is a great reminder that you don’t always need expensive gear to create something extraordinary—sometimes, all it takes is a bit of ingenuity, some clever tech, and maybe a spare lens guard or two.
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