Music videos created with Dunedin performer

A partnership with an experienced Dunedin-based musician has given Otago Polytechnic photography students some practical experience of the creative process around making music videos.

The 2024 Diploma of Photography (Level 6) class was tasked with planning and filming live musical performances by Alan Ned Gray - who goes by the stage name Flying Man.

The Irish-born guitarist and singer-songwriter is known for his live-looping and layered harmonies, and has been part of Ōtepoti's music scene since moving down under in 2008.

Alan came into the lighting studio at Otago Polytechnic's Art School late last year for the performances.

The graduating class was split into two groups, with the students taking on different roles to shoot two of Alan's original songs from multiple camera angles and with different lighting setups. They were then able to share the footage and create their own edits of the music videos.

As the "client", Alan was given the choice of which edit to use, working with the students directly to apply tweaks and approve the final cuts of his music videos.

He says both groups were well organised, and he couldn't be happier with the final videos.

"Everything was so easy on the day. I never felt like it was anything less than a professional video shoot."

"The workflow and communication on the day was excellent and everyone was so easy to work with."

Photographic Media Arts lecturer Stephen Hillman believes it's a good example of the real-world practical approaches learners can experience on the programme.

"It's great to collaborate with musicians from outside the polytechnic and give the learners a chance to interact and work with them in the sort of collaborative production process they can expect in the commercial world.

"This is the second year Alan has worked with students from Otago Polytechnic, and Stephen says the skilled musician's generosity of time and feedback helped create a "great vibe" for the graduate learners.

"The groupwork offered in tasks like these really challenge the learners to work together in crews, which requires a different mentality than they need when working on solo projects," he says.

"They need to engage, communicate, support and help each other remembering they are a cog in the wheel where each part contributes to the final product."