The basic format of a music video might be simple, but the potential in collaboration between musicians and filmmakers is anything but. Maybe this is why so many talented creatives enter moviemaking that way.

Freshly graduated from a filmmaking degree, Marin Distafa is no stranger to the format, so having just put the finishing touches to a promo for his friend and collaborator, CJ, what’s the key to success? “For me, it’s probably the same as it’s always been,” he answers, “the visuals must carry the song forward and help tell the story. Otherwise, they’ve missed the mark. Working with what the artist wrote guides the creative decisions you make.”

The video for ‘Bibidy’ was shot on a Sony FX30 around East London just a few months ago. Its inspiration? The distinctive beeps of the Zip Oyster cards that allow young people to travel for free on public transport. That one simple reminiscence opens up a song full of reflections on life and the struggles of growing up.

“At first CJ just wanted some social media content for the song,” Distafa explains, “so a couple of years back we filmed him trying to get on buses without the Zip card and getting turned down, kind of as a metaphor for leaving childhood behind. We filmed a lot but never released it. Then early this year he saw a video by Skepta which had some scenes on train platforms, and we were inspired to make a proper promo.”

If it’s going to be successful, filmmaking needs to be planned, and that was certainly the case here. “We needed to be on the same page, but it was his story in the song,” Marin remembers. “I didn’t want to take over, just find a balance, so we asked a lot of questions of each other, like how we best show what the song is about, what locations make sense and how we can add visual flair without taking the viewer away from the core meaning.”

“Test shoots were so important,” he continues, “because knowing how you’re going to frame at a location, or what problems there might be means you won’t be surprised. And it paid off because the playground we were originally going to use had all its swing sets removed since we’d last been there!”

“But shooting at the stations was the worst part” Marin laughs, “we knew we needed about five or six including Mile End, Leighton and Bow Road, but they’re… complex places to work. We got what we needed and then got out of there.”

Even with time constraints, Marin created some beautiful scenes with an almost theatrical dedication to framing. “The static compositions were really something I focused on a lot, making a space for CJ to perform within, and working from a tripod also meant we could use some special effects, like when he appears multiple times in the frame. It’s not a hard thing to merge in the edit if the camera stays locked off, and sometimes as easy as cropping one layer of footage on top of another, but if the light changes too much, you’ve got to start over.”

Along for the ride, the Sony FX30 clearly stood out as an accessible yet powerful filmmaking tool for Marin. “It’s big strength for me in that it’s so versatile,” he explains, “meaning I can use it for everything from simple social media content to higher-quality productions. For example, in the Bibidy video I used S-Log3 in 4K, which delivers a really filmic look and feel, and because the footage is downsampled from 6K it can be really punchy.”

“The camera’s smaller sensor keeps the body very compact, too,” he continues, “perfect when you have multiple locations, but also for picking up shots on the move. And as part of Sony’s Cinema Line, you know the camera is purpose-built for filmmaking with thoughtful ergonomics, dedicated menus and customisable controls that sit right where you want them to when the camera’s in your hand.”

“It also integrates with lots of Sony accessories like mics and screens, so it can be the core of a simple run-and-gun set up or a much larger rig, and being compatible with E-mount lenses, users have plenty of options, like the FE 35mm f/1.8 and FE 85mm f/1.4 GM I used here.”

“If making this video has taught me anything,” he finishes, “it's that you can’t let your ideas just stay as ideas. You need to act if you want to make stuff happen. Having just graduated I’m kind of in ‘go mode’ right now, and the FX30 is the perfect camera to help me stay there.”