UCF Knights Saddle Up for Music Video

Fans of University of Central Florida Knights football are getting a first-hand glimpse at the high-end power of midrange production tools, courtesy of a music video produced by David Belawski, assistant director, video production, for UCF, and making use of Panasonic P2 camcorders, Avid Media Composer, Adobe After Effects, and the talents of local rock band Remove Before Flight. And produced completely in-house (the only costs were studio time and production costs for the band), the video is an example of stretching production dollars.

“We took this as an opportunity to do something we don’t typically do,” says Belawski of a department that spends more time cutting highlights, interviews, and game films than on effects-laden music videos. It also offered a chance to work in 720p HD mode.

Panasonic HPX500 P2 camcorders were used to get shots of members of the band in different locations — field house, locker room, weight room, stadium — with lighting gels providing dramatic effects. The footage of the band playing the hard-driving number “Knightmare” was combined with hard-hitting action footage of the Knights football team on Avid Media Composer editing systems. Adobe After Effects and the Magic Bullet plug-in were used to give the video a dark look.

Brian Hernandez was lead editor, and Tyler Joynt handled graphics. Two students, Kasey Truman and Josh Vinson, also played a key role the production, grabbing secondary shots of the band in action.

The video runs during the commercial break between the coin toss and the opening kickoff, playing right up until the referee blows the whistle.

“It’s a heavier song that plays off of the ‘Knights going into battle’,” theme,” says John Kvatek, director of video services for the UCF Athletics Association.

As for the band, two of its members are students working on their master’s degree. Kvatek says the administration looked at him funny when he first approached them with the idea but everyone is now on board and the song is available at iTunes and Amazon.com via a joint marketing agreement with the band. To see the video, click here.

“We’re always looking for bands that have a passion for sport and art and making that come together,” says Kvatek. “We had that in this situation.”

More important, the song is catching on. Says Belawski, “I’ll hear the song playing on RV sound systems in the parking lot prior to the game.”