All About Our Videos (Part 2) – Q&A
Questions answered in this video:
00:00 – Intro
00:17 – Is your filming done on smart phones?
00:36 – Do you keep the cool clothes?
01:50 – Do other videos, movies or television inspire your own work?
02:40 – Is your “Bus Stop” video inspired by Wes Anderson’s work?
03:52 – How was the final scene of “I Bought Myself A Politician” shot?
06:47 – What legal issues do you run into when publishing a video?
08:08 – Did you film or buy the scenes you used in “Walking In The Air”?
08:34 – What difficult moments did you encounter during a video shoot?
12:20 – How do you balance resolution and frame rate with processing time and storage space?
13:01 – Do you vary how close you set up your lights? How do you do your make-up for filming?
15:08 – Did you have formal training in videography?
16:05 – Was it scary to stand so close to the cliff for the “Once Upon A Time” video shoot?
16:40 – What are your different strengths?
18:42 – What’s involved in making your “standard” videos (Q&As, WOTT, Duo Sessions, etc.)?
20:57 – Why the similarities between “I Bought Myself A Politian” and “Got My Mind Set On You”?
22:05 – How do you determine your outfits and set design?
24:38 – What was the quickest video to film and which one took the longest?
27:08 – Outro
Part 2 is done!
Thank you for all your questions about our videos and how we make them! We enjoyed answering them and hope you found a thing or two about our creative process interesting.
The next Q&A video (in a few weeks) will be an open-ended “Ask The MLT” video where you can ask us anything (no theme required). Following that, we’ll dive into a topic-based Q&A session all about our guitars and guitar playing. Feel free to submit your questions for both videos here.
Sending lots of love to you all, and stay groovy!
Mona & Lisa
I almost never have a question but love your Q&A’s. You are so personable and willing to give of yourselves. That makes these very special.
Mona and Lisa, I just realized that I never got to post on this Q and A, thank you so much for answering our question. It made me and Maddie very happy! I do love this Q and A segments. All the questions were very interesting and fun. Again, thanks so much Hugs and Love from me and Maddie
I love this theme, especially because you ae all so good at it! I have tried different lights with dimmers and color temperature adjustments and never got the great results you get. Then the answer came… “Papa Rudi built the lights” 😂 That explains it!
Your framing and all the elements in the “shoot” are just perfect!
Thank you!!
Groovy, thanks for explaining how the 360 edits were done. It reminds me of back in the day when film was diced and sliced. It sounds like a very daunting process. Thank you, Lisa!
We were thinking there was probably a lot of smiles and pats on the back when it was finished. It is definitely some of your best work. In fact give yourself a pat on the back right now.
Stay groovy,
Marlo & JP
I really liked this Q&A, so I have a lot of many comments – sorry this is so long.
Having done some graphic and video editing, I liked Lisa’s comments on the 360 camera editing. You make it sound so simple Lisa, but I it’s a lot of work – that was a great job to make all of that happen.
It sure sounds like YouTube has some problems recognizing who owns what. It seems like the online world is still moving forward into chaos. Thanks for answering my question.
The “Starman” rain story was fun for me because I have lots of stories dealing with thunderstorms. I had a similar experience to yours, running for the car with lighting striking around us and realizing at times we were the tallest things around (not good). I also remember being out in the desert as a young man and having a single rain cloud roll over and soak me, then the wind changed and it came back and got me again.
The 8k vs 4k question reminded me that with video we are not talking about twice as much, but 4 times as much. 4k doubles the size of each side of an HD image from 1920 x 1080 to 3840 x 2160 and 8k makes it 7680 x 4320. That’s 33,177,600 pixels per frame; 16 times what HD uses. I still watch things in HD, and I find that YouTube and others sometimes have to cut the quality of the HD video to keep up. Note also that some phones and cheap cameras say they do 4k but actually don’t have that many actual array pixels – my SLR creates much better images than my phone but both claim to be 4k.
Your “no formal training” answer echo’s what I found out in my first technical job out of college – I’d only learned a fraction of what I needed to know to get the job done. We sometimes worked with PhDs that were basically non-functional in their own field. The proof of what you know is in the results and you guys produce some great videos … and nobody can teach anybody to have the voices that you two have – you were born to sing.
I always find these types of videos facinating and am in awe of the amount skill and time that Lisa will spend on editing. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. My relatively trivial efforts on Photoshop still somehow result in time flying by at an alarming rate for the simplest of modifications.
I’ve never tried Photoshop. It’s expensive and has a rep for a steep learning curve.
I’ve often wondered about how I have different yardsticks for different things. $5 for a bagel?! NWIH!
$300 for dinner at the right restaurant. Okay.
But I have a plan for Photoshop. My daughter just took a class in it and says it’s not that hard. And, of course, she got a copy of it at the student rate.
From now on, I’m calling it the Rudi plan.
I just use Photoshop Elements – but even that is not always as intuitive as it could be. However, I think your plan has every chance of success with your daughter giving guidance as needed!
Me thinks the only thing that can match the scope of your immense talent is the depth of passion with which you both approach life. You are an inspiration to all that know you. Thank you again for sharing.
Mona & Lisa,
I finished watching this for the 2nd time & enjoyed hearing your honest answers to your fan’s questions! I wouldn’t have guessed that the brick wall behind you is really a poster!
At first, I thought that you must have a very old house to have a wall like that! One of the British shows I watch occasionally is “Escape to the Country,” & it’s fun to see all the very old & one-of-a-kind houses in Britain!
I knew that you must put a lot of work into your videos, but it’s amazing how much EXTRA work that’s necessary for the preparation & editing especially! All 4 of you are “getting better all the time!” For so many of the new videos by current musicians, I wouldn’t give them a second look, let alone a first look! You definitely have the most interesting & musical newer videos out there! Thanks for doing it all yourselves!
Besides your self-produced videos, most others I like are of great past musicians in old newsreels & movie clips. It’s like getting a great glimpse into the past with a time machine! Since you are doing such a wonderful job of documenting your lives on camera, I would love to see you put together a long-range project of a movie of your lives for posterity! (Just one more extremely difficult & time-consuming project idea, I know!)
Don’t take this the wrong way, (because after all I’m an older married man — over 39 & 1/2 of course!) I think you were both so cute growing up, and prettier “as time goes by!”
But you are truly getting more & more beautiful every year! (I wish I could slow down time!) But I’m waiting to see how much more beautiful you’ll be at age 60 & beyond!
Probably you aren’t thinking that far ahead, but before you know it, the time will come!
I’ve said this before, but beautiful women are (sometimes,) a dime a dozen, so it’s not so much the physical beauty that’s attractive. What’s mainly so attractive about both of you are your wonderful personalities, kindness, sense of humor, & that you’re not afraid of appearing silly, or less than perfect, as in a rain-soaked head for example!
In so many beauty ads for women, the flaws are air-brushed away, making the ladies look perfect. But I would rather see the moles, blemishes, pimples, & all the little imperfections that make a person look real! (“I don’t mind” — at all!) It’s OK to look perfectly imperfect! But you two are in my eyes, & I’m sure, in everyone’s eyes here — “perfectly perfect!”
What I’m TRYING to say, is that I think you are both great examples of what everyone should be like in our World today! You two, and your parents would be the nicest people that anyone could have as friends! And I really mean that! (Sorry to gush, but I’m just being honest!)
I’ve been so busy lately that I didn’t have time to send you any questions. But I’ve enjoyed all the questions here, & your answers too!
Thanks again for another great Q & A video!
— Bud J.
Hey there Bud …. I think/believe that somewheres on this site , I had commented previously, about watching ” Escape To The Country ” and how I’m sure that I may have recognized video locations for the Marathon thing Mona & Lisa did a few yrs back that took a good chunk of their day in completing thereof , Castle Used in ” I Don’t Know Birds That Well ” ( if not for that song, it was definitely used with another song as part of video backdrop …. etc . ) … I enjoy watching ” E2TC “
Jacki,
Yeah, I remember somebody mentioning E2TC before. So it was you! (Nobody would know what E2TC meant, maybe if they’d seen the show before!) But that’s a good abbreviation you came up with!
They film a lot of shows in Wales, so I wouldn’t doubt that their locations might coincide w/M & L’s videos! There are so many beautiful houses in Britain that have been done over so well. Even ones from past centuries! They’re all so appealing! But the trouble for me is that I’m getting tired of doing so much yard work on just 1/2 an acre. A nice big house & huge yard, pasture, etc. would not suit me at this stage in life!
But it’s so much fun to just watch the shows & enjoy all the beautiful houses!
I also like “Escape to the Continent” w/all the European houses. Another great British show is “Grand Designs!” I like to see how the families manage all the building projects!
I would love to see what the Wagner house & property looks like, but of course that won’t happen! And I understand that they need to protect their privacy!
Do you know the NAME of the Castle used in “I Don’t Know Birds….? They may have mentioned it somewhere. The “Out & About” videos are some of my favorites of our dear ladies! And I love EVERYTHING that Mona & Lisa do!
— Bud
Yes…. I’ve watched episodes of ” Grand Designs” when they aired on CBC here awhile ago… the best episode from that show was he humungus mansion that took so long to build but had a kinda sad ending…. The couple got divorced and he remarried and I think he sold the mansion …..some time after that episode aired originally….. CBC just airs reruns …..like Corrie Street…. Canadian episodes always are a tad behind in with UK ones although at least now…only a few wks behind …before away back when CBC aired episodes in Canada that were 6 Mos- year behind UK ones ….lol…. on PBS/CBC/TV Ontario , back in the day, as in 1980s-90s , many UK shows were aired on tv here in Canada, the odd one niw but I see there is this Stream thing called ” BRITBOX” where you can subscribe ( pay) to get .🇬🇧📺🎞
Jacki,
We have Brit box, Netflix, Disney Channel, & I don’t know what else! My wife & daughter are into those a lot, & I watch some too. And I know that Grand Design’s episode you mentioned. The husband was so obsessed with that property. TOO MUCH so to lose his wife over that! But there are many other good episodes! Earlier British shows I like are “Butterflies,” “As Time Goes By,” and ESPECIALLY “Red Dwarf,” & “Doc Martin!” Those shows are SO WELL DONE!
My favorite US shows in the last 15 years are “Modern Family,” & especially the “BIG BAND THEORY!” No matter how many times I see them I STILL laugh! Just such great writing & acting all around! I’m not as much into murder mysteries, but I do enjoy the British “Death in Paradise,” & now there’s “Beyond Paradise,” which I just saw tonight!
But US TV in the ’60s was overall better than today! I mean, there was “Leave it to Beaver,” “Gilligan’s Island,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” & he’s STILL around!) Plus, many others! And the variety shows with all the Music! Such as “The Tonight Show” w/Johnny Carson, and also the shows with hosts — Mike Douglas, Dick Cavett, Groucho Marks, Jack Benny, Burns & Allen, Judy Garland & on & on!
I don’t have much time to watch TV lately, but I spend my extra time looking at Mona & Lisa while my wife & daughter are watching TV! (Ha-ha!)
Take care now Jacki, & thanks for your comments! — Bud
It’s hard not to gush about these talented and beautiful ladies ! Like you, I have often thought that their lives would make a great movie. I hope they find time for a project like that someday Bud. Stay groovy !
Joseph,
Thank you, and I hope that they can take on this project, & at least get it started someday, so it won’t be like doing the whole thing at age 40 or 50! But then, we’re not the ones that would be putting it together, & I’m sure it would be an immense project! (They’ve probably already thought about this idea.)
But I believe that the “Mona Lisa Twins Story” would have a lot of World — Wide interest! Mona & Lisa are the ‘NEW SOUND of MUSIC STORY” from Austria AND Liverpool! There’s a lot of different dimensions to their story, which should have a lot of appeal!
— Bud
The story you told about standing on the rim of the volcano, at that height reminds me of a couple things
Out by the big water, I can imagine the wind can be very powerful. I’ve listened to Starman so many times, with that howling wind in the beginning. And I remember a clip of you two from that same video standing on some rocks at the edge of the water, and it was very windy.
But I’ve also seen you jumping out of airplanes, and I know you ride horses, motor bikes, and skis, so apparently you don’t scare easily.
Reminds me also of the question I’ve asked for years — Are old people careful because they’re old, or are they old because they’re careful?
Another great Q&A, thanks.
“ Are old people careful because they’re old.. or are they old because they’re careful? I will definitely add that to my words of wisdom list! 🤓🤙
Chris,
Great comment about old people! I would say that I’m more CAREFUL as I get older — which is NO FAIR, by the way! — Bud
Thank you ladies – so interesting. Like that you shop for second hand/recycled clothes rather than buy new. Which is very cool (of course)!
Hello Ladies,
As I understand it, Michaela helps select the outfits and does the make up when she is allowed to. (If you both let her) I would imagine she was a huge help getting hair, outfits, and helped apply make up for I Bought Myself A Politician.
Thanks Ladies for such an interesting , and informative video.
Best always
Rick Ross
Thank you Mona and Lisa for sharing the different techniques you use for making your wonderful videos.
It was very informative QandA, and as always it’s wonderful to see the two of you in a casual setting with your beautiful smiles, your sweet laughter, and the way you two interact with each other. I think one of the reasons I love your music and videos so much is that with videos like this where you answer our questions, you make us feel like we’re all part of a family, your family, a wonderful family that you two have created. Thank you so much for letting us share your world with you two beautiful ladies !
Right on Joseph! — Bud
Howdy, Thanks so much for the video and answering all those questions. It’s always very informative and we really like to know.
I’m very anxious to hear which songs will be recorded for the next Duo Sessions. I hope one is a Jim Croce song (hint, hint).
Hope everybody enjoys the weekend.
Cheers, Bobby S. 😍🎵🎵🧛♂️
Another great video on Q&A. Keep it going. We like to know more.
I don’t know what I can add for comments that everybody hasn’t covered already. But please, don’t ever stop allowing us to ask our questions. Mine may be somewhat mundane or trivial, but enquiring minds and all that…It’s just so cool to be able to converse with you and actually get answers that many other recording artists never do share with their public. I get the privacy need thing, otherwise you would be besieged with hordes of gawkers and less than savory individuals. But it is just so nice to be able to do this.
Another great set of answers. Shocked that people try to claim your publishing, shows you need to keep on top of these things. Love the multiple Mona stories and the George Harrison coincidences. Always really impressed that you have learnt all your skills yourselves over time, shows how well you can pick up techniques and learn quickly. Great jumper Lisa!
It has already been said… but it is very much a pleasure to watch you two! The excitement, the happiness, the beautiful smiles!! The “innocent wisdom” that you both have!
And your videos are on par with any high dollar production team! It’s obvious that you have learned with a purpose!
Fridays are one of my favorite days! I always look forward to seeing what you have for us! 🎶🤓
We asked, you answered! Very interesting and enjoyable to hear about the process of making of your videos. Thank you!
Thanks for all the great info and fun explanations. All of your answers come with smiles and enthusiasm no matter what you are talking about. I’m beginning to think you love everything about what you do. I know you love playing music but I’m talking about planning, and make up and editing videos. Maybe Lisa would be ok with a little less editing but I have a feeling she really loves doing it. Even simple programs like Movie Maker or now Clipchamp can be a lot of work but fun and addicting. I know the question session is over but I was wondering if there were things you can do while filming to make the editing process a little easier or do you even think about that? Anyway, thanks for sharing all your insight with us. Have a great weekend.
It works! 💛❤️
As I said in part 1. I Love the set !
Very interesting and informative.
Some good questions .
Wow! That was very informative. It makes me appreciate what you and the team do much, much more. Thank you.
Gosh, your personalities sparkled today more than ever. I can only hope and pray that every little girl and every young lady on this planet is introduced to The MonaLisa Twins.
The world would become a better place.
Thanks again for a wonderful Friday.
Big HUGS from Texas
Very informative video. I must say you gals get more and more impressive every day! How do you find the time for it all? Y
Excellent questions and fascinating details about your videos. The four of you have created so many great videos over the years!
Thanks for explaining so much …..and give a little preview of the duo sessions 3. Its allways a pleasure to hear how the 4 of you work together as a well oiled machine.i hope we will see much more of that in the coming years.
Thank you for the really good questions and elaborate answers!
I am looking for ward to the new Duo Sessions. I think it was genius to come up with the Duo Sessions idea and everyone loves them!
Mona 👱♀️ and Lisa 👩🦰 are the very best! 🎸🎸🪕🎤🎤💖
Mona & Lisa,
I just glanced at this, & I’ll watch it much later. It looks very interesting, & I can’t wait to see it! I’m teaching a half day now on Fridays in the afternoon. Then this evening our Jazz Big Band is playing for a Middle School Music Fundraiser. They have a great program, & we’ll collectively raise 1,000s of $’s tonight! (I have to get my set list ready on the computer right now.)
Unfortunately, I’m getting a cold & sore throat — and I’m playing trumpet & doing a little singing tonight, but the “show must go on!” I’ll comment later on your new Q & A Video! Thank you so much for all the care & work you put into everything you do for all of us!
Lisa & Mona, you are both the Absolute BEST! (And Michaela & Rudi also!)
CHEERS! — Bud
Hey, how about for a Give-Away idea …. an actual clothing piece/ensemble from the videos… You know that they’d be in Loving Care Hands …. with whomever would be the winner (s) …. Just a thought, another great alternative to making room for new costumes, clothing , as well as continuing to sell/donate your extra clothing used in the videos . 😉🙃💎🛍🧺
Mona and Lisa have already given some props away from so of their videos as prizes. I can remember this happening a couple of times.
And while the Questionable White Dress is almost as iconic as Marilyn Monroe’s, I weigh 250 pounds and I’ll never squeeze into it.🤣
Hi Tim, yes, I’m fully aware and do remember , have not forgotten, perhaps I should of clarified myself better to be understood … I was meaning towards specifically clothing /costume wears only, not props stuff objects, just clothing /costumes and/or perhaps a specific personal clothing item that they were/are going to donate to thrift/consignment shop/sell because they no longer are wearing, whatever the reason(s) , maybe too much clothing, etc … My apologies for not explaining/clarifying/articulating myself to be understood rather than misunderstood….. That seems to be a trend with me, I write and know what I’m saying but somehow it becomes misunderstood/misinterpreted by others … 😉🙃
Tim,
Excuses, excuses! — Bud
Lol. I wouldn’t mind winning the mask or the Pope hat but with my luck I would win a dress or some high heels.
Thankyou for another educational, fun, informative, edition of the ” Themed Q & A ‘s ” Segment/Installment, much learned, though some of technical aspects in the replies, flew on by over my lack of understanding /grasping tech concepts fully but still found it interesting, though and indeed, did appreciate the hand gesturing/visual BTS references to help with your replying as I’m a more visual reference learner person and therefore was able to sort of grasp those tech replies a tad better but still not fully, yes, I’m Tech Savvy Kinda Dumb, somewhat…lol… but I do try to figure out on my own in my own ways to ” get it ” …
Also, fab Q’s for Part 2 that were submitted, chosen here, were awesome and hearing your replies, completely enjoyed it all… now to once more get all our #MLTBuzzLuvGroovified Q & A thinking caps on for the forthcoming Q& A installments coming onwards on down the line ….
Thankyou for making my Friday Fab…. 😎🤘👌👍👏💣💥
Lisa: “If the drawers won’t fit any more, it’s time to visit the charity shop to…”
My brain: “…buy a bigger dresser.”
It’s a slippery slope David. I bet they could soon fill two bigger dressers in bigger rooms in a bigger house … and we’re not talking shoes/boots yet!
I like your way of thinking! 😉
another very enlightening video very much enjoyed thank you both
How the 4 of you create your art is really interesting and your personalities and spontaneity make it so entertaining you just can’t help but having a smile on your face and feeling uplifted. That is such a gift you give us. Thank you! 🙂
Thank you for the very informative video. I learned a lot here, even a new term – apenditure😂.
I like when there is some degree of acting in your videos, Politician and Bus Stop being 2 of my favorites. Did you know that the appearance of Pope Mona inspired me to attend Church more regularly? It’s true!!!😃
I am also impressed that Mona can still wear the dress from the older video. Wish you would have posted a photo of the recent appearance of it.
Thank you for answering my question on standard MLT videos. It really didn’t kill the magic. That or you live in a hell of a house with so many different settings.
I appreciate you taking the time to show us how you do magic.
I loved the Pope Mona appearance too, especially when she rocks out on that guitar.
Thank you so much! I could listen to your stories of your videography/music making journey all day long, it’s so fun and fascinating. I think you all having such amazing skills to weave the wonderful magic and dreams in videos like you do. It must have taken incredible patience to work with the very limiting technology back just a few years ago and perhaps even now editing the videos that look as absolutely perfect, wonderful and impressive as they all do like the Wide, Wide Land. I love how you all complement each other with all your diverse skills and let everything come together as one powerful creative force in you music and videos. It’s wonderful how you overcame the awkwardness of filming music videos in public, and you’ve become so great at it, and efficient, and able to produce such magnificent productions like in Any Other Day. I love the Mona flute playing scene in the streets of Dover, or Lisa high up on the bridge walkway singing. The know how, and creativity that goes into your video and music magic is so interesting.
Thank you for this, it’s always so wonderful to spend time like this in one of your videos or songs, gives me the boost and uplift I needed to face another grueling day. 😊💛❤
Really enjoyable and informative Q&A. So much goes into these videos and I can imagine Lisa gets crossed eyed “Now and Then” while editing. I figured it took a couple days to shoot the stairs in “I Bought Myself a Politician “ with all the changing of outfits. Thx for another Friday video that always brings smiles and sometime tears.
I loved how Lisa explained how she edited the stairway scene to make it look like the 360 camera was moving, but it wasn’t the camera but done from the software. These Q&A are wonderful indeed, and love hearing the know how that goes into the magic they create.
Groovy girls,
Inspired by your videos and songs, my 7 year old daughter and I have had a go.
I hope Sofia’s curtness makes up for my total lack of musical ability 😀
https://youtu.be/5dPv_VoytXU
Take this as just a demo.
I’d love to hear you both sing and play ‘White Horses’ by Jacky properly 🙂
Sofia’s very good, Richard! As for you, well…….(only kidding, nice work).
Very sweet video and well done!!
That was so cute. A memory to last forever. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Awwwww…. Love this, Thankyou for sharing 🤘👌👍👏😊
Hello Richard & Sofia!
You both did such a wonderful job on this song together! Sofia learned it very well & played all the notes correctly! Thanks for sharing this with us! it’s obvious that you two have such a great bond together, & I hope you will produce more videos like this in the future! YOU BOTH ROCK!
Best wishes! — Bud
What a little cutie, she does very well on the flute and her singing too. Looks like she is having a good time singing with Dad. Good job Richard.
Hi Richard, Sofia is absolutely adorable. I hope she will continue learning the flute. Your musical ability sounds good enough to me. 👍 🙂
Hi Richard, This is great. The flute lights up Sofia’s face when she plays. I am sure she’ll be playing three recorders before you know it. But, umm, is your profile picture a mug shot from your youth? jk Let Sofia know MLT fans are fans of her’s, also. Do you call yourselves the cookie cutters?
JP
Aaawww! So totally sweet!
This is very touching and wonderful Richard. Thank you for sharing. I think a new Star Is Born!
I’m sure Sofia wishes she was born a twin 😀
That was beyond precious, thank you so much for sharing it. Little Sofia is a rockstar!
We hope you two keep singing together – memories to treasure forever ♥️