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Shooting a music video can be an exciting experience that can help aspiring musicians to jumpstart their careers. Although music videos don’t have to look like million-dollar productions, today’s technology creates an unprecedented expectation of quality.
Lets take a look at key points that should be remembered by any aspiring musicians looking to create their first music video.
How many times have you seen a successful musician make it to the top of the charts alone? The answer of course, is never. Musicians will need to work with other people in order to make a successful music video. This means that musicians will need the interpersonal skills required to motivate others to accomplish a shared vision. In some cases, this may require that musicians offer an equity stake in the project to others that are helping out. It might even be necessary to seek funding from investors. Thankfully, the Internet makes it much more practical to do this in today’s world. Through social media, aspiring musicians can network with others that have specialised knowledge in video production or marketing a music video. If certain effects require financial capital, musicians can seek to raise a few thousand dollars in funding by simply using social media. By doing this, musicians can expect to get much more out of their painstaking efforts to create the ultimate music video.
The difference between the average music video and a cutting-edge production is the effort that goes into it. If you want to make a great music video to go along with your best music, it is important to be serious about the project. This will inspire others to help out when they see how motivated you are toward your goals. Throughout all aspects of the music video’s production process, you should show that you are serious about achieving the end goal.
For the video itself, you should also be very serious about meticulously optimising every aspect of its production. Unless you want your video to permanently brand you as an amateur, it is important to look professional. This means that you will need to assemble other people to help out and obtain the equipment necessary to make quality videos. Although you can have fun along the way, you should not let this interfere with your success.
While high-definition cameras were the latest thing more than a decade ago, video technology has become much more advanced. In most cases, it is recommended to avoid using a regular consumer video camera. Most people today have smart phones that are more powerful than consumer video cameras that were sold as recently as a few years ago. Unless you own a high-quality camera designed for professional video production, you will need to go out and find one.
Rent a camera – This might cost quite a large portion of your budget, but it will ensure that your video looks professional. Do this if you are left with no other options.
Borrow from a friend – Most people have a friend that is technologically savvy and loves video production. Ask to borrow their camera ( if it is suitable ), and offer something in return.
Buy a camera – Especially if you are going to have to rent a camera, it might be a good idea to go ahead and invest in a professional-quality video camera. This may cost a couple thousand, but it can be used for years to film future music videos.
When it comes to actually shooting the video, one take never does it. With professional productions, it is not uncommon to see hundreds of takes for a single scene. Although this might seem laborious, it is unlikely that you will be able to assemble all of the resources necessary to film the same shots again. From coordinating equipment and people to reserving a site for filming, it can be difficult to come back and film again at a later date. If in doubt, you should film again to ensure that your video’s success won’t be undermined by a careless mistake. You should also make sure that you shoot the video from multiple angles. If you can afford to do so, you should even use multiple cameras. However, the same effect can be obtained by simply taking more shots. You might even consider using a high-quality smartphone or digital camera to film extra angles. This will ensure that you have all the shots you need to move on to editing your video.
Although overlooked by many novices, the editing stage is perhaps more important than filming itself. This is where you will bring everything together with special effects and overlays. Without doing this right, your music video will look like an amateur production that could brand you as a musician that is not serious. Therefore, it is critical that you have a person on your team that understands the right way to use editing software. Ideally, this person should be professionally trained in video production and editing.
Very few people watch music videos for the story itself. Music videos should be viewed as an abstract art form rather than a standard video production. The music industry is populated by people who like things that are different, and musicians who want to succeed should embrace this while making a music video. If you add something into your video and are worried that others will not understand it, you should realise that this is usually acceptable. In fact, this is generally encouraged by record companies that could potentially sign you after seeing your music video.
The reality that all musicians should understand is that most people started from nothing. Especially in the music industry, most of the best performers built their careers with nothing but an idea, a microphone, and a video camera. In the era of YouTube and social media, you are more empowered than ever to potentially become the next big music industry success. Always aim for the stars when you make your music video!
If you have a particular style, theme in mind but cant find what you need, try using a location agency or at least search their location library, great ideas and inspiration out there. They can also help arrange any filming permits required if you are filming publicly.