Music Videos - Where Do I Start? by Freshsounz, 06/26/10 06:13:00

Making Music Videos

Just some notes around making music videos and some suggestions of how you can take more control visually of what you want to achieve from your music videos.

You dont need thousands of dollars to make a good music video, but you do need to be clever and creative in your ideas, and most importantly to have relevance.

Find yourself a good Director, Crew and Editor to put it all together for you.  Remember your family and friends make good extras too plus you wont have to pay them.

If you personally dont know any Directors or Editors try your local colleges or video courses that are run in your area, they will be looking for work to complete their assignments so your video project could assist them too.  Make sure you utilise your surrounding resources, so make those connections.

If you have no idea how to approach a music video you can get guidance from your Director, otherwise if you are keen to have a go try creating your own story board.

1. Story Board

Create a story board on how you want the video to look, this becomes a shot list. You do this by making up some boxes and add what pictures you want to be shown in those boxes, and dont worry you dont have to be good at drawing stick figures are fine.  Here is a story board below, a story board is very similar to a cartoon magazine.

A story board can help guide your Director into what you as an artists is wanting to achieve.  But also take on board advice from the Director as they have creative knowledge in their own right.  Your director can guide you also with costing of the video.  But be realistic in your story board and dont go overboard too as you will have associated costs to consider if you do.  Ensure your story board is relevant to your music and lyrics, pictures - music - lyrics need to be in sync with each other so RELEVANCE is important.

2. The Director

If at all possible find a Director that you can work with, meet them to discuss your ideas and see what they add to your concepts. Shop around until you find someone who you think will add value to your video project.

3. Main Video Terminology

Make sure you familiarize yourself with some of the common terminology used by in the filming business, here are some of the basics used often.

Wide Shot Basically is a wide angle shot

Close Up Is just that a close up shot

Mid Shot Usually is midway shot of a person so from your chest to your face

Back drop Is the backdrop behind you

Panning This is moving the camera left to right or right to left or up and down its just the movement of the camera

Cut sudden change or jump in camera angle, location, placement, or time, from one shot to another

Cut away a brief shot that momentarily interrupts a continuously-filmed action 

Footage footage is your raw data, the shots you have filmed

Shot List list of shots that are needed for your story board

4. Look at other Videos

Music Videos tell a story so look at your favourite videos and take on board the things that you like about them eg. Wide angle shot panning onto a Mid shot of you on a park bench etc. This can help you in deciding how you would want your video to end up.  Research some of your favourite videos online and take note.

5. On Location

Try to ensure you are happy with each shot as they are taken, but also have faith and trust that your Director knows what they are doing, remember time is money but dont settle for crap either. You will be running to a tight time frame so ensure you keep things on track.

6. Editor

Editors and Directors usually work together and it wouldn't be good to have your Editor all ticked off prior to going into this project.  Should you look at hiring an Editor separately remember there is only so much an Editor can do with your footage. If you either don't have enough footage or if your video has bad footage, they can only try and fix up things when it gets to them but if your director is on to it this wont be needed, so try to ensure you stick to your story board and shot list.

7. Final Words

Try not to make your video too complicated unless you have an unlimited budget I would keep your message and story simple. But try to be creative in your story telling just as you are in your lyrics, so meet somewhere in the middle. Some cities also provide funding for new music videos so ensure you check locally if anything is available for you.  If you have any questions in relation to Music Video making contact the team here at Muzicheadz we do have knowledge in this area.