So Your Band Wants to Do a
Music Video…
By Ted Jolly of mediA RioT productions
Now more than ever, music videos are an accessible way to present your music visually. With websites like YouTube, MySpace, etc; bands can get their material seen AND heard by fans, music buyers and the music industry “gatekeepers” that can help you take the next step in your career as an artist. Video is a great tool to showcase your band and provide your audience with a more detailed look at your personality as musicians.
To ensure that you make the most of the opportunity that a music video provides, it’s advantageous to take the process of creating your video just as seriously as you took the process of recording your music in the first place. Often I find bands that spend a great deal of time and money on professional studio time, mastering and duplication while neglecting the promotional tools that get people interested in actually listening to the music. A well-executed music video is one of those important promotional tools!
Here are three quick tips to help you avoid some of the mistakes that bands often make when attempting to produce a video to support their music:
1. Seek Professional Help: Whether it’s hiring a production company (shameless
plug alert!) like the one I work for - mediA RioT productions, or getting your
second cousin who happens to be attending NYU Film School; having the help of
a someone who knows what their doing can save you a lot of hassle and
resources! You spent a lot of on money recording and mastering your music. -
Don’t be afraid to spend a little bit on shooting and editing your video!
2. Have a Plan: Pre-production planning and having a good script/storyboard is
an easy way to make your video production go smoothly. “Winging it” is a
guaranteed way to prolong the process and increase the cost of making your
video. Scout each location that you’ll be shooting at and try and schedule each
detail so that you’re not wasting time and money solving potential problems that
could have been avoided in the planning stages.
3. Be Realistic and Resourceful: If you have a budget of $2,500.00, you’re
probably not going to be able to do a helicopter fly-over shot of your band
performing on the deck of a yacht with celebrity cameos by Vern Troyer and
Tony Danza. Be resourceful in every aspect of the production. Utilize
connections that you, your band-mates, co-workers or friends have to acquire
resources. Instead of renting a Porsche, borrow one from your friends’ uncle.
Instead of renting out a club for a stage-shoot, try and use a good relationship
with a club owner to get him to allow you to film before/after they open. If your
budget is limited, try and get as much for FREE as you can so you can spend
your money on making your video as high quality as it can be. Keeping your
video simple but creative and clever is the best plan of action!
Good luck to all and if you have any questions, feel free to email me at: ted@mediariotpro.com
