So, you are a musician, right? What if you want to promote the hit songs in your arsenal? Of course, you will have to make a music video.
But do you know where to start? What steps do you need to take to make a top-quality music video?
Do you even know whether it is possible to make a music video without possessing any experience or not? Ok, so you are less experienced and do not know anything about this journey.
Not a problem when you can find a complete guide on making the right kind of music video that will promote your songs. There’s no use going too far into understanding the core of this procedure.
It will be beneficial to work on a few helpful tips to help with the shooting and the ultimate result. You do not need to have a solid idea of where to start with the process. All you need is a camera and some knowledge gained from watching popular music videos.
Let’s get started:
1. Come Up With the Right Game Plan
Even before starting with the shooting of the video, ensure every minuscule detail is in the perfect place. From crew availability and budget to locations, even the weather will play an important role in putting your shoot together.
First of all, you must select the song you are going for and then the storyboard to keep track of the thoughts you have in mind. This will give the right direction to your music video. You do not require any sophisticated tool for this purpose. Just a notepad and a pen will suffice.
Come up with the different scenes and idealize how you want them to appear. Your creativity is of utmost importance here. Do not worry about the complexities or the cost; simply create and ensure it follows the selected song for the video.
2. Select the Right Song
There are a number of important factors you need to consider when selecting a song. Try thinking ahead, or you can even recycle something old but popular. It works to go for a song that has been popular in the past.
Do not go for songs more than three minutes in length, as it will spoil the integrity of your music video. You even have the option of going for a single planned for future release. But merely thinking of singles will not bring you success.
Remember, this is an era of online streaming where almost any track can appear as a single. Also, try starting small. To shoot every minute of a song in the music video will take your crew around two to ten hours.
A lot of time goes into shooting, editing, and finishing. So, the longer you take, the greater will be your chances of abandoning the assignment.
3. Get Your Team Together
So, now that you are done selecting the right song for your music video, it is time to get your team in place. You will have to work on this important step if you want to make your music video a reality at the earliest.
The perfect team for shooting a music video consists of the lighting person; camera operators; actors, directors, and musicians or band members behind the video’s music. Make sure every individual has the potential to work on the same schedule. This way, your video will get a clear and distinct direction.
4. Consider the Budget
This is probably one of the most important things you must work on before deciding on how to make a successful music video. Remember, you do not need to put in a huge amount of money to make a music video.
Consider everything, from small to big and all the things in between. The most important expenditures you need to consider are hiring the crew, renting location, lighting, buying equipment, getting editing tools and costumes. These are some big expenditures.
Speaking of the smaller ones, you need to consider the expense of extra batteries, chargers, flashlights, umbrellas, surge protectors, props, chairs, extension cords, and food. You need to plan for varied eventualities and also have solutions in place.
Always be ready to troubleshoot problems quickly. You must also understand that if there’s something taking place out of the plan, you must remain prepared for it.
5. Choose the Best Video Editing Tool
When it comes to choosing a decent and feature-rich video editing tool, you can always depend on the free online variants. Even an online video editor can provide top-quality editing without breaking the bank.
The majority of these video editing tools come with effects and filters, and the judicious use of these features can give an exclusive appeal to your video.
Nevertheless, the quality of your video will completely depend on the potential of your video editor.
To get quality results, consider going for professional video editors. Of course, your digital device or computer might have the capability of editing a video. But it works to use a special tool for this purpose.
Also, keep in mind that video editing can take up a lot of hard disk space. Therefore, make sure to keep your hard disk clean. Also, get rid of clips you will not be using anymore. The best is to go for a fast and efficient external hard disk for storing your shots.
6. Get Good Quality Equipment
Ok, getting good quality equipment for creating a music video will completely depend on whether you have a good budget or not. If you have the means to arrange for pyrotechnics, studio camera, wardrobe, props, actors, and dancers, then probably getting equipment will not be useful for you.
Nevertheless, if you are a beginner into music video making working on a low budget, then you must get the right equipment. First of all, you must understand the target audience and then work on the equipment you will require for the music video.
It is not necessary to invest in a high-quality camera. A simple camera with just basic features will do but make sure it has the ability to film in 4K resolution. Speaking of lighting equipment, it can be a little painful if you are unable to get the perfect one.
Always work on soft, indoor lighting. But you also need to buy studio lights. Make sure not to go for the most expensive ones. The green screen material is also needed, and it is absolutely cheap.
All in all, be prepared to spend some amount of money on music video equipment if you want to grab success in the long run.
7. Be Creative
Avoid going for the overused music video style where there are bands playing in clubs with lights flashing and the audiences jumping up and down. This is not the most creative concept to start with.
Think a bit differently, rather. But keep in mind that trying for a Hollywood hit on a low budget will make the music video look terrible. Nevertheless, a bit of originality will make the video connect with a large number of individuals, regardless of your budget.
Do not overdo anything. Work on a simple and concise idea. Execute it well, and it will be more effective than a complicated idea executed poorly.
8. Film Your Music Video Professionally
The key here is not spending a huge amount of time in the actual filming of the video. Remember, you are a beginner in this field, so you cannot spend a lot of time and money on this endeavour.
It is a creative and personal procedure, so work on it diligently. Make sure your band can give a clear idea of the song you are using in the video. You will not require microphones for this purpose because it’s a lip-sync performance.
You will need portable speakers available within an affordable range. You do not need to worry about people talking in the background of the video or any kind of outside noise. That’s because all the extra sound will be taken off while editing the video.
Shoot the video in varied angles and create some crazy shots too. Most importantly, film multiple takes while ensuring filming a few from each angle. This will give you some of the most creative options in the post-production stage.
As has already been said, be prepared for something you have not planned for. The filming phase is when you can expect many unexpected things to happen. So, be ready to face the challenges.
9. Get Help from Friends
This point might seem like a no-brainer, but the project may get complicated. In that case, if you do not have a good amount of money, it would work to get the help of friends.
Making a music video is something you cannot do all alone. So, once you are ready with the game plan, you will have a precise idea of the number of people you need for the job. You will also know what kind of people you will need for the varied jobs. So, it is time for you to crew up.
The chances are that the majority of the family members and friends will be happy to help you out. So give them this chance. Create the right shooting schedule and share the same with everyone. Also, be ready to make adjustments accordingly to fit their requirements.
This is important because you are asking them to help you, so you must respect the time they are giving you. Plan to shoot everything within a few hours or so because you will not want friends standing around for your work for several hours.
10. Get a Clear Idea of the Style and the Look of Your Video
Of course, the story of your music video is important, but you must also pay attention to the style and visual aesthetics. Overall, you must work on how you want your music video to look.
If you have this creative vision for your music video right initially, it will help you realize this vision by combining the varied elements. Remember, the editing and the music pace could affect the amount of footage you film.
You are likely to have a brand new idea while filming the video. And this new idea can offer a different direction to your creative vision. So, it works to remain open to such ideas.
11. Use Stock Footage
One thing that can add a bit of spice to your music video is the use of stock footage. Nevertheless, you must be aware of the copyright laws. Avoid using clips and images without the permission of the copyright holder. That’s illegal.
There are even sources of videos and images you can use legally. It is best to go for royalty-free media because you can easily reuse it in varied settings without taking the permission of the copyright holder.
Last but not least, there are many royalty-free, free stock sites you can check before paying huge amounts for stock media.
12. Get the Props Right
Now that you have a clear idea of the story and the visuals of your music video, it is time for you to start considering the accessories you might require during the shooting phase. Plan each and every scene carefully, along with the actions in it.
This will help you develop a complete list of the props you require for the shoot. You can either get the props from prop hiring companies for some money or get it from friends if you do not have the budget to do so.
Conclusion
All the aspects mentioned above matter greatly whether you are shooting a music video indoors, outdoors, or in a professional setting. Most importantly, you must have the planning, shooting, and editing procedures in place so that you do not face any problems during these crucial stages of making a music video.
