These days, with advances in computer and video technology, it's become easier than ever to create amateur music videos. Like any artistic endeavor, the process of shooting a music video can be very satisfying, fun, stressful, exhausting, patient-testing, and frustrating – sometimes it all comes together. Music videos are only limited by your imagination and budget. In this article, we'll explore the basics of the technical and creative process that goes into making music videos, from simple recordings using a webcam to more sophisticated productions.
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Method 1 of 5: Developing Concepts
Step 1. Get an idea of your budget
A good music video doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Some of the most creative and memorable music videos in history have been modest productions on a small budget. Some of the other videos are billion dollar businesses. Knowing how much money you're ready to spend on making this video can help you make sure you don't go over budget.
Step 2. Save the notebook
You don't need sophisticated, digital, or expensive tools. You need something to brainstorm, jot down ideas, and sketch scenes. Keep a pencil and eraser with your notebook and carry these tools with you during the video recording process. Ideas can come when you least expect them.
Step 3. Talk to the artist or band in question
They may have an idea how they want the video to look. Some of their ideas might be good. Some may even be very good. Some required the role of thousands of people, sophisticated CGI (computer-generated imagery), and Peter Jackson as commander. If you have enough budget, there's no limit to what you can do, but it's up to you to decide which artist ideas you'll include in your videos. Have a realistic outlook. Identify which ideas are possible, which are not, and which are downright bad.
If you happen to be a member of the band whose music you play, you are in a position with unique benefits and challenges. You will have direct and personal access to the band's creative process. On the other hand, making a music video can put pressure on you. Your personal and creative relationship may be disrupted. Beware
Step 4. Before making a plan, listen to the song first
Don't do anything else first, just listen to the song. Then listen again a few times. Also listen with artists and band members. Even if you know the song by heart by this point, try listening to it as if you were hearing it for the first time. How do you feel? Does the song make you want to dance, cry, act silly, or go to a bar? Or does the song make you feel a strange combination of feelings? Write down your reaction.
To get the most out of your listening experience, look for articles on wikiHow on how to listen to music like a pro
Step 5. Refine your ideas
Once you have an idea about the emotional heart of the song, pour your ideas into the video. Consulting a member of your technical staff can be beneficial at this stage. They know what is easy to record and what is difficult.
- Music video ideas can be obvious, but still effective. For example, country song ideas about meeting someone on the street such as, "Following someone down the highway, meeting people at the small town grocery store and gas station along the way in lyrics that describe the situation," can work well if done right.
- Adding small, specific details can make your video memorable or even iconic. The following notes have far more personality than the cryptic description above: "The main character drives a 57 year Chevy convertible down a long, straight highway in the west of the country; a farmer in a roadside grocery store in verse 1, a soldier in a Hummer in gas station in verse 2, the beautiful girl in verse 3 (guest extra?) gets into a Hummer and leaves with our hero when the song ends. Comedic side story: arrogant man in business suit embarrass himself in every scene: spills ketchup on his shirt at the first verse, hitting a Hummer with his Porsche or spitting gasoline on his expensive shoes at the gas station in the second verse; and clumsily approaching the woman in the third verse."
- An abstract and whimsical music video idea can make for a great video. The snippet doesn't have to reflect the lyrics. The difference between visual and lyrical content can create contrasting videos. Some videos are even odd or nonsensical. Don't be afraid to confuse or surprise viewers if you think this option is the best for your video.
Step 6. Find location information
Before you start recording, you need to know where exactly you are going to shoot the video. Sometimes the concept of a video requires you to travel to a remote location or build an artificial filming location. For example, our country video above might be easier to shoot if we are in Garut, but if we are in Jakarta, we must plan the alternative in advance. Look for information on how to become a reliable location finder. Such articles provide tips for amateur locators.
- Talk to the owner or management of the location you want to use. Make sure they don't mind your shooting. If you're lucky, they might be a good fit to play a character in your video (if they want to).
- It's also a good idea to let the neighbors know about your shoot beforehand. Otherwise, they may get confused or distracted by the shoot. Find out the nuisance or crowding laws in the area so you are prepared if they file a complaint with the police.
Step 7. Make a storyboard (storyboard)
One of the most effective video planning tools you can use is a storyboard. A storyboard is a picture-by-picture sketch of a video created to direct the video scene. Check out the wikiHow article on how to make a storyboard for a detailed guide on how to make one.
- Music videos often use special cinematic options or visual effects to create a unique experience. If you plan to include one of these in your video, be sure to include it in your storyboard.
- Storyboards don't have to be flashy. These storyboards can be simple by listing the actors' positions and properties in each scene, or they can be detailed taking into account individual people boards, expressions, direction of movement, and so on. If you simply can't draw even straight lines, don't worry. Make a storyboard in the form of text. As long as you have an idea of what's going to happen in each scene, and you can communicate it to your crew, filming will be smooth sailing.
- Make sure you cut the video into "scenes" that match your vision. You can minimize shooting time if you shoot all of the footage in one location at once (though these footage will appear out of sequence when the video is finished). Plan your shoot so that you can travel from place to place as efficiently as possible.
Method 2 of 5: Selecting Staff for Video Making
Step 1. Find your crew
Depending on the scale of the production, you may be able to rely on yourself and your actors, or you will need a large crew for the video. Here are some positions you might consider offering based on the work you need to complete:
- Director: This position is most likely yours. You'll be managing all the different parts of the shooting process, from sharing vision with the cast and crew, mediating issues between lighting and sound, to making sure there's gas in all the vehicles and that the entire location has been cleared for shooting. You are the boss, but you also have the most responsibility compared to anyone else.
- Videographer: A videographer is responsible for capturing a scene with one or more cameras. You decide the shooting, but the videographer will frame the scene and work with the lighting engineer to ensure that the shooting location is well lit, and notify the sound crew when loud noises will play out in the scene.
- Lighting: Someone needs to make sure all the lights are on, the actors are clear, and that everything is just right for the shoot. That person is a lighting designer.
- Sound stylist: In a movie set, this is the person in charge of sticking the microphone into the face of everyone and every place. For videos, which often don't require dialogue, he's in charge of preparing the song so the actors can get to work. Between pressing "Stop", "Play", and "Rewind," he would run here and there fetching drinks, snacks, and so on.
- Grip: This is the lucky clerk to move all the wires, lights, equipment, tables, and other items brought to the set. It's a lot easier to run the shoot if you have someone to take care of the things while you take care of the bigger business.
- Fashion stylist: Depending on the size of your budget, you can simply give directions (such as, "Wear tight jeans and a t-shirt,") or create custom costumes for your actors. Whichever you choose, if there's a costume change, make sure someone can manage it from scene to scene, and ensure that your actors have some privacy when changing clothes.
- Property crew: Again, this part could be yours, but one has to look for the vehicles used, as well as the things the actors use on set, including the ketchup bottles made to squirt just in time, anything the actors pick up or put down. actors in the video, or anything that is not part of the location.
- Continuity crew: Unless you want to shoot from start to finish in one shot, you'll need someone to make sure that the place where someone starts the scene is exactly where they stopped the scene before. This is what continuity crews do. They record positions, generally with the help of a camera. They confirmed that the soy sauce stains on the suit in the first scene were still there three days later for the final shot. (Or, on the other hand, ensuring that the soy sauce stains are *not* on the clothes if the scene before the soy sauce scene is shot later.)
Step 2. Find the right actors and actresses
List all the characters in your video. Videos You can include footage of the band performing on stage. If so, you need to direct their acting as well. If your video tells a story, write down the characters, making notes about their appearance and behavior. Hold auditions and choose the most suitable cast for each character. For our hypothetical music video in this article, we'll be looking for actors to act out the following parts:
- Traveler: He doesn't need to talk, but he has to look cool, confident and fit to drive an old-fashioned convertible on country roads. Jeans. Sunglasses. Shirt?
- Farmer: He is older, his skin is dark from the sun. Wearing an old hat, jeans and shirt that wasn't tucked in and smiling kindly. It will only appear on the screen briefly so there is no need for a professional cast.
- Soldier: Young, tall, muscular, with short hair, stronger and more confident than the hero, but also more humble.
- Gas Station Officer: Skinny? Containing? Wearing a mechanical t-shirt that is stained with oil, friendly with a confused look, good at rolling his eyes.
- Men in Suits: Metrosexual, almost handsome, but not very handsome. Messy hair that is messy from the heat. Expensive looking clothes and cars. Physically and socially awkward, has condescending tendencies. Immediately disliked at a glance.
- Beautiful Woman: Tough and independent. Confidence in her body, therefore beautiful. Brunette. Confident, free, tan skinned, has a great sense of humor, and smiles half amused at all times. Never annoyed with the Man in the Suit, just amused. Idly treat Travelers as objects.
Method 3 of 5: Lights, Camera, Action
Step 1. Set up the stage
Once you've got everything set up, the actors have rehearsed well, and your crew has had their fill of drinking, it's time to set up the set and start shooting your video. Choose a scene to record. For this example, we will choose the last scene of our country video. Here, the Man in the Suit tripped over his own feet, the Traveler helped him to his feet, and the Beautiful Woman got into the car and left with the Traveler.
- Get the vehicles and everything in the scene in their respective positions, and ask the actors to get into position.
- Adjust lighting. Since this is an outdoor shot, if you don't have an electric light, you can use a reflector, which is a large piece of white cloth or poster board that reflects off the sun, softening shadows and brightening the whole scene. For the most effective way to focus light, use more than one reflector, or even a mirror. Your lighting stylist will manage this, under your direction.
- Remember, the main person on the screen is always the brightest person. When outdoors, always position the main character with his back to the sun unless the sun is in the middle of a cloud. In this way, the reflector can illuminate the face and the front of the character. While there's a lot to do for effective lighting, it's worth it if you want high-quality video.
Step 2. Set up the camera
You may want to take some of your video shots using a tripod for static scenes. A wobbly camera can sometimes distract the viewer from the video. Other times you may want to use the hand-held Steadi-Cam for more dynamic shots, or the irregularly shaped "camera shake" for high-energy shots. If you have a sufficient crew and budget, shooting a combination of angles and styles will drive the creative selection process during video editing.
Step 3. Get your actors in position
If they're in the scene when the camera starts to roll, ask them to position themselves. If they enter the scene as it plays out, have them position themselves at the entry point.
Step 4. Prepare the music
Ask the sound engineer to find the right point to start the music, and provide good direction in time so the actors can "synchronize" with the music. Initially, the longer the better. If you are repeating the scene, you can shorten this section. When the sound engineer is ready and the music starts playing, he will shout the word "speed!" (An expression often heard in an era where recordings on film sets were made using magnetic tapes driven by motors, which took a while to function normally). This sound engineer may also want to include sound in the video, so that during editing there is a song for reference.
Step 5. The lights
Make sure that the lighting workers are positioned, and that all electric lights are on.
Step 6. Camera
The videographer pressed the record button, and started shooting the scene.
Step 7. Action
You know the terms. Once said, "Action!" shouted, the actors appeared and performed their scenes.
Step 8. Repeat for all the scenes in your video
You may have to redo parts of the scene several times, from different angles, or take pictures of the good and the bad. This is where the fun begins!
Video creation is a complex detailed process that cannot be fully described in one article. Read a collection of wikiHow articles on filmmaking guides to learn a more focused view of filmmaking
Method 4 of 5: Post-Production
Step 1. Transfer your videos to the computer
Generally this is done with a USB, Firewire, or proprietary connection. However you do it, you will need to upload all the files to your computer and save them in one directory.
Step 2. Start hiring your editor
The editor here is the software you are using. Whether it's Sony Vegas, iMovie, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or Avid suite deluxe, this is where the magic is created.
Step 3. Use your best material
Work from start to finish, pay attention to the entire shot, and look for the best shots.
Use the audio track in the video to match the footage to the music, but don't worry about the annoying noise on this audio track as it won't be used in the final video
Step 4. Merge the music track with the video trailer
Once the tracks start uploading, check that your edits and music are in sync. Unless you're lucky, this edit will probably be good enough, but not perfect. Make small adjustments to each snippet so that everything works as it should, which will be obvious when you display a picture of the band playing the song.
- If you use footage of the band performing on stage, be prepared to cover up mistakes. For example, if the guitarist mumbles the words, "Stairway to heaven, in a video where he should only play one note on the record, edit and switch to another band member, or highlight another scene at that moment.
- Use the principle of moderation when editing. Too many short snippets combined into one can be confusing, while scenes that are too long can start to look fake. Generally if a cut looks bad, this is clearly visible on the screen. Don't rush, use your best judgment.
Step 5. Add title and credit if you want
It used to be standard procedure to include song titles, artist names, record company names and video directors in the captions at the beginning and end of most videos. Today, some artists choose to omit this information or take a "big screen" approach to including titles and credits. Speak with the entire cast, crew, and band to find out what they think of your selection.
Method 5 of 5: Learn from the Experts
Step 1. Study classic videos
Like all other art forms, music videos have a collection of "classics." This video influenced the videos of future artists and directors. Know that many music videos are great for completely different reasons. Some are visually creative, some have a sharp focus, and some fit perfectly with the music. By understanding what makes a particular music video so influential, you'll have a better perspective on how to make an unforgettable video.
Step 2. Tell a good story
Many of the most popular music videos tell stories that are funny, shocking, tragic, or triumphant. A truly good story will stick in the minds of viewers for weeks, months, even years.
- Arguably one of the most famous videos of all time, John Landis' video for the Michael Jackson song Thriller tells a classic story. The video is also much longer than the length of the song. That formula works in this video, but be careful. Too little music and too many videos can make for a boring combination.
- The video for Radiohead's song Just directed by Jamie Thraves also tells a good story, albeit with a drastically different rhythm. This video uses perfectly selected boring people and an ending open to multiple interpretations with the aim of criticizing the emptiness of white-collar work – a perfect fit for Thom Yorke's hateful lyrics.
Step 3. Create a unique visual style
Music videos are a good place to highlight innovation and visual gimmicks. This video can be used as an opportunity to use abstract images, unique effects, or animations to visually enhance the song. These images need not "make sense" in traditional terms. As long as the image stands out and accompanies the song well, it will make a lasting impression.
- Steve Barron's video for the hit song A-ha Take on Me features a romantic story played out with a combination of live action and sketchbook-style rotoscope animation. This stylish choice is perfect for imaginative and passionate song beats, it also gives the entire video an unforgettable visual style.
- The video for the song The White Stripes Seven Nation Army (created by director duo Alex and Martin) uses visual trickery to give the illusion of a single, four-minute highlight that keeps growing. Combined with the striking lighting options, this creates a disorienting effect that gives the video a stunning atmosphere of darkness.
- See also: Stockholm Syndrome videos from Muse and Money for Nothing from Dire Straits.
Step 4. Play with parodies and potpourri
Cultural references are often used in music videos – sometimes, the entire video is an affectionate offering or sarcasm of the reference material. With a good sense of humor, the results can be impressive. If the artist doesn't mind putting himself down a bit, the results will be even better. People like musicians who are humble enough to laugh at themselves.
- Hype William's video for 2Pac's California Love and Dr. Dre is a parody of the Mad Max film series. This parody has two purposes. For fun, this video implies that the California town of the early 1990s is a lawless life-or-death playground where only the fittest survive, much like the post-apocalyptic desert depicted in the Mad Max films.
- An even funnier parody music video is that of the Beastie Boys, Sabotage, directed by Spike Jonze. By exaggerating the Beastie Boys' cartoonish cops on 1970s TV, Jonze makes unforgettable funny videos that somehow fit the music perfectly.
Step 5. Go a little overboard
Spending as much money as possible on music videos can be fun. Do the shoot in an exotic place. Design amazing dance choreography sequences. Hire supermodels. A good music video can be pure demonstration, it's that simple.
- Hype William's video for Jay Z's song Big Pimpin is a classic example of a music video as a demonstration. There is very little narrative or story essence in this video. Most are just Jay-Z and his friends having fun on a big yacht, partying in a tropical villa, and throwing money at the crowd, while surrounded by beautiful women. As a platform to show off wealth and boast, these videos are very effective.
- Lady Gaga is another example of an artist best known for her elaborate music videos. Steven Klein's video for his song Alejandro depicts a military dystopia filled with sexual and whimsical behavior, complete with crazy (but appropriate) locations and costumes. The video is a flashy and lavish production.
Step 6. Keep it to a minimum
On the other hand, many music videos follow the philosophy, "A little is a lot." Minimalist music videos allow viewers to focus on the action taking place (and its emotional connection to the music) without distractions. Minimalist videos are also a good choice for directors on a budget.
- Saam's video for The XX Islands uses intricately choreographed dance highlights over and over again to great effect. By making subtle changes to the movements of the dancers with each repeated shot, we can see signs of a tragic romance beginning to unfold. This gradual change makes the final shot even more surprising.
- OK GO's early videos used imaginative choreography to create memorable viewing experiences on a tight budget. Their video for the song Here It Goes Again (directed by Trish Sie and the band) is a great example of good video making on a minimal budget. This video was shot in an undecorated indoor static shot, and the properties used are only eight treadmills. Due to the power of the choreography and the ease of the video concept to remember, the video became a huge, widespread hit when it was released in 2006.
Tips
- An excellent strategy for video creation is to make 3 completely different videos and combine clips from each to make a "combined" video.
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When you're done making a music video, share it. Upload it to a video streaming site (look for articles on how to upload videos to YouTube) and share the link with your friends and family.
If you are absolutely sure of the quality of your work, share your videos on radio stations and music television channels. They may share it on their site or even include the video in their programming loop
- Make sure the video camera is not facing the sun or another camera. The sun can seriously damage the internal image capture hardware.
- Always put a copyright notice on the credits to protect your intellectual property rights! Read the article on how to protect intellectual property rights for more information.
- For YouTube videos, you need to add credit in the Additional Details area, or your music will be muted and your video removed for copyright infringement!
