Five Things To Consider Before Filming Your First Music Video
Twin Voyage Productions with Kendall Ashton on the set of “Motions” Music Video
Music videos aren't just fun to watch, they're fun to make too! But if you're a musical artist in the early stages of your career and thinking about making your first music video, there are some things you should consider before diving in. Here are five tips that will help ensure you make a video that's watchable, enjoyable, and on-brand.
1) Know Your Audience
The most important thing you can do before filming your first music video is to know your audience.
Who are they?
What is their demographic?
How do they identify?
Where do they live?
What impacts them culturally?
Knowing these answers will help you create appropriate visuals and share your music in a way that connects. It's also important to keep in mind how big social media is today: by understanding what kind of content specific groups are watching on YouTube or through other platforms like Instagram Stories, TikTok, Facebook, etc., then we can better understand what types of aesthetics may be more appealing than others when releasing our own music videos online.
2) Know Your Brand
Before you start your first music video, it's important to know who and what your brand is as an artist. To do this, ask yourself these questions:
What is my voice? Is it serious or silly? What are my values? This will help define your tone.
How does my brand dress? Does it have a particular style that should be reflected in the video? Or are there no rules when it comes to how I should appear on camera?
What kind of story do I want to tell through this music video? Is it going to provide an educational experience, entertain them with laughter, or make an experimental art piece that's open to interpretation?
3) Know Your Goal
One of the most important things to consider when planning a music video is your goal. Is it to increase streams? Bring awareness to you as an artist or band? Get people talking about your brand? Millions of views on Youtube or starting a new TikTok dance trend?
Before you start writing a script and hiring professional models, know what you want to accomplish with your video. Once you have that clear in mind, then you can decide which elements will be necessary for your project—and which elements may not fit into what you're trying to accomplish at all.
4) Know Your Budget
Now, you might be thinking to yourself, "I want to make a music video but I don't have the budget for it." It's true that filming a music video can be expensive. You'll need lights, camera equipment, props, possibly actors and more. If you're just starting out as an artist and don't have much money to spare for your first music video (or if you're just not sure how much time, effort, and money is involved), then it's probably best not to jump into filming one too quickly.
However! That doesn't mean that every artist has to spend $50k on their first music video. You can still do some pretty cool things with very little money by keeping an eye out for deals and using creative thinking when it comes time to figure out how exactly everything will come together on set!
If your budget is really limited—or better yet: nonexistent—then there are still ways around spending any money at all (or at least less than usual). For example, instead of renting expensive equipment or hiring actors, why not ask friends if they'd lend you theirs or if they are willing to make a cameo in your video? Maybe they would consider doing so in exchange for something else...for instance: a meal or drinks purchased at their favorite bar/restaurant/cafe chain?
5) Know Your Distribution
Remember, you want to get your video in front of as many people as possible so it’s important to find a way to make it happen. The sooner people see your music video, the better.
One thing that can help is incorporating social media into the distribution of your video. You should post about it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram long before the actual release date so that when your followers do tune in they feel like they're part of an exclusive club who got access to something cool before it blew up. It will also encourage them to share with their friends who may not have been able to watch yet but are definitely interested in seeing what all these people are talking about!
Ready, Set, Go!
Music videos are a fun and powerful way to not only share your music but also give potential fans a chance to get to know you as an artist. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to creating a video that’s sure to make an impact!
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