Creating professional-looking music videos requires special production techniques and services. Learn about them here in this breakdown.
While a form of music videos began appearing in the 1920s, music videos as we know and love them only became prominent in the 1980s due to the launch of MTV. Music videos have come a long way since MTV debuted with a broadcast of “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. These days video production is accessible for anyone with a smart phone or camera, but there are some tips that can help make your production special.
Keep reading to find out more about three techniques needed to create professional music videos.
1. Tell a Story
When creating a music video, it’s important to remember your creative goal. You want to tell a story with your video and evoke emotions from your viewer.
To capture your creative vision, you’ll need to do more than the basics. Simply cutting out extra footage and laying the clips in the right order isn’t good enough. With music video production, you want to combine practical and technical knowledge with your vision to create an aesthetically pleasing piece that fits the message of the song. Storyboards go a long way in planning your shoot and making it more efficient.
Everything you do in post-production should be done to enhance the natural feelings and emotions that were captured.
2. Your Set Matters
If you’re creating a space to film, pay attention to the details. No one wants to see your trash can or litter box in the background of the shot. Create a mood for your scene with the things you have available or find a great location that you can use. A great set or background can make or break a video.
Pay attention to lighting. Sunlight obviously will change throughout the day. Pick someplace well lit if you’re indoors, or light it yourself if need be. Unless you have a low light camera, footage taken in too dark of a setting can look grainy. If you’re going for a dark shot, it’s better to have good light and darken the shot in post. Fixing bad lighting isn’t always an option. If you’re using green screen in your production, make sure your backdrop is well and evenly lit for the best results in removing (keying) the green and adding the scene or backdrop that you want.
3. Color Correct Your Clips
Probably one of the most important aspects to ensure you create the best music videos is color correcting your clips.
Color correction is not only used to highlight certain subjects or set the mood; it is also used to make sure your clips are consistent. When switching scenes or locations, it is highly likely that there will be a lighting discrepancy due to the location or time of day. By correcting the color to ensure everything matches, you’ll be able to create a video that flows continuously.
Color-correction can also be used to set the mood of the video or differentiate different scenes like with flashbacks. This will help the viewer connect with the video and make it clearer what is happening.
If you’re struggling with editing, special effects, color correction, or any aspect of your music video you can always consider hiring professional video services to help you bring your vision to life.
Professional Music Videos Made Easy
Creating professional music videos requires lots of footage to choose from for the best shot and patience. You need to connect with the material to make sure you are creating the best video you are capable of, and sometimes you need a little bit of help to let your creation truly shine.
If you’re ready to get started with music video production, please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have!
