Ten Tips for Making your own music video

Step 1: choose a track
Ideally provided by teacher as part of a selection
Can be a mistake to go for well-known artist/your favourite artist
MySpace as a good source of material
Make it short !

Step 2: write a treatment
Pitch for the material with a strong and simple idea
Have a clear concept which is workable !
Be realistic in your plan

Step 3: Plan for everything
Storyboard- you can always shoot extra
Plan people, places, props, costumes
Get everyone’s mobile numbers
Aim to shoot it early, not up against deadline
Make sure your performers have rehearsed and know the words

Step 4: set up a blog
Use it to link to ideas
Videos that influence you (YouTube)
Photos that give you ideas
Take recce shots on location and post them
Do an animatic of your storyboard
Put up all your ideas as an e-scrapbook

Step 5: know your equipment
Do test shots to try out effects
Check any quirks of the camera
Make sure you have tripod (and ‘shoe’)
Is the tape loaded ?
Do you know the edit program? -experiment before the main thing
Have you got the CD and player?

Step 6: the shoot
Shoot the performance at least three times with different set-ups
Make sure you have plenty of cutaways
Experiment with extra angles and lighting changes
Don’t forget: lots of close-ups !
Enthuse your performers- they must give it plenty!
Shoot more than you think you will need

Step 7: capture your footage
Label everything you capture
Organise it so its easy to find
Don’t capture stuff you don’t need
Break it into manageable chunks

Step 8: the edit
Synch up performances first
Get the whole picture rather than tiny detail
Cut and cut again
Aim for a dynamic piece of work
Do any effects work last
Upload a rough cut to your blog and get feedback

Step 9: screening
Hopefully you will have the chance for a big-screen premiere
Get feedback wherever you can
Upload it to your blog via YouTube
Get the artist to look at it and give you feedback

Step 10: analysis
Unlike the real world, you’ll have to write about it
Take advice about what is needed in your write up and start early
Get help with drafts of writing
Make use of your blog
Refer to today’s blog for background and more tips: there are loads of links !

Pilots of the Sixth Music Video Blog here and Group 34- The Puppies