An Indie Musician's Diary VOL. 1

Making Indie Music Videos Inexpensively

June 4, 2018 

There's a lot to say about making indie music videos inexpensively. I only intend to share my reflections over the opportunities afforded by the fluid and ever changing array of services that have been sprouting up for us indies to use as we promote our music. I have a song that I need to do a cool video for (Change My Mind) and I don't see how it is going to look good using what I already use/own. So what do I do? I don't have the money to buy or subscribe to Adobe's programs for video editing so I can choose some of the new and exciting tools coming out for Android and online music video production. This post is about what I found. 

iMovie has its limits: Not everyone has Adobes After Effects and or a budget big enough to hire a video production team. I sure don't. So, while I have been looking for ways to create better music videos than the ones I can do in iMovie, I have been looking for a way to do it fast and cheap but still well. Just so happens that I was a multimedia teacher for a few years, so I am rather good at editing.  But iMovie is boring because it has its limits. Some of the music I do needs a more pop culture framing than I can create there. Here are a few of the fun alternatives that I've stumbled over which may help some of you indies out there, too. It doesn't cost a lot of money to look professional there are numerous ways to make a few good clips turn into a great music video. 

Tips: 

High resolution: If you are going to record anything for a music video, do it in HD. 

Props: Use a camera/cell phone stand to get maximum clarity and have some interesting thing or things that tie the theme of the song together. A clothespin, a coffee cup, a retro car or a balloon will do. It doesn't have to be expensive. Make sure everything is in place and do a test run before the shoot.

Light: Light is super important. Don't film into the light. Make sure you use lamps indoors. See Internet for details. Avoid lights from underneath you. Makes you look like a horror film zombie. 

Stick out: Use your imagination and be bold. If you don't have any ideas look at what others have done on YouTube and be inspired. Don't copy anyone. Just take the idea they had and do something greater and a bit different with it. 

Make sure you and your clothes look the part. Take a shower, get some make up if need be. Look your best. Doing country music. Get those cowboy boots on. etc...

Be yourself at all times. Be honest and believe in yourself. If you don't no one will. Just know who you are and what story you are trying to tell through your music. I am a bit all over the place doing music within various genres, but I try to let the form and feeling of the music video fit into that genre while keeping my story in place. It is tough sometimes to get a good balance there.

Use a friend or professional photographer who is not so well known and is within your budget. 

Time: Plan ahead and do a manus including the different scenes and the way they illustrate the song. Plan at least one whole day for recording, one day for editing and one day for getting some people to give you feedback and conclude/upload. If the shoot didn't cut it or your reference group gives you the thumbs down, go back and get it right. (Btw, the sooner a few other hand picked fans are included in the process the better the outcome can be.) Once it's uploaded you'll never be able to bring it down completely. Don't upload crap. I have in the past and I regret it...

Using nature as your theme: 

I film nature in 5 min intervals to use in my softer music lyrics videos. Waterfalls, the ocean, streams, wind-waved wheat fields, everything flowing in nature is a good motive for my slower  songs. But when it comes to rock, electro pop, dance songs etc that just doesn't cut it. I think you get what I mean...use your imagination and try to get your video to match the feeling in the song. There are all sorts of tips on the Internet on how to make film, use different programs and choreograph your film.