Making music videos?

[BoneDigger]

I have been perusing YouTube, but I'm still looking for some advice. I want to start making videos for some of my songs. I'm not necessarily talking about performance videos, but typical "music videos" that may have some performance in it, but may also include some acting, set work, etc.

Any advice? I have a couple of pretty good cameras and good video editing software. It looks like you record a good version of the song then overdub the video, lip syncing, etc. over it. Any additional techniques you guys can share?

[Fran Guidry]

I never overdub, that would require learning and playing the song note for note for note (grin).

"Real" video requires a crew - performer and camera op at least and more folks can be helpful, presumably you're working solo (like me).

So without suggesting that my work is successful I can say that I try to find a scenic location or one that matches the theme of the song, shoot with at least two cameras for different angles and different fields of view, then possibly shoot some b-roll (add-in scenic or thematic stuff). I nearly always do parallel audio, mics if possible, DI if the location is noisy. Then edit the whole mess together with titling and such.

One big difference would be that I'm always doing instrumentals, never vocals, so my audio is much easier to deal with.

Oh, and I never get a clip without some kind of goof/flaw/failure/gotcha.

Like this one where I flubbed plenty notes and hit the recorder too hard, got garbage audio:



Or this one where I didn't get decent exposure on my gorgeous face:



Fran

[MikeBmusic]

'Lip-synching' is the usual way for what you describe. As Fran suggests, for instrumentals, this doesn't work well (i.e. no 'lips'!)
Shoot multiple takes, makes it somewhat easier to get things to synch. Notice in the best youtubes they are constnatly switching camera shots - no different than when American Bandstand, etc showed bands playing in the 60s. Oh, a tip from AB - if you're playing/lip-synching an electric instrument - plug it in! Same with a mic.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

…I want to start making videos for some of my songs.

Hi BD

Got a smart phone? Got a digital recorder? Got a computer? Got a tripod?

That's really all it takes to make decent videos…

Part of the learning process is starting minimally equipment-wise and trying things whether you ever post them or not.

I learned a ton from tries which were not that good when I asked my wife and best friends "How could this be better?". But nothing really began to happen till I started setting up the phone/camera and hitting record.

Hope this adds to the discussion…

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

I never overdub, that would require learning and playing the song note for note for note (grin).

Hi Fran

Those are fun!!! Love your B-roll…

[VTexan]

...I was doing a half-hour show about a San Antonio band. They were recording a new album, so I went along when they were recording a song at a local recording studio. I went along just to get b-roll to stick in the show, but after I'd recorded one take off them recording the song, it occurred to me I could put together an actual music video, so I recorded 3 different takes of that song.

The recording studio was a good place to record music, but a bad one to record video--bad overhead lighting, dreary setting, nothing attractive. When I edited it together I decided to take out the color, except for certain scenes, where I put color elements into parts of it.

Here's that music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLvpWl_pgxo

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Fran

Those are fun!!! Love your B-roll…

Thanks Larry, I'm lucky to spend so much time over there. This is probably the first year in a long time that I didn't get a single clip out of the trip.

Fran

[Al Acuff]

This low budget video shows what you can do with a lot of imagination and not much money. It has received over 43 million views on Youtube!

[BoneDigger]

Thanks guys! I'm taking it all in.

I have some decent cameras and pretty good editing software, so I guess it's just a matter of trying things and see what works.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

Thanks Larry, I'm lucky to spend so much time over there. This is probably the first year in a long time that I didn't get a single clip out of the trip.

Fran

Hi Fran
Retirement is wonderful…

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Fran
Retirement is wonderful…

Definitely the best job I ever had. And I never hated my job (grin).

Fran

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

...I have some decent cameras and pretty good editing software....

I've never seriously thought about doing videos, but figure I would someday. What's your pretty good video editing software?

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

I've never seriously thought about doing videos, but figure I would someday. What's your pretty good video editing software?

I'm using Corel Video Studio 2018.