Anyone made their own video?

[LiveMusic]

I've written hundreds of songs and at a point I wish to ramp up to promote, whatever that entails, to get the songs 'out there.' I wrote a song that I think would be a fun video. I have plenty songs but this could be the lead off because it seems to be truly funny (according to friends) and seems it to me, too. It has to do with a bar and I played it, just me and guitar, recently and it went over very well.

If I were to go to Nashville, I could find a videographer and get it done but don't know that cost. I'm sure it ranges. But doing it here, expenses might be far less. 'Actors' could be friends.

Do you think this can be done DIY? I know nothing about this. Even lighting, I dunno if that would be sufficient without pro equipment. Of course, maybe we could buy or rent.

My idea is not to create a low budget video where it's just a lyric pasted over an image, or just use images and the audio plays or whatever. I might do that down the way because I have so many songs, but I am talking about a real video shoot. Some acting involved. I have zero acting skills but think I could pull it off well enough, same for friends, and it would be fun and funny to do. Might even be funny in that we are so amateur, lol. Me being director, lol. I already have a couple of pages of script written that fit the song and it seems the scenes could be hilarious. I also would probably run this by some people I respect to see what they think.

It could be shot at the bar, the bartender/owner is eager. Friends would be eager!

The other alternative is to use my brother, who knows cameras pretty well and has a decent camera. Or we could buy one. Or hire somebody local. Or do both. Or hire three! Even if it wasn't as slick as done by a pro, it would be a hoot, and I even thought I might could use that video to do a crowd funding to get a pro to do it.

I also would like to shoot a video of me singing/playing this song just on acoustic guitar. At this bar. Could also use some of that footage in the "funny" video.

Anyone have experience at videos? Please advise, if so.

P.S. Before I go with this, I will get some feedback, even professionally, for this song. But even if shot down, I still have these questions about making videos to promote because I have plenty more songs. Even if it's just for my (future) youtube channel. Gotta start somewhere.

[Dash_Starkiller]

Realistically you could even do a lot of it with a new iPhone. You can record HDR and 4K video at up to 60fps. Even if it’s to get a decent idea down on what you want to do more “professionally”. But you’d be surprised how many people are turning to an iPhone to record footage.

[kego]

I have a couple friends in Chrome Rhino (a band from Phoenix). The "monsterc is a good friend of mine (as well as a *monster* keyboard player and song writer!). They have made a few videos on the cheap, including this one. I know several of the "actors" in this video and they are all just friends of the band. I don't think they paid much if anything but time to make this.

https://youtu.be/AxltfpUiuo4

So yeah, it's definitely possible!

[LiveMusic]

Originally Posted by Dash_Starkiller

Realistically you could even do a lot of it with a new iPhone. You can record HDR and 4K video at up to 60fps. Even if it’s to get a decent idea down on what you want to do more “professionally”. But you’d be surprised how many people are turning to an iPhone to record footage.

Very cool! My brother even also has the latest iPhone. And I have been tempted to upgrade my Samsung S9, could even get an iPhone. I've had one before.

Originally Posted by kego

I have a couple friends in Chrome Rhino (a band from Phoenix). The "monsterc is a good friend of mine (as well as a *monster* keyboard player and song writer!). They have made a few videos on the cheap, including this one. I know several of the "actors" in this video and they are all just friends of the band. I don't think they paid much if anything but time to make this.

https://youtu.be/AxltfpUiuo4

So yeah, it's definitely possible!

Cool again! Do you know if they used cellphone or a 'real' camera? And do you know if they had auxiliary lighting? I think that's pretty well done.

[Nightfalcon]

I've made a few gopro videos over the years. Iphone cameras are also pretty good for video capture. Sound is the big issue with this stuff. For music videos I record the song separately, mix it in pro-tools then add it to the video (muting the original video sound). Any half decent video editing software will do the job.

The video quality is a matter of who's pointing the camera most of the time. Or you can just use a static camera placement to record your song, a lot of youtubers do.

If you're after a more pro looking MTV video then you'll have to pay the bucks for it....lots of bucks!.... otherwise just grab a cheap SLR camera with video capability, go-pro, or phone and get shootin

[kego]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

Cool again! Do you know if they used cellphone or a 'real' camera? And do you know if they had auxiliary lighting? I think that's pretty well done.

I think they have a friend who is into video (including editing), but I'm not sure. I do know that if they paid anyone it wasn't a lot.

I told them the biggest difference between their Swamp Daddy video and the big time was basically budget. They did a fantastic job!

[Glennwillow]

People on this forum are making new videos daily. You might want to check out the Show & Tell section of this forum to see what's there. Almost all of these videos are performance videos, however, not "acting" videos.

- Glenn

[difalkner]

Just be sure to shoot video in widescreen mode and not portrait. I use my iPhone all the time to make woodworking videos and it works great.

[Daniel Grenier]

Originally Posted by Dash_Starkiller

Realistically you could even do a lot of it with a new iPhone. You can record HDR and 4K video at up to 60fps. Even if it’s to get a decent idea down on what you want to do more “professionally”. But you’d be surprised how many people are turning to an iPhone to record footage.

Indeed. A newer iPhone or Android, an app like FilMIC Pro (dirt cheap but kicks it up a whole LOT) a gimbal and, optionally, an anamorphic lens for that “cinematic look” and off you go. All that (minus the phone) for under $200! Stellar results can be had with a little practice with not much expense nowadays.

[Chipotle]

Check my YouTube channel in my sig. I made full music videos for a couple of my more recent songs, "Is It Forever" and "You Didn't Listen".

For "Is It Forever", I had a friend help and take the shots of me walking, using a DSLR. The rest of the shots I did with my phone (Samsung Galaxy) on a tripod, handheld, or on a selfie stick for the "feet walking" shots.

For "You Didn't Listen", I combined "studio" footage I took myself with a DSLR (the studio being my living room, a black backdrop and some improvised lights) with green-screen and stock video.

I have other live performance videos of songs, shot in my recording studio area with my phone.

I edited all the videos in Adobe Premiere Pro.

[KevWind]

Not with actors but I did experiment and shoot a video with just my iPhone XS Just showing some friends what the drive to our new barn is like .. I am just holding it in one hand and driving with the other and the stabilization is pretty good
I start with a cover of Prairie In The Sky and then switch to an acoustic guitar based original with some Virtual instruments added




I am also not big on just having lyrics over a static photo BUT I did come up with this slide show style for one of my original songs with the lyrics using a Star Wars effect which BTW is fairly processing heavy..

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

...
Do you think this can be done DIY? I know nothing about this. Even lighting, I dunno if that would be sufficient without pro equipment. Of course, maybe we could buy or rent.
...

For the "story" oriented project, is there a school near you with film/video course work?

For the "look at me play guitar" stuff it's definitely possible to DIY, especially if you are inclined toward tech and have sufficient patience and curiosity.

Fran

[LiveMusic]

Thanks for the posts, there are good ideas in here and thanks for the video examples from everyone.

I am leaning toward getting Mac gear. I am PC and Android but my brother is adamant about Mac being superior and 'worth it' in the pursuit of happiness, lol. I complain that they are so friggin expensive and it just makes me mad and he always counters that it's worth it, especially being that he keeps Mac/Apple gear for a long time and the price is spread over many years. Anyway, him being an expert has value and he's the one with camera and video skills. He's quite a techie. I think he owns three Mac computers, a loaded iPad and the latest iPhone maxed out.

He kinda wants me to buy Mac's latest audio/video computer, I think it is called Mac Studio. Just announced. Quite an expenditure. His take is just do it and you're done for the rest of your life, lol. I'm 68 so he's probably right!

I have been using an older iPad lately that I really have not used much in the past. I bought it used from him when he upgraded. Whatever he buys, it is maxed out. This older iPad, I must admit, I have found some cool things on it and about it.

Since I am, as we speak, in need of replacing my PC laptop and also my Android phone, I am leaning towards buying a souped up iPad with the friggin $350 keyboard (so it's actually a laptop, too) and an iPhone 13, unsure which model but I don't cotton to large cellphones (because I carry in my front pants pocket and it has to fit!), so, that's a bit of a limitation. But he has iPhone 13 Pro Max and also a digital camera with good video. And just a boatload of gear items and software. I am astonished at not only his hardware purchases but software, too! Sheesh. Heck, I'm a songwriter and performer, I don't have time (or the years) to become an expert on all things audio and video.

Bro is in another city and unless he moves here, we'd just swap files via internet. I can get good enough to do some video but he can also travel here.

[Nymuso]

I was playing in a back up band a few years ago for a sibling act that was trying to make it in Country music. They decided to make a video of one of their songs and they went to Nashville to have it professionally shot in a studio. Rather than spring for travel expenses for us, they hired local actors and models to portray the band members. It was a partial performance, partial acting video. I was expecting great things.

I don't know what they spent on this thing, but when I saw it I figured it was way too much. The actors and models demonstrated no familiarity with the instruments they were holding. None. The non-performance vignettes that were intended to portray the action of the lyrics were, at best, cartoonish. As far as I know, the video never got any airplay, significant or otherwise.

I believe with the editing software available now, and the quality of even consumer grade video equipment, a decent video can be made by just about anyone. If you're artistically inventive enough to write a good song, you're probably inventive enough to produce a good video. At least one better than my friends ended up with; and for a whole lot less.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

…Do you think this can be done DIY?

Hi LM

Yes, I think it can be done with a smart phone, and the free movie editing software in your computer. Then post it on YouTube free for distribution.

I think that's a good way to start learning about video and audio and music.