Choose a specific media product and consider the requirements and sources for either your music video production or single camera video production. You must comprehensively explain and present to a quality that reflects near-professional standards fully detailed requirements and sources of requirements for a specific media production.
What Is Pre-Production? Why Is It So Important?
Pre-production is the process of planning some of the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance. There are three parts in a production: pre-production, production, and post-production. Pre-production ends when the planning ends and the content starts being produced. Pre-production typically begins once the song for the music video, or script for the film has been created and finished. It is the planning process and execution of every task that must take place before production begins, involving the director, cinematographer, producers, first assistant director, production managers, production coordinators, and location scouts.
Every project is different depending on the budget and the size of the production, but there are some relatively universal guidelines to consider:
Every project is different depending on the budget and the size of the production, but there are some relatively universal guidelines to consider:
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Therefore, as you can see, a lot of work goes into the pre-production stage, but you look at it in this way: the more work that you put into the your pre-production, the easier it will be for you to resolve any issues that come up later during production. This will ensure that the production and post production will go as smoothly as possible. It is problem-solving ahead of time. This is why production management software becomes an invaluable tool to keep everything centralizes and organized.
Type Of Production
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A music video is officially defined as "a short film that integrates a song with imagery, and is produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings."
There are three main kinds of music videos: narrative, concept and performance. A narrative music video, logically or sequentially through a chain of events that are put together to run parallel to each other. At times it may even seem like a little film that stars a main character who communicates with the audience. |
Examples of music videos:
Narrative & Performance:
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Performance:
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Finance & Scheduling
There are a lot of elements that need funding when it comes to creating a music video, such as: equipment, transport (for talent/crew on-set to and from locations), talent and crew, facility hire, clearances/release forms and other materials (audio and video library/archive; outsourced sound material; scripts; graphics; costumes, etc.) However, the cost of your music video will depend entirely on what kind of music video you want to create and which styles, aesthetics and mise en scene you would like to incorporate in your product. Financing is an integral part of making a music video as it will allow for more creative freedom and a higher-quality end-product. Even if you somehow manage to produce a music video without funding by the means of your connections in the industry working with you for free, menial costs of catering, transport, costumes, makeup, set design or re-shoots will eventually add up, so the best option is to have some sort of financial backing from a sponsor, producer or record label. Funding is important because without it the production of your music video will become very challenging. However it is important to keep in mind that this is hard but not impossible; many indie artists produce their own music videos for free or with their friends/colleagues. However, there is more than just once type of funding for film projects such as music videos:
Types Of Financing
Crowdfunding:
It is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount, typically via the internet. Some great crowdfunding websites include: Kickstarter.com, Patreon.com and PledgeMusic.com. This method of raising funds is still quite new and is an interesting alternative to traditional loans and advances. Crowdfunding websites allow fans to donate money to the artist's project, and in return they might receive some benefits such as receiving the album once it has been created but before it is released to the general public, or having their name included in the liner notes of the album credits or other recognition. Some artists may, for example record a personal message those that make a pledge donation. An example of this type of funding is a Tokyo-based metal band called Electric Eel Shock that, in 2004, offered fans a 'SAMURAI 100" package that gave fans the opportunity to secure a place on the guest list for life. The package cost 100 pounds and they managed to raise 10,000 pounds.
Crowdfunding:
It is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount, typically via the internet. Some great crowdfunding websites include: Kickstarter.com, Patreon.com and PledgeMusic.com. This method of raising funds is still quite new and is an interesting alternative to traditional loans and advances. Crowdfunding websites allow fans to donate money to the artist's project, and in return they might receive some benefits such as receiving the album once it has been created but before it is released to the general public, or having their name included in the liner notes of the album credits or other recognition. Some artists may, for example record a personal message those that make a pledge donation. An example of this type of funding is a Tokyo-based metal band called Electric Eel Shock that, in 2004, offered fans a 'SAMURAI 100" package that gave fans the opportunity to secure a place on the guest list for life. The package cost 100 pounds and they managed to raise 10,000 pounds.
Government funding and grants:
This refers to the financial assistance received by non-government entities in the form of state or local government grants or loans. The British Council has a program for "UK Music Funding And Support" that help develop and support British artists: "However, the British Council itself is not a funding body and we cannot respond to ad hoc requests for funding or touring support. We work very closely with other public bodies involved in supporting UK music overseas including Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, Arts Council Wales, Arts Council Northern Ireland and the Department for International Trade (formerly UK Trade and Investment or UKTI) and the equivalent bodies in the rest of the UK." The main goal of the British Council Music team is to "develop and support music work in a variety of ways including: residencies for British musicians so they can experience new cultures and grow their audience, performance opportunities for musicians overseas, events that bring musicians of different cultures together to create new work, industry events to connect professionals around the world and encourage a healthy exchange of ideas, and education work in schools and professional development opportunities.
This refers to the financial assistance received by non-government entities in the form of state or local government grants or loans. The British Council has a program for "UK Music Funding And Support" that help develop and support British artists: "However, the British Council itself is not a funding body and we cannot respond to ad hoc requests for funding or touring support. We work very closely with other public bodies involved in supporting UK music overseas including Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, Arts Council Wales, Arts Council Northern Ireland and the Department for International Trade (formerly UK Trade and Investment or UKTI) and the equivalent bodies in the rest of the UK." The main goal of the British Council Music team is to "develop and support music work in a variety of ways including: residencies for British musicians so they can experience new cultures and grow their audience, performance opportunities for musicians overseas, events that bring musicians of different cultures together to create new work, industry events to connect professionals around the world and encourage a healthy exchange of ideas, and education work in schools and professional development opportunities.
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Personal finance (from other jobs/savings):
This method of funding is very common for indie artists, as some artists invest a lot of their own money into hiring a cast, crew and equipment to produce their own music videos. This can put quite a heavy financial strain on the artist.
Record Label:
This form of funding will come from the record company that the artist has signed with.
Sponsorship & Product Placement:
It is possible to get a corporate sponsorship from a company or brand. As a musician, your fan base, public appearances, shows, blog and online presence can provide valuable advertising and marketing opportunities for businesses willing to sponsor you. "In exchange for company sponsorship, you need to offer the business something in return in the form of access to your audience and/or your skills as a musician. You can help promote and market the business’ product or services by giving them advertising opportunities to reach your audience via your newsletter; online sponsorship announcements on social media and videos; ad placements on your site; branding at your shows or events; product placements on stage and in videos; or even endorsements." Product placement (aka embedded marketing) is when references to specific brand or products are incorporates into another work with specific promotional intent, eg: featuring the artist using the product in their music video.
Personal finance (from other jobs/savings):
This method of funding is very common for indie artists, as some artists invest a lot of their own money into hiring a cast, crew and equipment to produce their own music videos. This can put quite a heavy financial strain on the artist.
Record Label:
This form of funding will come from the record company that the artist has signed with.
Sponsorship & Product Placement:
It is possible to get a corporate sponsorship from a company or brand. As a musician, your fan base, public appearances, shows, blog and online presence can provide valuable advertising and marketing opportunities for businesses willing to sponsor you. "In exchange for company sponsorship, you need to offer the business something in return in the form of access to your audience and/or your skills as a musician. You can help promote and market the business’ product or services by giving them advertising opportunities to reach your audience via your newsletter; online sponsorship announcements on social media and videos; ad placements on your site; branding at your shows or events; product placements on stage and in videos; or even endorsements." Product placement (aka embedded marketing) is when references to specific brand or products are incorporates into another work with specific promotional intent, eg: featuring the artist using the product in their music video.
The music video for 'Focus' by Ariana Grande used product placement to promote Samsung Phones.
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The music video for 'Telephone' by Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce used product placement to promote: Heartbeats earphones, Virgin Mobile, Diet Coke, HP Envy ‘Beats Limited Editon’ laptop from Monster, Plenty Of Fish dating site, Chevrolet, Polaroid, Wonderbread, Miracle Whip.
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Grassroots Funding:
This method of fundraising is "primarily comprised of peer-to-peer solicitation of donations. Organizations that use grassroots fundraising implement a variety of strategies that rely heavily on the help of volunteers. These volunteers ask for charitable contributions from their social networks and often publicize collected donations to track progress and raise awareness [often through social media]. Ultimately, strategies reach out to potential donor networks in order to fund projects or contribute to an organization’s mission."
This method of fundraising is "primarily comprised of peer-to-peer solicitation of donations. Organizations that use grassroots fundraising implement a variety of strategies that rely heavily on the help of volunteers. These volunteers ask for charitable contributions from their social networks and often publicize collected donations to track progress and raise awareness [often through social media]. Ultimately, strategies reach out to potential donor networks in order to fund projects or contribute to an organization’s mission."
Time Management & Scheduling
It is vital for the production team to be time efficient when planning, filming and post-producing a music video. If the production team is poor in sticking to its plan, then other aspects later on in production will be delayed and a lot of precious time and money will be lost. Each element of production must be broken down in order to create deadlines for aspects such as concept art, script writing, filming and editing. It is important for producers to take into account finance and budgeting when scheduling a music video. It is generally easier to work backwards when creating a schedule for a music video, so the producers, director and artist decide upon a release date, then work backwards to decide upon how to do the sound mixing, editing, filming, etc. They must also leave some extra breathing space for any special tweaks, holidays, mishaps or re-shoots on they way, in case production runs overtime. These time maps are typically made using special software that allows a group of producers to share their work and progress and collaborate more effectively. Below is an example template of a production schedule made using StudioBinder:
StudioBinder is an online service that offers filmmakers and producers to create an array of documents to help keep their production organized and on-track, eg: storyboards, screenplays/scripts, call sheets, production schedules, contact lists, etc. Another aspect you need to keep track of is the availability of your equipment, personnel and timescales for clearances. You will need to use your time management skills to organize all the different aspects of production in order to reserve the best quality of cast, crew and equipment for the least amount of money.
Personnel - Who Does What?
There are a lot of people - cast & crew - that are involved the making of a music video or any other film project at different stages of production, so it important for you as an artist to know the roles of the creative professionals you will need to work with. Moreover, understanding the inner workings of a production team will help you better understand who and what skills you are investing in on-set. More often than not, one creative professional will possess more than one integral skill such as makeup.
Roles & Responsibilities
So as you can clearly see, there are a lot of people involved in the collaborative pre production process who all need to be on the same page at the same time, and if you have done your pre-production well, everyone on set should be able to understand the plan and be ready on their marks to keep the production on schedule.
Director
The head of music video production, the director conceives of videos' artistic and dramatic aspects while instructing the musical act, technical crew, actors, models, and dancers. They may or may not be in collaboration with the musical act. A director is mostly responsible for the artistic and dramatic aspects of a films production, motivates and leads the cast and crew effectively through production, and also has a ‘vision’ they interpret from the screenplay, understanding the story and narrative style. Directors also attend castings and select actors, manage production schedules, oversee rehearsals and production alongside collaboration with the production, costume, art, music and other creative departments to ensure there is no miscommunication or conflict of interests and to ensure a consistent creative execution. The director oversees and leads the creative team from pre-production to post-production, working closely with the performers and the cinematographer. Several directors start out by making short films or working as cinematographers, scriptwriters, or actors; however, there is no straight guide to becoming a director, simply skills of management and hard-worked talent, eg: eg: Hannah Lux Davis has directed music videos for '7 Rings' by Ariana Grande, 'Say So' Doja Cat.
Screenwriter
Writes a story for a narrative music video. Often times artists may choose to make a concept or performance music video without a narrative or any dialogue.
Storyboard artist
Creates storyboards and concept art for the artist's music video. The storyboard artist may also closely work with the conceptual artist or concept art to draw inspiration for the final aesthetic of the music video. The storyboard artist may also draft multiple storyboards for a narrative music video to visually structure the director and artist's collective vision.
Casting director
Organize and facilitate the casting of actors for all the roles in a film. This involves working closely with the director and producer to understand their requirements, and suggesting ideal artists for each role, as well as arranging and conducting interviews and auditions.
Talent
The main on-screen presence. This might be just one person or a large group of people made up of backup singers and dancers and/or other characters depending on whether the music video is a narrative, performance or concept. A common convention of music videos is the artist's presence on camera to show her/his connection with the song. Furthermore, this helps create a brand image for the artist, allowing their target audience to recognize and identify with them more easily. It is very important for an artist to establish their 'on-screen personality' for their target audience, thus becoming a iconic symbol rather than just a person, which is much more impactful on a mass audience.
Art Director
In advertising and public relations, art directors ensure that their clients' desired message and image is conveyed to consumers. They are responsible for the overall visual aspects of an advertising or media campaign and may coordinate the work of other artistic or design staff, such as graphic designers. In the making of a music video, the art director will have to make sure that the aesthetic of the visuals matches that of the marketing campaign, eg: the album artwork and merchandise.
Set Director
Have some managerial roles when it comes to working with on-set dressers and set buyers. Depending on the size and budget of the music video, the set director may also be an integral part of the design team that works closely with the director of photography to establish the visual style of the production.
Producer
Finances the production and therefore can have an input in the creative process.
Costume Designer
Creates the costumes the talent wears on-screen.
Location Scout
Scouts potential locations to shoot the music video at. Often music videos will be filmed in more than one location to create a sense of storytelling or use locations as different motifs in their song. Thus, the location scout will make sure to select a location that complements the artist's vision.
Prop Master
Creates the props and make sure that any damages are fixed or replaced.
Director Of Photography/Cinematographer
Chief over the camera and light crews working on the music video and is responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The study and practice of this field is referred to as cinematography.
Production Sound Mixer
The production sound mixer (also called the location sound mixer) is the senior-most sound position during pre-production and production. They serve as a sound recordist during filming, and are responsible for recording and balancing the audio effects on set. A production sound mixer:
Lighting Technician
Electrical lighting technicians or simply lighting tech., are involved with rigging stage and location sets and controlling artificial, electric lights for art and entertainment venues or in video, television, or film production.
Gaffer/Chief Lighting Technician
The head electrician, responsible for the execution (and sometimes the design) of the lighting plan for a production.
Makeup Artist/Prosthetics Artist
Works closely with the hairstylist, costume designer, director and artist to execute the right look for the on-screen talent.
Choreographer
Creates the choreography for the on-screen talent.
Editor
Creates the final cut of the music video and works closely with the director, artist and VFX team. This is the final stage in which creative changes can still be made.
VFX Team
Creates visual effects, which is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot in filmmaking.
Director
The head of music video production, the director conceives of videos' artistic and dramatic aspects while instructing the musical act, technical crew, actors, models, and dancers. They may or may not be in collaboration with the musical act. A director is mostly responsible for the artistic and dramatic aspects of a films production, motivates and leads the cast and crew effectively through production, and also has a ‘vision’ they interpret from the screenplay, understanding the story and narrative style. Directors also attend castings and select actors, manage production schedules, oversee rehearsals and production alongside collaboration with the production, costume, art, music and other creative departments to ensure there is no miscommunication or conflict of interests and to ensure a consistent creative execution. The director oversees and leads the creative team from pre-production to post-production, working closely with the performers and the cinematographer. Several directors start out by making short films or working as cinematographers, scriptwriters, or actors; however, there is no straight guide to becoming a director, simply skills of management and hard-worked talent, eg: eg: Hannah Lux Davis has directed music videos for '7 Rings' by Ariana Grande, 'Say So' Doja Cat.
Screenwriter
Writes a story for a narrative music video. Often times artists may choose to make a concept or performance music video without a narrative or any dialogue.
Storyboard artist
Creates storyboards and concept art for the artist's music video. The storyboard artist may also closely work with the conceptual artist or concept art to draw inspiration for the final aesthetic of the music video. The storyboard artist may also draft multiple storyboards for a narrative music video to visually structure the director and artist's collective vision.
Casting director
Organize and facilitate the casting of actors for all the roles in a film. This involves working closely with the director and producer to understand their requirements, and suggesting ideal artists for each role, as well as arranging and conducting interviews and auditions.
Talent
The main on-screen presence. This might be just one person or a large group of people made up of backup singers and dancers and/or other characters depending on whether the music video is a narrative, performance or concept. A common convention of music videos is the artist's presence on camera to show her/his connection with the song. Furthermore, this helps create a brand image for the artist, allowing their target audience to recognize and identify with them more easily. It is very important for an artist to establish their 'on-screen personality' for their target audience, thus becoming a iconic symbol rather than just a person, which is much more impactful on a mass audience.
Art Director
In advertising and public relations, art directors ensure that their clients' desired message and image is conveyed to consumers. They are responsible for the overall visual aspects of an advertising or media campaign and may coordinate the work of other artistic or design staff, such as graphic designers. In the making of a music video, the art director will have to make sure that the aesthetic of the visuals matches that of the marketing campaign, eg: the album artwork and merchandise.
Set Director
Have some managerial roles when it comes to working with on-set dressers and set buyers. Depending on the size and budget of the music video, the set director may also be an integral part of the design team that works closely with the director of photography to establish the visual style of the production.
Producer
Finances the production and therefore can have an input in the creative process.
Costume Designer
Creates the costumes the talent wears on-screen.
Location Scout
Scouts potential locations to shoot the music video at. Often music videos will be filmed in more than one location to create a sense of storytelling or use locations as different motifs in their song. Thus, the location scout will make sure to select a location that complements the artist's vision.
Prop Master
Creates the props and make sure that any damages are fixed or replaced.
Director Of Photography/Cinematographer
Chief over the camera and light crews working on the music video and is responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The study and practice of this field is referred to as cinematography.
Production Sound Mixer
The production sound mixer (also called the location sound mixer) is the senior-most sound position during pre-production and production. They serve as a sound recordist during filming, and are responsible for recording and balancing the audio effects on set. A production sound mixer:
- Chooses what audio equipment to use for that particular project, as well as provide that equipment.
- Visits the filming locations ahead of time to evaluate any potential sound problems, such as excessive background noise. For example, they evaluate whether there is heavy traffic noise in the area or whether the location is susceptible to high winds.
- Hires or assembles their team, which usually includes boom operators, sound assistants, and sometimes sound trainees.
- During film production, the production sound mixer:
- Records sound for the film on set. This includes all actors’ dialogue during every take, as well as “wild sound,” which means any location sounds that the post-production team would want to use in the film or as reference.
- Mixes audio in real-time, which means they balance the volume and other sound quality to ensure the audio will work for the final product.
- Evaluates the quality of the audio after every take and asks for retakes as needed.
- Sets up and takes down all sound equipment.
Lighting Technician
Electrical lighting technicians or simply lighting tech., are involved with rigging stage and location sets and controlling artificial, electric lights for art and entertainment venues or in video, television, or film production.
Gaffer/Chief Lighting Technician
The head electrician, responsible for the execution (and sometimes the design) of the lighting plan for a production.
Makeup Artist/Prosthetics Artist
Works closely with the hairstylist, costume designer, director and artist to execute the right look for the on-screen talent.
Choreographer
Creates the choreography for the on-screen talent.
Editor
Creates the final cut of the music video and works closely with the director, artist and VFX team. This is the final stage in which creative changes can still be made.
VFX Team
Creates visual effects, which is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot in filmmaking.
Facilities & Materials
Certain facilities such as press kits, filming equipment and personnel are important elements needed for the creation of your music video. So you need to have a thorough knowledge of what materials and facilities are available to you and at what price.
Facilities & materials to spend money on:
Certain facilities such as press kits, filming equipment and personnel are important elements needed for the creation of your music video. So you need to have a thorough knowledge of what materials and facilities are available to you and at what price. Ideally, the higher your budget, the greater the quality of the equipment you use and the better the quality of your music video. Hence, it is important to know what are the bare minimum necessities for the creation of your video, especially if you have a tight budget.
Press kits/EPK
“A press kit, often referred to as a media kit in business environments, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials that provide information about a person, company, organization or cause and which is distributed to members of the media for promotional use.” As an indie artist, it would be ideal for you to get an EPK (Electronic Press Kit), which is a documents that showcases what you/your band is all about. It should have clear links to your music, website and social media, acting as a central point for you to introduce yourself/your band and what you are all about. The most important thing to keep in mind is how your EPK will look from the other side of fence to a promoter, potential manager or agent - put yourself in their shoes and think about what information they would want to see. A good example of a successful EPK is the one below for singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding. Your EPK can be in the format of a document or a video, but that doesn't matter as long as you can make yourself stand out among other artists and really focus on your brand image and your USP (unique selling point) as an artist/band. Always make sure to link your performances/website/videos. An Electronic Press Kit is essentially your resume as a musician, and more specifically, it’s a place where promoters, venue managers, journalists, and music supervisors can find all of the info they need to promote you.Your EPK helps them to understand who you are, what you’ve done, and why they should care about you. EPK’s in the past have been a PDF and a bunch of email attachments. These days artists have streamlined the process and made a website for just their press kit. This makes it significantly easier for the promoter to get the info they need.
Facilities & materials to spend money on:
Certain facilities such as press kits, filming equipment and personnel are important elements needed for the creation of your music video. So you need to have a thorough knowledge of what materials and facilities are available to you and at what price. Ideally, the higher your budget, the greater the quality of the equipment you use and the better the quality of your music video. Hence, it is important to know what are the bare minimum necessities for the creation of your video, especially if you have a tight budget.
Press kits/EPK
“A press kit, often referred to as a media kit in business environments, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials that provide information about a person, company, organization or cause and which is distributed to members of the media for promotional use.” As an indie artist, it would be ideal for you to get an EPK (Electronic Press Kit), which is a documents that showcases what you/your band is all about. It should have clear links to your music, website and social media, acting as a central point for you to introduce yourself/your band and what you are all about. The most important thing to keep in mind is how your EPK will look from the other side of fence to a promoter, potential manager or agent - put yourself in their shoes and think about what information they would want to see. A good example of a successful EPK is the one below for singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding. Your EPK can be in the format of a document or a video, but that doesn't matter as long as you can make yourself stand out among other artists and really focus on your brand image and your USP (unique selling point) as an artist/band. Always make sure to link your performances/website/videos. An Electronic Press Kit is essentially your resume as a musician, and more specifically, it’s a place where promoters, venue managers, journalists, and music supervisors can find all of the info they need to promote you.Your EPK helps them to understand who you are, what you’ve done, and why they should care about you. EPK’s in the past have been a PDF and a bunch of email attachments. These days artists have streamlined the process and made a website for just their press kit. This makes it significantly easier for the promoter to get the info they need.
What Does An EPK Include?
Music/Discography
You need to include sample of your music in your EPK, including your discography (a list of all previous albums and singles). It is common for artists to link a URL to snippets of their song, which could be a variety of reels with snippets or complete tracks to appeal to different audiences including fans, clients, promoters and presenters.
Biography
Also known as a "backgrounder", the bio will grab the reader's attention and communicate the artist's musical style of genre. The bio is a narrative peak into a band/artist's artistry and gives the reader a taste of their influences, inspirations and sounds.
Performance Calendar/Tour Dates
Building an audience is critical for every artist, and including a list of your gigs, performances and tour dates is very important to include in your press kit. The calendar section of your press kits should be updated often. Also, if you have any up-coming shows, include them as people might want to witness your talents in person, as it shows them that you are putting yourself out there as an artist and drawing a certain amount of visibility from a fanbase and audiences. Make sure this also stays up-to-date.
Stage Plot
For musicians playing at venues, festivals or shows, featuring more than one act, the stage plot gives the stage crew and sound engineer critical setup information about mics and iputs. Giving venues access to these details prior to a gig can help a show run smoothly and avoid hassles the day of the performance.
High-Res Photos/Videos
You will need to include photos in your press kit to show the reader your story as an artist/band and make sure that they are all very high quality and look professional. You might want to hire a professional photographer for this. You can have one or two photos in black and white, and the rest in colour; it is common for press kits to have around five or more photos.
Videos Of Your Best Performance
In modern times, it is nearly impossible to get noticed without videos of your performance. So this is often the very first thing people request when they want to learn more about you. You could hire a small two-person video crew to film you performing a couple of songs.
Press Coverage
Your press kit wouldn't be complete without the "press". Compile your best write-ups and reviews and include them in your EPK. Your press can be in text format with photos if it’s from an online source, or as a PDF if you’ve scanned it in from a physical newspaper or magazine. This is perhaps the one category where I wouldn’t worry about listing too many things. If you have a lot of press, include it! You want to show people that you are talked about. Again, just make sure you give some thought to what goes at the top of the list in case people don’t make it past the first or second article.
One Sheet
An EPK's one-sheet summarizes and distills its essential information into a single page; it's often used to promote the release of an album like a press release.
Contact Information
Obviously people will need a way to get in touch with you, and 99% of the time a simple email address will suffice. A quick note about this: avoid using Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo addresses if you can. The truth is, they just don’t look very professional. If you don’t already own a working email address @yourdomain (for example [email protected]) do so now. It looks much more professional than having a Hotmail address listed.
Music/Discography
You need to include sample of your music in your EPK, including your discography (a list of all previous albums and singles). It is common for artists to link a URL to snippets of their song, which could be a variety of reels with snippets or complete tracks to appeal to different audiences including fans, clients, promoters and presenters.
Biography
Also known as a "backgrounder", the bio will grab the reader's attention and communicate the artist's musical style of genre. The bio is a narrative peak into a band/artist's artistry and gives the reader a taste of their influences, inspirations and sounds.
Performance Calendar/Tour Dates
Building an audience is critical for every artist, and including a list of your gigs, performances and tour dates is very important to include in your press kit. The calendar section of your press kits should be updated often. Also, if you have any up-coming shows, include them as people might want to witness your talents in person, as it shows them that you are putting yourself out there as an artist and drawing a certain amount of visibility from a fanbase and audiences. Make sure this also stays up-to-date.
Stage Plot
For musicians playing at venues, festivals or shows, featuring more than one act, the stage plot gives the stage crew and sound engineer critical setup information about mics and iputs. Giving venues access to these details prior to a gig can help a show run smoothly and avoid hassles the day of the performance.
High-Res Photos/Videos
You will need to include photos in your press kit to show the reader your story as an artist/band and make sure that they are all very high quality and look professional. You might want to hire a professional photographer for this. You can have one or two photos in black and white, and the rest in colour; it is common for press kits to have around five or more photos.
Videos Of Your Best Performance
In modern times, it is nearly impossible to get noticed without videos of your performance. So this is often the very first thing people request when they want to learn more about you. You could hire a small two-person video crew to film you performing a couple of songs.
Press Coverage
Your press kit wouldn't be complete without the "press". Compile your best write-ups and reviews and include them in your EPK. Your press can be in text format with photos if it’s from an online source, or as a PDF if you’ve scanned it in from a physical newspaper or magazine. This is perhaps the one category where I wouldn’t worry about listing too many things. If you have a lot of press, include it! You want to show people that you are talked about. Again, just make sure you give some thought to what goes at the top of the list in case people don’t make it past the first or second article.
One Sheet
An EPK's one-sheet summarizes and distills its essential information into a single page; it's often used to promote the release of an album like a press release.
Contact Information
Obviously people will need a way to get in touch with you, and 99% of the time a simple email address will suffice. A quick note about this: avoid using Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo addresses if you can. The truth is, they just don’t look very professional. If you don’t already own a working email address @yourdomain (for example [email protected]) do so now. It looks much more professional than having a Hotmail address listed.
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Promotional Methods & Equipment
Radio promotion
The artist may go on radio shows to promote their music video or and songs to a mass demographic to target their audience. This method of marketing and promotion gives the artist and her/his work a greater reach to potential audiences, according to the Snowball Effect.
TV promotions
This is a promotional method often used by artists to reach older demographics. This form of promotion may include TV spots or adverts between programs.
Publicist/team of people to help manage social media
Artists will frequently use social media to promote their album, songs or music video to reach a younger target demographic.
Equipment (production & post-production)
The equipment used in the making of music videos can be quite costly, however, there are several companies that provide rental services for all kinds of film gear.
Radio promotion
The artist may go on radio shows to promote their music video or and songs to a mass demographic to target their audience. This method of marketing and promotion gives the artist and her/his work a greater reach to potential audiences, according to the Snowball Effect.
TV promotions
This is a promotional method often used by artists to reach older demographics. This form of promotion may include TV spots or adverts between programs.
Publicist/team of people to help manage social media
Artists will frequently use social media to promote their album, songs or music video to reach a younger target demographic.
Equipment (production & post-production)
The equipment used in the making of music videos can be quite costly, however, there are several companies that provide rental services for all kinds of film gear.
Essential Equipment:
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Renting Filming Equipment
When creating your own music video, it is important to have the right equipment, since there is nothing worse than getting on set on the day of the shoot and experiences all kinds of technical mishaps, wasting everyone's time and money. You can either buy or rent out filming gear. There are plenty of websites and agencies that offer the option to rent out cameras and all other kinds of gear, this option is often much cheaper in the short run, however in the long run, buying equipment can be be much more cost-efficient. However, due to the constantly changing face of modern technology and evolutionary filming equipment today, renting seems to be the ideal option for most filmmakers creating music videos. There are pros and cons to renting out equipment:
Pros:
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Cons:
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Production Schedule
A production schedule is one of the most key components of pre-production. It is a flexible document, typically made in Microsoft Excel or Calendar that is changed and tweaked every step of the way through production and post-production. It is used to schedule dates the cast and crew and ensure everyone’s presence on set at the right time with the right equipment and arrangements.
Hence, before production starts the cast and crew can become aware and familiar with the shooting locations and how to set up on the day of the shoot, saving time and money and allowing the cast and crew to focus purely on working efficiently and with ease on filming content and meeting their deadlines. It can also be used to keep those absent on certain days throughout the shoot up to date. |
Shooting Logs
A shooting log is a record of your progress during pre-production, production and through to post-production. This allows you to not just track your progress, but if something goes wrong during any point of production you will be able to look back and find where the error was made, allowing you to fix it directly, instead of spending a lot of time tracing its origin. This will save you a lot of time and money on set. |
Contingency Plan
Contingency plans are also a key element of pre-production as they allow the filmmakers to consider and resolves any potential complications and unforeseen circumstances that may come up during production beforehand. Hence, through the use of contingency plans, filmmakers and rest of the crew can maintain a phlegmatic and calm atmosphere if they encounter any hindrances during the shoot, and push the film into production as soon and efficiently as possible.
Contingencies most commonly consist of:
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Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is a vital part of the pre-production process and an examination of the health and safety dangers that might potentially harm the cast and/or the crew, so that the production company or producers can decide on the suitable control measures to prevent harm at that particular shoot or location. The dangers may range from menial injuries like a sunburn to more extreme cases, like fatal drops or dangerous stunts involving fire, car stunts, etc.
After the threat has been recognized and acknowledged, it is classified into one of the following categories: insignificant, minor, moderate, major, or catastrophic, and the adequate control measures will be put in place depending on this risk assessment level evaluation. Moreover, the risk assessment may be referred to by the crew, so that they become aware of the risks involved during production, and also learn the appropriate response to the threat. Hence, much like the contingency plan, the risk assessment helps push the film back into production as efficiently as possible. |
Locations & Release Forms
When choosing a location for the shoot, you will need to keep the following things in mind as you must comply with the leases and location contracts you agree to. This will save you a lot of hassle and trouble in the future regrading any potential issues with the shooting location.
Identification
Once you have chosen your story or concept, you will have a much better idea of the type and amount of locations you will need. It is up to you to decide whether you want to shoot indoors or outdoors, in a private or public area. This will dictate whether you would have to rent a studio space or not. Hiring a studio will make a big impact on your budget. Consider if your chosen location has everything you need for the shoot.
Leases
It is very important to consider whether you have permission to film at your chosen location, or if you will have to obtain a filming license or location release form to avoid infringing on someone's property.
Limitations & Risks
Be aware that locations can change and it is wise to check your spot on the day of the week and the time of day when you'll be shooting. Automobile traffic and noise, visitors to recreation and entertainment sports, or tourists at historic or scenic areas, are all examples of factors that can produce surprisingly large changes on the suitability of a location. Another essential aspect of location scouting is to survey all possible health and safety hazards in the area and any dangers that might present a threat to the cast or crew. In order to process these dangers, you must create risk assessments for these locations.
Distance
You may need to arrange transport for your crew and talent if you plan to use more than one location for the shoot, so you must keep in mind the distance between location A and B. The distance from where most of your talent and crew are to the venue is a key detail you should take into account, as if you plan to film in another country, state or city, you will be end up spending a large sum of money on travel.
Access
In order to secure a shooting location you will first have to make sure that you can film there, in case you infringe on any property rights that could cause problems later on. Also make the bookings for a venue as soon as possible to secure your place, as it might not be available if you make a reservation too late.
Cost
The price of the location you are renting out is also very important as it could possibly take up a large portion of your budget depending on how extravagant or important it is, for example: Louvre Museum was the location used by The Carters for their music video for 'Apes**t'.
Weather
If you plan to film outdoors make sure to check the weather forecasts for that day before you start setting up the shoot. If you're going to film in a place like London, be vary of the weather that fluctuates greatly, and set up precautions such as covering the equipment with plastic sheeting in case it rains or snows. Similarly if filming in extreme climates such as the desert where you could encounter dust storms and strong winds that blow the sand, pack protective gear for your camera, lights and other filming equipment.
Identification
Once you have chosen your story or concept, you will have a much better idea of the type and amount of locations you will need. It is up to you to decide whether you want to shoot indoors or outdoors, in a private or public area. This will dictate whether you would have to rent a studio space or not. Hiring a studio will make a big impact on your budget. Consider if your chosen location has everything you need for the shoot.
Leases
It is very important to consider whether you have permission to film at your chosen location, or if you will have to obtain a filming license or location release form to avoid infringing on someone's property.
Limitations & Risks
Be aware that locations can change and it is wise to check your spot on the day of the week and the time of day when you'll be shooting. Automobile traffic and noise, visitors to recreation and entertainment sports, or tourists at historic or scenic areas, are all examples of factors that can produce surprisingly large changes on the suitability of a location. Another essential aspect of location scouting is to survey all possible health and safety hazards in the area and any dangers that might present a threat to the cast or crew. In order to process these dangers, you must create risk assessments for these locations.
Distance
You may need to arrange transport for your crew and talent if you plan to use more than one location for the shoot, so you must keep in mind the distance between location A and B. The distance from where most of your talent and crew are to the venue is a key detail you should take into account, as if you plan to film in another country, state or city, you will be end up spending a large sum of money on travel.
Access
In order to secure a shooting location you will first have to make sure that you can film there, in case you infringe on any property rights that could cause problems later on. Also make the bookings for a venue as soon as possible to secure your place, as it might not be available if you make a reservation too late.
Cost
The price of the location you are renting out is also very important as it could possibly take up a large portion of your budget depending on how extravagant or important it is, for example: Louvre Museum was the location used by The Carters for their music video for 'Apes**t'.
Weather
If you plan to film outdoors make sure to check the weather forecasts for that day before you start setting up the shoot. If you're going to film in a place like London, be vary of the weather that fluctuates greatly, and set up precautions such as covering the equipment with plastic sheeting in case it rains or snows. Similarly if filming in extreme climates such as the desert where you could encounter dust storms and strong winds that blow the sand, pack protective gear for your camera, lights and other filming equipment.
A legal release is a legal instrument that acts to terminate any legal liability between the releasor (director/filmmaker) and the releasee (actors/characters on screen), signed by the releasor. There are a few different types of release forms:
Each of the release forms above features a nearly identical semantic field in terms of legal jargon, that waives their right to be part of the film after production. Without a release, the directors cannot use the footage they have filmed for commercial purposes, should those part of the film may want the footage removed. By signing a general talent release form, the signer:
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Codes Of Practice
Source: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/01/12/before-you-shoot-a-music-video-read-this-important-legal-guide/
It is important for you to know about the different codes of practice as an artist, director or just as part of your role in the production of a music video. Once you have the creative abilities to create a music video, you must acquire knowledge of the legalities and logistics of production just incase any legal or ethical issues come up before, during or after the making of your video.
Cover Videos
"In order to post a cover video, you legally need to get a license. Luckily, YouTube has developed their own system for cover artists. YouTube’s system will recognize a video as a cover and notify the publisher. This publisher will either take monetization or demand that the poster take the video down. This monetization splits the payment between YouTube and the publisher. Each of these are weighed against the possibility of worldwide recognition. Publishers have not yet cracked down on other social media sites (i.e. Instagram). This is partially due to the length of the clips, as they’re too small to amount to copyright infringement (known as “de minimis”). It can also be argued that these videos are “fair use,” because the brief excerpt is “transformative” of the original."
Work for Hire Contract
"In work for hire contacts, the employer is considered the author and owns all rights to the music created. Many big companies, like Sony Music Entertainment, will use these contracts to commission their music videos."
Releases
"Release contracts are necessary for music videos. They ensure that anyone signing acknowledges that they have no rights to their or their location’s appearance in the video." There are four main types of releases:
It is important for you to know about the different codes of practice as an artist, director or just as part of your role in the production of a music video. Once you have the creative abilities to create a music video, you must acquire knowledge of the legalities and logistics of production just incase any legal or ethical issues come up before, during or after the making of your video.
Cover Videos
"In order to post a cover video, you legally need to get a license. Luckily, YouTube has developed their own system for cover artists. YouTube’s system will recognize a video as a cover and notify the publisher. This publisher will either take monetization or demand that the poster take the video down. This monetization splits the payment between YouTube and the publisher. Each of these are weighed against the possibility of worldwide recognition. Publishers have not yet cracked down on other social media sites (i.e. Instagram). This is partially due to the length of the clips, as they’re too small to amount to copyright infringement (known as “de minimis”). It can also be argued that these videos are “fair use,” because the brief excerpt is “transformative” of the original."
Work for Hire Contract
"In work for hire contacts, the employer is considered the author and owns all rights to the music created. Many big companies, like Sony Music Entertainment, will use these contracts to commission their music videos."
Releases
"Release contracts are necessary for music videos. They ensure that anyone signing acknowledges that they have no rights to their or their location’s appearance in the video." There are four main types of releases:
- Personal: Anyone featured in a video must sign this release. Here, the person signing the release grants the artist or label all rights to use them in the video.
- Crowds and Audiences: If you are performing in a public place, anyone recognizable should receive a release. If shooting an audience, you can display a large sign notifying anyone who enters that they have consented to appearance. However, if the video features a person from the audience, that person should sign a personal release.
- Location: This is for venues that agree to let you shoot. It is useful with noticeable signs at the venue. The release can write in fees.
- Public Places: Public venues do not need releases if they’re not prominent but if they are, the manager should sign the release.
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Trademarks
"The First Amendment (USA) generally protects the use of a trademark in a music video, but not always. To assess whether a defendant has infringed upon a plaintiff’s trademark, the courts apply a Likelihood of Confusion Test. This test asks whether use of the trademark by the defendant is likely to cause confusion or mistake, or to associate the plaintiff’s brand with the defendant’s product. Applying this to music videos, the bottom line is that if a trademark is used in a way that is not likely to confuse a viewer into thinking that the brand sponsored the video, the producer has a First Amendment right to use it. The classic example is a rapper wearing a baseball cap or t-shirt. Just because the singer may be wearing a Yankees cap or t-shirt doesn’t mean that someone would think that the Yankees sponsored or produced the video. On the other hand, when a trademark is prominently featured, it is reasonable to think the brand is sponsoring the video. For instance, a number of brands are featured in the video for “Telephone” by Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. In this case, the brands were actually sponsoring the video by paying for product placement. These days, many indie artists use brands to help fund their videos. If you have not received approval from a brand, it’s important not to misrepresent a partnership. Viewers can be misled if too much attention is drawn to the brand itself."
Product Disparagement
"Product disparagement is any statement about a brand that is false and likely to hurt the company’s profits. This includes negative statements about a product, false comparisons to competitors, and statements harming an artist’s reputation. It is also known as product defamation, trade libel, or slander of goods. Applying this to a music video, showing a brand’s name or logo negatively could prompt a demand to change or remove the video. In the 90s, a music video featuring a toy train running off the track and smashing small clay people aired on MTV. The toy train featured the name of a well-known U.S. railroad, who were less than happy. In fact, they sent a letter to MTV demanding that they stop playing the video. The label agreed to blur the name but the railroad insisted that the color of the train — a particular shade of yellow — was the same color as its actual trains. They changed the entire video to sepia to make the trains a different shade of yellow, but this still upset the railroad. The label finally took down the video in a lawsuit and paid all damages to the railroad."
Artwork and Other Copyrighted Works
"Best practice is to avoid using material protected by copyright. This will save you a lot of headaches, and possibly money. Ringgold v. Black Entertainment Television is an important case for copyright. In the late 90s, Faith Ringgold, a successful contemporary artist, sued BET for featuring her artwork in a show. Although the show did not discuss the work, the poster was on the scene for a total of 27 seconds. The federal appeals court in New York found BET liable. BET raised the de minimis defense. Recall that this is when an amount of work copied is so small that it is below substantial similarity. However, the court found that there was a qualitative connection between the poster and the show. The poster depicted a Sunday school picnic held by the Freedom Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia in 1909. It intended to convey “aspects of the African-American experience in the early 1900s.” The series, ROC, was a sitcom about a middle-class African-American family in Baltimore and the scene in question was of a gathering in a church hall. Unlike Ringgold, the case of Sandoval v. New Line Cinema Corp stands for the use of copyrighted artwork in the background of a scene as de minimis. Sandoval sued New Line Cinema Corp at the same court as Ringgold for using his photographs in the film Seven for 35.6 seconds. The images were always in the background and out of focus. The court ruled this to be de minimis and therefore acceptable. The court also found that the “photographs as used in the movie [were] not displayed with sufficient detail for the average lay observer to identify even the subject matter of the photographs, much less the style used in creating them.” Ringgold’s image was recognizable and related, Sandoval’s images were not."
Agreements
"A record company may use some form of a Music Video Production Agreement. An artist may consider forming a corporate entity (i.e., C-Corporation Subchapter S, or LLC) in order to avoid any personal liability. In addition, an artist would be wise to consult with an accountant or attorney about forming an LLC or S Corporation for tax purposes. That includes eligibility to deduct video expenses from their personal income."
"The First Amendment (USA) generally protects the use of a trademark in a music video, but not always. To assess whether a defendant has infringed upon a plaintiff’s trademark, the courts apply a Likelihood of Confusion Test. This test asks whether use of the trademark by the defendant is likely to cause confusion or mistake, or to associate the plaintiff’s brand with the defendant’s product. Applying this to music videos, the bottom line is that if a trademark is used in a way that is not likely to confuse a viewer into thinking that the brand sponsored the video, the producer has a First Amendment right to use it. The classic example is a rapper wearing a baseball cap or t-shirt. Just because the singer may be wearing a Yankees cap or t-shirt doesn’t mean that someone would think that the Yankees sponsored or produced the video. On the other hand, when a trademark is prominently featured, it is reasonable to think the brand is sponsoring the video. For instance, a number of brands are featured in the video for “Telephone” by Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. In this case, the brands were actually sponsoring the video by paying for product placement. These days, many indie artists use brands to help fund their videos. If you have not received approval from a brand, it’s important not to misrepresent a partnership. Viewers can be misled if too much attention is drawn to the brand itself."
Product Disparagement
"Product disparagement is any statement about a brand that is false and likely to hurt the company’s profits. This includes negative statements about a product, false comparisons to competitors, and statements harming an artist’s reputation. It is also known as product defamation, trade libel, or slander of goods. Applying this to a music video, showing a brand’s name or logo negatively could prompt a demand to change or remove the video. In the 90s, a music video featuring a toy train running off the track and smashing small clay people aired on MTV. The toy train featured the name of a well-known U.S. railroad, who were less than happy. In fact, they sent a letter to MTV demanding that they stop playing the video. The label agreed to blur the name but the railroad insisted that the color of the train — a particular shade of yellow — was the same color as its actual trains. They changed the entire video to sepia to make the trains a different shade of yellow, but this still upset the railroad. The label finally took down the video in a lawsuit and paid all damages to the railroad."
Artwork and Other Copyrighted Works
"Best practice is to avoid using material protected by copyright. This will save you a lot of headaches, and possibly money. Ringgold v. Black Entertainment Television is an important case for copyright. In the late 90s, Faith Ringgold, a successful contemporary artist, sued BET for featuring her artwork in a show. Although the show did not discuss the work, the poster was on the scene for a total of 27 seconds. The federal appeals court in New York found BET liable. BET raised the de minimis defense. Recall that this is when an amount of work copied is so small that it is below substantial similarity. However, the court found that there was a qualitative connection between the poster and the show. The poster depicted a Sunday school picnic held by the Freedom Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia in 1909. It intended to convey “aspects of the African-American experience in the early 1900s.” The series, ROC, was a sitcom about a middle-class African-American family in Baltimore and the scene in question was of a gathering in a church hall. Unlike Ringgold, the case of Sandoval v. New Line Cinema Corp stands for the use of copyrighted artwork in the background of a scene as de minimis. Sandoval sued New Line Cinema Corp at the same court as Ringgold for using his photographs in the film Seven for 35.6 seconds. The images were always in the background and out of focus. The court ruled this to be de minimis and therefore acceptable. The court also found that the “photographs as used in the movie [were] not displayed with sufficient detail for the average lay observer to identify even the subject matter of the photographs, much less the style used in creating them.” Ringgold’s image was recognizable and related, Sandoval’s images were not."
Agreements
"A record company may use some form of a Music Video Production Agreement. An artist may consider forming a corporate entity (i.e., C-Corporation Subchapter S, or LLC) in order to avoid any personal liability. In addition, an artist would be wise to consult with an accountant or attorney about forming an LLC or S Corporation for tax purposes. That includes eligibility to deduct video expenses from their personal income."