Advanced planning

I guess it's time to do some more advanced planning and researching. Could be a little late, but at least it's done! :)

(source: http://musicians.about.com/od/musicindustrybasics/ss/makeavideo_9.htm)
Some facts:

How many videos have you seen on MTV that consist of the band playing in a club, with the lights flashing whilst the audience jump up and down? Exactly. Try and think of something different when you make your video. Filming a Hollywood blockbuster on a shoestring budget will generally look crap! One of the most interesting videos I've seen recently was of the band playing in the back of a transit van while it went through a car wash – the only cost was the car wash fee. From this simple idea they made a interesting and quirky video that was premiered on MTV Europe.

You can spice up your video by adding stock footage but you need to be aware that, like music, almost all video footage is subject to strict copyright law. Making use of footage without the copyright holders express permission is illegal. (That shot from Top Gun may look great in your video but you'll need permission from Paramount Pictures to use it).

The more planning you can do before hand the quicker you'll be able to shoot. If you're renting gear, the quicker you can shoot the less it will cost you, and if you're relying on favors, people will be more willing to help again if you keep the hanging around to a minimum. To plan, you should:

• Draw story boards showing each scene and shot
• List the crew, performers and props you'll need for each shot
• Try and brief the camera and lighting people beforehand so they know what you want from the shot

Filming the band playing live can provide you with great footage for a video. Filming the band at a gig will mean you'll be able to capture the bands live energy and their interaction with the audience. They are some difficulties, however:

• They'll only play the song you've making the video for once so you'll only have one chance of capturing the right footage
• The live version may differ considerable from the recorded version so syncing the footage with the track could be problematic
• The band's, and particularly the audience's, movements won't be choreographed, so you, or your camera person, won't know where to be to capture the right shots
• The lighting and effects may look great to the audience but may not look great to the camera
• Your filming may interrupt the bands performance.

Live filming may provide you with some great footage that can be used as part of a video, but if you want live footage to synch to a video, your best bet is to "stage" a live performance. Get the band to play along (or mime) to the track in front of an audience of mates or invited fans. You can then control the lighting, people's movements and get the track played as many times as you need (or at least until the band decamp to the bar!)