All about Music Videos

[STUDIO32MID]

Hello Folks,

i was approached by a client who wants a music video for her gospel album. As i have not done music videos before, i want to use this as my first experience.

So in line with that i would like to know almost all you guys can offer in terms of guidance especially with reference to contracts, legalities, fees, conceptualizing, shooting, style, location choices, shot types, artiste image, composition, equipment recommended.

Noteworthy is that the video would stream online and be broadcast on a Tv channel network to popularize the artiste and also help market her and her music-album.

[cgbier]

Only a word to contracts: As the might be royalties and stuff for you involved, check a lawyer with experience in media. He'll help you to set up your contract.

Artistic: Don't use the religious themed backdrops from Digital Juice like some gospel producers do. That looks cheesy like used-car dealership commercials on local tv. When I think of gospels (I rarely do), Queen's Bohemian Rapsody comes to mind. Check with your client if s/he'd like that style.

Good luck!

[STUDIO32MID]

Thanks Cgbier. But with the rap music videos do they do a one time payment and that is it? or .. anybody with some insight there?

With the audio i am of the opinion of playing the cd tracks on set/location and let them sing seriously to it or dance with it etc. That way the timings for the takes can always sync and also i can later lay that soundtrack on the video.

How do others arrive at a concept? is it from the theme of the song, the words, tempo, genre/style of music or just to suit the image of the artiste? Hmm yet to see gospel with near naked babes.

[cgbier]

You mean the rap music that just appears on YouTube? That's a one-time payment. For "real" broadcast you can get royalties for each time the video is shown. Depends all on how you set up your contract. That's why you should talk to a lawyer specialized/experienced in media stuff.

[HueyNRolf]

I'm not sure how much you know about music video, so my apology if this is too basic.

To get the sync right, you need to play the reference track loud and clear so that performers can hear it properly. I've seen some examples of poorly synced videos and this often occurs because the filmmaker didn't cover this point.

[Burns Luciano]

just make sure u get plenty of clips and have a radio. when u start editing make sure u match each clip to the wave or mp3 file of the actual song after that just start splicing and dicing

[Playing]

To get the sync right, you need to play the reference track loud and clear so that performers can hear it properly. I've seen some examples of poorly synced videos and this often occurs because the filmmaker didn't cover this point.

Yea, one thing I've learned the hard way: The lip sync does not match from one night to the next for very slow songs, a problem even if you are lucky and the performer wears the same color t-shirt.

[cgbier]

Burns, if that video is really meant for broadcast, the term "mp3" is verboten.

[STUDIO32MID]

Cgbier can you explain some more what you mean?

And as a person with great experience and knowledge in sound and audio, would you say the cd quality audio ie the wav format would be the way forward and not an mp3 since quality on the former is higher/better?

What do you think about music videos with the singer or band in different clothes etc singing the song or would you go for same clothes with varying locations or varying shot types and angles with same location and same clothes?

Burns, if that video is really meant for broadcast, the term "mp3" is verboten.

[STUDIO32MID]

Cgbier whats your ten cents on this as you are a solid sound guy?

Cgbier can you explain some more what you mean?

And as a person with great experience and knowledge in sound and audio, would you say the cd quality audio ie the wav format would be the way forward and not an mp3 since quality on the former is higher/better?

What do you think about music videos with the singer or band in different clothes etc singing the song or would you go for same clothes with varying locations or varying shot types and angles with same location and same clothes?

[cgbier]

Cd audio isn't good enough either. Better than mp3 though. Uncompressed audio with either 48 or 96 kHz sampling rate is the way to go. Your final will be 48. Your gospel singers must have recorded their stuff in a studio somewhen. Bring the engineer a six pack and ask him if you can borrow a copy of the master.

Clothes and locations all depend on your song. Read the lyrics carefully (just like poetry interpretation in high school language arts) and try to picture it.

[cgbier]

I'm not a solid sound guy. I just have learned the one or the other thing from a foley guy with a bunch of Oscars under his belt (and from reading Huey's posts).

[Burns Luciano]

just take on the project .and make sure u get enuff clips all u need is a radio with a cd player and aux input and your good only way to learn how to swim is by jumping in the water just don't jump in on the deep end

[Burns Luciano]

Burns, if that video is really meant for broadcast, the term "mp3" is verboten.

thanks for the info but mp3 is mp3 no matter what just like .wav is .wav i could care less on the proper broadcast terms i like simple terms everyone can understand

[cgbier]

It is not about terms. MP3 is a highly compressed audio format that leaves more artifacts than anything else. It is a transport format for the web, not suitable for editing. It's about the same as you would download some 480p flv from YouTube and wanted to put it into a 1080p ProRes project.

[Netguru]

Cgbier is correct. Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) is the standard for television production. You can do a simple test with any recorder that can record in both mp3 and BWF (such as any of the Zoom recorders). Record a clip at the highest MP3 rate and then again in BWF. You absolutely will hear the difference in sound quality.

Michael

[STUDIO32MID]

Well Cgbier
that may be the case but your having learned and your right application or the right advice you give makes you solid enough. Thanks for all you do. Also thanks for the lot on here who give great direction also.

So we go with 96 then? Higher than cd quality for the music video? i have an h2 zoom recorder so that setting is possible as i use that already for some sermon gigs.

I'm not a solid sound guy. I just have learned the one or the other thing from a foley guy with a bunch of Oscars under his belt (and from reading Huey's posts).

[STUDIO32MID]

Burns, anyway, tell me Burns it appears you urn out music videos of all styles by the bucket full, how does your service go down in paper work, fees, location, talent, concept etc?

just take on the project .and make sure u get enuff clips all u need is a radio with a cd player and aux input and your good only way to learn how to swim is by jumping in the water just don't jump in on the deep end

[cgbier]

So we go with 96 then? Higher than cd quality for the music video? i have an h2 zoom recorder so that setting is possible as i use that already for some sermon gigs.

48 is the standard for your video editor, but it's better to downsample from 96 than upsample from 44.1.

[Janke]

I always record in 48kHz/24bit, it gives more leeway in normalizing and mixing.

OTOH, the broadcaster never complained over quality when I used mp3 music (Kevin MacLeod) in my project... I did upsample to a better codec for editing, though... but, since the music is the main feature of your project, go for the best quality you can get.

[Burns Luciano]

Burns, anyway, tell me Burns it appears you urn out music videos of all styles by the bucket full, how does your service go down in paper work, fees, location, talent, concept etc?

well i offer a simple video with no more then 10 clips 1 location 1hr filming for $350. 10 clips 2 locations $400 ect. plus transportation depends if u got a car or not im in nyc so i usaly just ride my bike or take the train. anything they want in the video like props and people they bring with them. i also let them pic there location as far as paper work i don't do any most people i do music videos for only post them online. all i bring with me is my camera tripod what ever gear i use and a radio. just make sure you ask them what they want just to have an idea then have them email you the song so u can get an idea what u want to do and burn a cd for the radio. i usually know what i want besides at that cheep price you aint getting much.

[Burns Luciano]

It is not about terms. MP3 is a highly compressed audio format that leaves more artifacts than anything else. It is a transport format for the web, not suitable for editing. It's about the same as you would download some 480p flv from YouTube and wanted to put it into a 1080p ProRes project.

look not to sound like a dick but i'm a audio engineer so you aint telling me anything i don't know. i ask for wave format all the time if they only got a mp3 of the song i work with it that simple. yall cats is to much some times with all the proper terms and trying to tell people how they should do shit. its all up to the persons creativity just cause a person goes to school and learns how to do it don't mean they any good at it.

[cgbier]

Did you get it meanwhile that it was not about the term, but the format itself. I haven't seen any major broadcaster, so far, that would accept mp3. There's a reason why those guys give out redbooks. You can be as creative as you want, but if you don't follow their rules, they don't accept it. Full stop.

[Burns Luciano]

if you say so you must know it all. just like the dj's spinning live on the radio don't play mp3 format right even tho there spinning with serato

[HueyNRolf]

MP3 is a distribution format. You might transcode a finished project down if needed, but editing with it, is just amateur hour.