KNOW YOUR STYLE…….Be confident and knowledgeable about your look and style and know what you want to portray. This should be consistent and fit the type of music you produce. The meaning of the song can come into play here as well but its best to have an consistent style that you put through all your video work.
Still from my music video I shot for the Chemical Brothers song ‘One Too Many Mornings’
SEE THE IDEA THROUGH…….Many musicians and bands change their mind before a video has been finished. Being too fickle can cost you time and money as reshoots are often similar in price to paying for a video all over again. If you are a solo artist this is far easier to achieve. If you are in a band I suggest hiring a manager before making a music video who can help advise and be your point of contact with the person creating your video.
BE BOLD……..A music video is a great chance for you to build your fanbase so try to create a video that has not been done a million times before. Standing out from the crowd is the name of the game here and this can be achieved with elaborate set piece shots, the clothes you wear, lighting and editing techniques. Don’t worry, not everything you do has to be completely original. As long as you take inspiration from many different places and put them together in an interesting way you can find your own unique style.
Still from a short film called ‘Terror London’ I shot in 2019.
USE COLOUR………It can be a good idea to build the look of your video using 2-3 core colours. Then any props or costumes can adhere to this colour scheme. This kind of thoughtful production design can really elevate your video above others. This idea can be accentuated using colour grading to complete the look. Ask your shooting director to create a mood board for the video so that everyone is singing from the same hymn-sheet.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION………By far the most important aspect of creating a memorable music video is to find some visually interesting locations to film in. Its important that the location has some contrasting colours as well as details that can enhance the videos mood. If finding amazing locations becomes too difficult then shooting in a more familiar location at night with battery powered lights can make that location look completely different. TJK
A still from a fashion shoot collaboration with Khari Holland, shot in July 2022.
If you would like any more advise or hire me to shoot your music video then feel free to contact me on info@tomjkelly.com. Music Videos