Music Video Production

Toronto Music Video Production Experts & Team

A Music Video That Will Tell A Story – Just Like Your Song.

If you are serious about your music career (and serious about your aspirations of becoming a global star), you need to deliver to your fans and potential fans (music lovers and lovers of the genre of music you do) – awesome and high-quality visual content. The music matters a lot, but amazing visuals take you to the next level.

Just think about viral hits like “Gangnam Style”, “Drip Too Hard”, “Bad and Boujee”, “Despacito”, “Gods Plan”, “Gucci Gang”, and “Hotline Bling”. What did all of these hits have in common? They all had music videos that some would say outdid the songs. The music videos for these songs were not only visually stimulating – they did the songs justice. Some say these songs were already hits before the music videos to them come out – and, this is true because the numbers do not lie. However, it cannot be denied that these songs all shot up in popularity and streams after the visuals to them were released. So, here, we see the chicken before the egg dilemma. Did the song make the music video, or did the music video make the song?

Regardless of your opinion on this, the millions (hundred of millions – and even billions) of views on the music videos of these songs adds validity to the importance of a great music video for a song. People love watching music videos on YouTube and social media music video snippets on Instagram. They are cool, they tell stories, they show a lifestyle that people aspire to live, they are sensational and they stimulate our senses. Although there is not a lot of scientific studies that have been done as to why music videos have such a powerful effect on us, their effect is seen in popular culture. The clothes we wear, the cars we choose to drive, the types of homes we aspire to live in – are all subconsciously influenced by music videos. This is why top brands are always trying hard to place their products and services inside music videos. Because music videos are near perfect (and undetectable to the naked eye) marketing tools.

Most parties involved in music video production recognize the sheer marketing power of a music video that is well done. Labels and important personalities in the industry know that a great music video can put an artist in the spotlight – and allow them to skyrocket their reach, career and industry influence. That is why top labels and executives provide massive budgets for music video production (in Toronto and the world). Brands place their products in music videos to advertise and market them. Usually, they provide their product and some extra funds for the production of the music video to get their brand or product featured. If you are a great music video producer, director, or an artist, you can take advantage of this information. Reach out to brands that you are interested in promoting to see if they want to be involved in your music video production project. Obviously, the results of this will be dependent on your power, reach and sway as an artist right now.

Music video production companies, producers, videographers, directors, models, and actors know their involvement in your music video production can accelerate their career or help them maintain their industry significance and power. So, they will treat your project with respect and make sure it is as awesome as it can be – within your budget. Finally, artists (like yourself) know the power of a great music, as was previously stated – so, they always come with a lot of energy and great ideas – to a shoot. The fact that all parties involved in music video production recognize the power of executing to the highest level creates a conducive environment for creating (and putting out) the best work possible.

Now that you understand the power of music videos – and the effect a well produced and directed video can have on your career, on a labels bottom-line, and for a brand – lets look at the role that awesome music video production plays in the whole process and journey.

Toronto Music Video Production.

Music video production (in Toronto) is not easy. Actually, we would say that music video production is hard. But, we love it. And, that is why we do it. The process is extremely complicated and stressful the deeper you dive into the major steps involved and the logistics behind production. But the overall music video production process boils down to three steps and sections of work: pre-production, production, and post-production. During pre-production, you have to drum up a great concept that you believe (and wholeheartedly know) that you can (or at least should) be able to execute fully. During this phase, you create what is called – a treatment plan. After, you execute. This is the production phase – and some would say is the most important section and step in music video production (in Toronto). During the production phase (of a music video), you congregate with actors (and/or models) and production personnel (videographers and technicians) – and you shoot the video (you grab pieces of raw footage at the location or locations you set during the pre-production phase). Last but definitely not least, your music video team (videographer, editor, director, and producer) sit down (potentially with you) to produce the final product. They will choose pieces of footage that will make it into the final music video based on the treatment plan and how awesome they are. They then edit together a final piece – and deliver it to you. It is that easy. At least from the top (birds-eye) view of it (music video production that is).

Video production (as an art form) is tough on its own – but music video production is even tougher because of many reasons. You have to juggle many ideas, people, styles, opinions, items, locations and things – and manage to distill all of the hard work and preparation into a quick and eye-popping music video (final product). As you can imagine, that is tough. That is why the key to high-level music video production execution is creating an awesome treatment plan that will do your song justice. The treatment plan will define the concept for the music video and how you plan on executing on the concept with a summary of visuals and ideas you will use to execute on this concept. Since music videos are extremely visual, you need to knock the visuals out of the park. To do this, you have to make sure you account for providing awesome visuals – to viewers. At the end of the day, you will be extremely successful with your music video project if you make sure that the your vision, ideas, concept and overall treatment plan is clear – and easy to work through (or around).

Like a lot of art forms and services, the cost of a music video and music video production (in Toronto) varies greatly. The only thing that we have found to be the same across all levels of music video production (in Toronto) is – you get what you pay for. There is a reason why music videos need good budgets and are not cheap – despite what your local videographer offering you a music video for $500 is telling you. They require a lot of work to properly put together and they are visually demanding pieces of production.

Anyways, on the lower end, if you are looking for something simple with one location, one videographer, and some simple edits after a four to six hour shoot, you can get away with a $1200-$2500 budget. If you want something spicier, and with some sauce, be prepared to spend anywhere from $5000-$40000 for a full team and cast. Finally, if you want to come into the industry with a bang, push a song, or produce a big picture video, be prepared to spend $40000 (or more). The cost of a music video can get into the upper six figures (or seven figure mark) very easily for a major artist that is pushing a hit song. Drakes music videos cost more than your local artists – but to be honest, if your team knows what they are doing, your videos can have the same effect on viewers and fans (at a lower budget).

A basic budget breakdown will feature a unique mix of the following listed individuals and items – and is as follows:

  • A director (one will realistically charge anywhere from $500 – $4000)
  • Music video producer (about $600 – $800 easily)
  • Art director ($400 – $800)
  • Hair and makeup artist ($400 – $800+)
  • Sound engineer ($300 – $700+)
  • Location ($0 – $X) – You can use a free public space, your home – or somewhere where you do not have to rent
  • Props ($0 – $X) – You can get companies to provide cool props for free – or use props you have
  • Wardrobe ($0 – $X) – You can get designer brands and clothing brands to give you these items – or wear your own clothes

  • Camera operator or videographer ($400+)

The budget breakdown above does not account for assistants, technicians and special equipment that is needed for a big production. It is a basic breakdown that is meant to show you how to think about music video production budgeting.

*Please note that if you choose to just hire a videographer to shoot you in a few different locations (alongside one or two models), the cost breakdown will be a bit different. You will need to pay the music videographer a half-day (4-6 hours) rate or full-day (8-12 hours) rate for his (or her) services – and his (or her) equipment. For a half-day shoot, this will cost you about $1000 – and for a full-day shoot, over $1500. This is on the low end. If it is a multi-location or multi-day shoot, you will have to talk to your videographer and negotiate with him (or her). But, typically, multi-day and multi-location shoots are over $2500.

Finally, If you want other production services and materials like drone videography and editing, it will cost you. Typically, over $200 for drone videography, over $500 for editing services, and $200 for promo materials.

We are the best video production company in Toronto (and Canada). And, through the years, have developed an aptitude and expertise at creating awesome music videos for artists (all over Toronto and Canada). Why go through the stress of directing and producing your own music videos – you already have a lot to do as an artist (or aspiring artist). You have to handle the day to day tasks of being an artist – and promoting yourself. Why do you want to handle music video production too? Leave that to us, and just focus on making awesome music and doing other things that will help your brand and promote your music. We will handle this important step in promoting your music for you. We will deliver an awesome music video and various pieces of promo material to you.

Although we are located in Toronto, we are willing and ready to travel anywhere in Canada (or the world) to make sure we make you the best music video possible (for your song). We understand that sometimes you do not want to compromise on your vision as an artist – and that is why we are willing to go anywhere you need us. We are artists too – at the end of the day.

We are the best music video production team in Toronto (and Canada) for sure, call us today for help producing your next (or first) music video.

Make an investment in yourself (your music, music career, or that song that’s blown up – or that you think will blow up) or your artist (or artists) today! We will make sure your (or their) music, song, and brand are treated right.

BONUS: How to Use a Music Video as an Effective Marketing or Branding Tool

Music videos are a very old and proven way to promote music and allow bands and artists to create bonds with their fans in a significant way, generate brand recognition, and enhance the overall immersion of a given musical track or project. It’s no surprise that music videos, while only representing roughly 4% of YouTube’s overall content library, make a whopping 11% of the platform’s total views. This is NO small feat!

HOW TO USE MUSIC VIDEOS TO MARKET YOUR MUSIC

Becoming successful in the music industry is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Some artists in grassroots musical scenes may bypass the promotional process at first and still generate audiences (mostly local), but they eventually have to come up with ways to extend their reach, meanwhile keeping their current audiences engaged in the long run Music videos serve as useful means to attain those goals, but there are some guidelines you ought to follow for optimal production and promotion.

1. MAKING A GOOD MUSIC VIDEO

Making a music video is not as easy as simply recording a video of you playing or singing. These kinds of videos may probably work to some extent on certain music genres, but, even in the context of more select and “refined” genres (those not considered “mainstream” by today’s standards), there should always be room for creativity. Furthermore, a music video should not just be a video with a music background, but, rather, the visuals should complement the music (and piece), almost to the point that they become an integral part of the piece itself. Understandably, all of this may be easier said than done, and there is no cookie-cutter way to achieve those targets, but at least there is a method you can follow to put ideas into action.

1.1. THE TRACK

First, select the track you want to use. It should be a track that encapsulates the ethos of the band or artist and lets the audience know what your general musical direction is. That way, when they browse through the rest of the catalog, they will “feel at home”. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same style or mood, but at least the same “flow” or general sound. If you’re a band member or leader, discuss this with the rest of the group to get their feedback and arrive at a consensus.

Second, try to keep the length below 5 minutes, if possible. If you’re one of those eccentric artists or bands who write long 40-minute pieces, like those in the progressive rock, jazz fusion, or symphonic music scene, select an excerpt of one of those pieces or arrange a potpourri with the best moments of the track, keeping a logical progression and making sure the transitions between segments sound as smooth as possible.

Third, select the version of the track that has the best sound quality and in a format that’s compatible with most video editing software.

1.2. THE VIDEO

Now, we get to the visual component. It’s always a good thing to show your faces on the screen. Bands like Daft Punk can get away without this requisite, but, for the most part, the public loves seeing their favorite artists, knowing what they look like, and, in extreme cases, knowing how they live (though you’d probably want to avoid this scenario!)

Nevertheless, as stated before, it’s not just about showing your band playing. A successful music video nowadays has to convey a story that the audience would follow along. Try to follow the steps described below:

* Create a storyboard or a small script to outline the “narrative” flow of the video. This story should fit the song’s theme (though this is probably a given.)
* Find good camera equipment. Your phone’s camera may be decent enough, but professional cameras carry a lot of additional features which may add some OOOMP to the production. There is a great number of affordable midrange cameras to choose from, so you do not have to necessarily go for the flagship options.
* FIND YOUR B-ROLL: It may be useful to shoot your own footage. Nonetheless, you can alternatively opt for stock footage providers. Sites like Pexels or Artgrid.io can be of help in this regard. Additionally, you could hire actors or models to perform in your video (optional).
* Find your video editing software: It doesn’t have to be a fancy or expensive program like ADOBE PREMIERE PRO, unless you have the budget for it. There are cheap or even free alternatives you can choose to get the job done. If you plan on adding an intricate plot to accompany the music piece, you could consider a monthly or yearly Adobe subscription.
* Once you’ve assembled the rough cut, add a text overlay with information about the author and track title (you can also display the release date if you wish). Additional info, such as gig dates and tour info, should be displayed outside the video itself, in the social media post where you upload it, or the description box of the video platform.
* MAKE TEASER VIDEOS. Assemble excerpts from the original footage to make 15 to 30-second teasers or trailers. These can be used to announce the video before its stellar release date.

2. THE PROMOTION

The process of promoting music has been streamlined a lot since the days when talent agencies and record labels exerted monopoly on the industry. They are still around and are responsible for bringing to the fore some of the most famous bands and artists we see today. Notwithstanding, thanks to the development of social media and online video platforms, some artists were able to generate hype through their own means, and even release their own music through decentralized platforms such as AUDIUS.

Justin Bieber (a Canadian product) is a prime example of the aforementioned phenomenon. He went from uploading amateur singing videos on YouTube to selling out Madison Square Garden tickets on a whim. Examples like these are not common, though. Nowadays, the ever-increasing music offerings available in these spaces have made it difficult for artists to generate reach and find a niche just by uploading videos.

This doesn’t mean you should give up, but you’ll need to be proactive and share your video as much as possible if you wish to succeed. Below are some tips you may find useful:

* Use a wide variety of social networks (e.g., YouTube, Twitter, Facebook Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, etc.) to post and share your music video. You can start with your friends and family on Facebook! Have them share your material with their friends and build small communities first. You may eventually land a gig and get much more exposure with time.
* Don’t forget about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Your posts must be optimized so that people may find your video within their first search results. In this regard, use the correct keywords, tagging, and categorization. Also, make sure that the video or post title corresponds with the description. Finally, use an attractive thumbnail that matches the video content.
* Don’t spam! Your output rhythm mustn’t trigger the spam detection algorithms of the platforms you use, as this would thwart your whole marketing strategy.
* You may additionally engage with audiences through other types of content such as reviews or those reaction videos that are so famous in this day and age. If you already have a fanbase generated through similar content, direct them to your music video and get them acquainted with your material.
* If you have the budget, you can pay for YouTube ads through a Google AdWords account, to reach audiences that may find your video compelling and, consequently, grow your fanbase. You can similarly make use of paid promotion tools offered by other social networks such as Twitter or Instagram.
* Finally, you may try to message social media influencers directly and get them to watch your video. Make sure that your music is palatable to the influencer’s musical taste, for better results.