Hi all, just got here as I'm looking for a specific question answer, probably been asked tons of times here!

We're helping a singer friend get her first video produced and as we all are amateurs in the group we're not getting along or understanding each other.

What is the process for the making of a music video. The story goes that way. We have a producer and an executive producer (amateurs with money willing to pay) Our friend in question is suggesting the smartest thing, going to a production house and have them handle the whole process, what seems to be the most logical thing, while others are suggesting to get a storyboard artist and start writing the story board and then find a film director and a DOP to shoot the movie. We contacted a production house in the mean time that suggested we leave everything to them as they consider that we can't impose our storyboards and ideas on a film director that works with them and that they'd rather be in charge of the whole pre-prod and production.

Anyways I'm in desperate need to understand the production process of a music video clip. How are things done, what are the steps to follow, does storyboarding comes first, or the director would cooperate with the storyboard artist to come up with the scenes. Who's in charge of what etc...

Please help us to understand and start working like pros!

the smartest thing you can do is hire me to direct the video..........

first of all, there are many production companies who specialize in music videos and if you contact them, they should be able to take care of everything for you except finance the clip(including the director and DP).

You can definately go a more independent route, seeing as the route above would likely cost $25 000+ (depending on the scale of production of course). A music video can be made from start to finish with a group of 1-5 people very easily, in fact, it happens all the time.

what the production company told you is exactly true. The storyboard artist should base the storyboard on what the director's vision for the video is. The director is the individual in charge of the creative aspects of the film. Of course, you and the artist for whom the video is being made can can and should collaberate with a director on the kinds of theings that the video should be about.

Another thing to keep in mind is to choose your director carefully. You should request to see the reels from several directors before deciding on one. You would probably also be able to get treatments from the directors you are looking to hire, and this can help you better judge what the director's vision for the video is.

I am in no way an expert, and i probably can't (and didn't) answer all of your questions, but i hope i helped. also, don't take my word on anything i just said, as i have not ever made any film project that was a large production.

For major label and indie bands, they usually have an idea of which directors they would be willing to work with. The band might choose 3 directors and ask them to create a treatment for the song. Many times a band might have some ideas or concepts they want to see in the video and ask the director to incorporate those ideas into the treatment. Most of the time though the director comes up with the whole idea on his own.

After the directors submit their treatments, the band decides which one they like the best and award the video to that director.

It's pretty much straight preproduction stuff after that. Filming dates are set, the crew is assembled, an art/construction dept. constructs sets (based on budget), equipment is rented and everyone comes together for a few really really long tiring days of production.

Then there are a few weeks of editing (depending on how many effects/CGI are involved). In the indie world the production company usually handles both production and post in order to cut costs down. After editing, a couple copies of the video are delivered to the label or band to start marketing it to the internet/tv/ipod/whatever.

That's essentially how the process works.

There's a lot of ways to go about getting a music video made. You don't have to go to a production house. The real question is if the song is worth making into a music video, is it worth going through all the work to make it happen. Who is the singer? Does she have a myspace page? Besides the band, the director of the video has the biggest say in how the video is going to look.

Evan and jdunn555 are both right, and yeah some videos can cost 25,000 to make, some can cost 1,000,000 but some can cost as little as nothing, depending on who you get to help and what not. Where are you from? Try finding a director locally and have him help you, you can do that by posting on other film boards and ask for someone experienced. chances are they'll know what you'll need to do. If you have anymore questions, you can e-mail me: suspectx@hotmail.com

Here are a couple videos my twin brother and I produced, directed, wrote, edited, etc, etc:

www.arborridgemedia.com/salvationday.mov

http://www.tridentity.net/Video/SL_Infectious_Final_Cut.mov

I'll be glad to help you with any questions.

Nate Fackrell

Thanks for the replies. Well I could say that I agree with all of you. The thing though is that I believe and the singer does too, that the most important input should be the director's input. However we're surrounded by philosophers who insist on doing the storyboard and present it to a director imposing their ideas and what they want to do. Is this something that sounds logical to anyone in the industry? Wouldn't a director want to direct the stroryboard artist into drawing the shots? The budget is not problem so far, we have an average estimate of $50,000 which I think is fair money for the first video clip of the artist. It's just the right and most professional procedure to follow. What resources online are available to convince the people behind that about the right way to proceed. As working with philosophers that pretend to know without knowing anything is driving us nuts!

Listen, If it's a label that's fronting the money, then you are at their mercy for how to go about the video. If it's the band that puts up the money, you don't have to take sh*t from anybody. If you go to the production company and their treatment is horrible, then you by no means have to use it. They are working for you my friend.

Storyboarding comes in only after the band approves the director's treatment. It gives a visual reference for how the video will look shot by shot based on the written treatment itself.