How to Get into the Music Video Business
by Jamal Johnson
My name is Jamal Johnson but I’m known in the music video
production industry as Jag of Johuri Films. I started in
music video production over 12 years ago first doing music
videos for independent artists in the Hampton Roads area of
Virginia, but after my 4th “indie” music video I had my
first major music video for U-God of the Wu-Tang Clan which
aired on B.E.T’s Rap City.
I got into music video production because I would see music
videos on TV made with high budgets that turned out crappy.
I would always say “I could do way better with a lower
budget”. So I put my money where my mouth was, brought a
camera and an editing computer and 17 music videos later
the rest is history.
Getting into music video production is very easy. Think
about it. No matter where you live, there are music artists
looking to pay someone to shoot and edit their music video –
so you already have a starving market. But when most
directors get their first music video, whether it be indie
or celeb, they get 2 important things wrong. Let me
explain.
First, if you want to get into music video production
there’s one thing you need to know. Keep It Simple Stupid.
Again, when I started I only had a camera (Canon XL1) and an
editing computer. I didn’t have all the bells and whistles
that most people in my field had.
When I got my first music video I kept the concept simple.
The song had 3 verses so I shot 3 different performance
scenes (the scenes where the artists are seen performing the
song) for each verse and we went to a lot of different
locations and shot b-roll footage (scenes that you see in
music videos where no one is performing ie: car driving in
slow motion or sexy girl slow grinding on someone in the
club). It only took 2 days. By the time it was all said
and done, I submitted it to B.E.T and it aired on Uncut and
Rap City. You understood me right. My first music video
aired on national TV.
I am a firm believer in “making it work with what you got”
and as a film maker, you should always keep that in mind.
Bigger budget does not always mean better final product.
When you don’t have unlimited resources you’re forced to
think and make do with what you’ve got, and some of the
hottest music videos are born from that seed.
Next, you must know that to make a good music video you need
good locations, extras, and props. Most importantly you
need to know that you don’t have to pay for any of these; at
least I never have.
Lets talk about my first music video and one of it’s major
locations, crazy props, and extras. I needed a church scene
where a funeral was taking place and the choir was singing
in the background. That meant I needed floral arrangements,
a casket, an extra to play the guy laying in the casket, a
church, a Reverend, and about 20 people to fill in the pews.
All I did to get these items was simply ask.
To get the casket I went to a funeral home and told them I
need a casket for someone to lay in for a music video shoot.
Keep in mind when setting up a scene you have to think in
real world time. Make your scene look the way it would in
real life. That’s when it hit me that I needed flowers to
go around the casket, so I asked the funeral home where
could I get flowers to decorate the scene. They pointed me
to a flower shop they worked with and they gave me a slew of
floral arrangements made just for funerals.
My next feat was getting a church. This was a little more
difficult being that it was a rap video and most churches
don’t agree with that type of music. After being turned
down by 3 different churches, I found a church that said
yes. I had access to the choir and their reverend.
I had everything I needed for my scene all without paying a
cent out of my budget. To achieve this, simply say “I need
to use (name of item) for a music video shoot but we have
exhausted our budget. If it’s OK we would like to use (name
of item) for our shoot and we can give you credit at the end
of the music video.”
I have never been told no (except for the 3 churches). Using
this statement, I have used stranger’s vehicles, schools,
resorts, hotels and many other props, locations and extras
that most director’s pay for when they don’t have to. All it
takes is just asking.
Just knowing these two things will make your entry into the
music video production field as easy as mine was and if you
are already in the music video industry, use this info to
keep more of the budget in your pocket.
If you need more information on shooting music videos, I
have put together a “Music Video Development Training
System” where you will learn step by step how to shoot music
videos from start to finish as well as how to gain industry
clients and even how to submit your music video to B.E.T.
For more information on my step-by-step guide to launching a
successful music video production business, please visit
http://www.directamusicvideo.com/actioncutprint.html
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You can contact Jamal at mailto:johurifilmworks@gmail.com
Visit his website at: http://www.johurifilms.com
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Copyright (c) 2008 Peter D. Marshall / All Rights Reserved
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