Your first music video – how to make it a success

When it comes to creativity in the music industry, the subject of music videos is often brought to mind. Just as writing one’s first original song, the design of a music video is in many cases a real challenge. Equipment, storyline, locations: All of this needs to be planned. Nevertheless, we recommend that you do not directly resort to external service providers or the like for the personal milestone that is your first music video. The inaugural music video is the best chance to show off your creative streak, start new projects and visually embody your music in a very personal way. In today's article you will find out how you can approach your first music video without needing to have a complete movie-making crew on-hand:

How to make music videos stand out

Video content has become increasingly popular, especially thanks to YouTube and the like. Music videos may have been off the scene for a while, but they're making a comeback. They manage to reach listeners in visual form and associate imagery with your songs. They can illustrate, underline or even expand your message. For this reason many producers, for example, place music video design at the top of their priority list. With an exciting music video, other key visuals such as album covers are often created.

Many newcomers ask themselves how they can be successful in the long term and stand out from the crowd. Music videos are a good first step. Many newcomers don't have music videos yet, either due to lack of time, concentration on something else, or perfectionism standing in the way. Your first music video doesn't have to be perfect by a long shot! It is precisely this imperfect, new thing that often makes the music videos of newcomers something very special. With every new song and every new music video you will improve step by step. Your fans will go on this journey with you and they often find that journey particularly enjoyable. But how exactly do you create a really good music video?

Tips for your first music video

A music video should fit the content of your songs as well as possible and embody or complement the topic visually. Since this is your own and individual project, creativity and personality play an important role. When it comes to your first music video, don't let others dictate your focus. This is the only way to make it unique and help you build awareness:

• The first steps Music videos often involve an enormous amount of planning. For this reason, we recommend that you use project management apps or programs. Aids such as Trello or Notion ensure that the steps involved in creating your first music video always remain structured and that you can plan without too much stress. This also makes it easier to communicate with potential participants, extras or helpers.
• The search for new ideas The second step in preparation is creating realistic ideas. These are the core of a successful music video, not just based on existing music videos. Be creative, but don't plan unrealistic blockbusters. You don't have to fully define your ideas before shooting. Stay flexible and simply shoot multiple scenes and plots if necessary to have a large selection later in the edit.
•  Locations and helpers A location that harmonises with the content of your songs is very important to give your music videos the right look and feel. Even if there are of course some music videos that were made in the basement, in the back room, or even on the PC, it is worth looking for a unique location. These are often even free of charge. Extras, helpers, or cameramen and women can also be a cost factor—or you can choose helpers from your existing social circle. Just see if someone has the right skills or is just available for a bit of support or organization.

Why coordinated equipment is so important

One of the most common mistakes relates to the equipment for your first music video. Simply taking an old camera out of the drawer and starting to shoot rarely works. For your first music video, we recommend that you borrow a high-quality system camera in order to produce your music video at a high technical level. Providers who rent out such equipment can often recommend and put together the right lenses, lighting and other equipment for you. With well-coordinated equipment, it is easier to create high-quality music videos. You can either teach yourself how to use it with tutorials and the like, or you can ask a group of friends if someone is skilled in operating said equipment. The last resort would be to book professional staff, but we don't want to assume that for your first music video.

This is what distinguishes the best music videos

Despite the many tips and hints, the criteria for a really good music video are not that easy to define. Before starting your own shoot, let yourself be inspired by other musicians who have also been able to develop their own style for music videos over time. In recent years there have been many music videos that have been able to create unforgettable moments in music history and are still considered prime examples today. These are two great examples:

• Thriller – Michael Jackson (1983) Even if the technical aspects back then are hardly comparable with today's advances, the King of Pop created one of the most famous music videos of all time. At just under 14 minutes, the music video is clearly too long to be just a music video, but it doesn’t get boring for even a second. Exciting choreography and a wealth of special effects result in the perfect visual accompaniment to the song:

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• Firework – Katy Perry (2010) Katy Perry delivers one of the most spectacular music videos for a pop song with her video for “Firework.” It's no surprise that the video won the MTV Awards' Video of the Year award in 2011. The name of the song was taken very literally in every phase of the music video, which harmonises perfectly with the dancing and singing.

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DIY or professional production company?

Of course, it is not just the artists themselves who are behind the examples mentioned. Large agencies with high budgets are responsible for the design of new music videos, especially for professional musicians. However, this should not deter newcomers. Even if you can't keep up with a professional production company, the feeling of producing your first music video yourself is indescribable. So why not grab the camera yourself, get some friends on board, and work on the first music video? Save money in the beginning and enjoy this unique experience.

These costs can arise for your first music video

Anyone who still decides to have it professionally created and relies on a production company should budget for costs of at least 3,000 euros. However, this only refers to the technical costs and the associated effort in the creation. If actors are also required for the new music video, the costs will be significantly higher. In many cases it is therefore not worthwhile for you as a beginner to commission a music video professionally. If you shoot your video yourself, it can be significantly cheaper and is often limited to the equipment and rental costs.

More know-how for your videos over time

Learning by doing—this applies to music videos! Here at mukken you have the opportunity to exchange ideas with other musicians and maybe even get help with your music video. You can also connect with experienced producers on mukken and benefit from their expertise. This gives you the opportunity to permanently increase and develop the quality of your videos.

If you want to fall back on professional resources for your music videos at a later stage, this is of course possible. However, especially in the starting phase, there are so many other areas where you can make better use of your budget. For example, invest in your marketing or expand your accounts on social media such as TikTok for more reach.