How do I break into the music video business?
September 16, 2006 12:54 PM Subscribe
How do I break into the music video business?
I'm in L.A. doing freelance web/motion work, and am trying to figure out how to break into doing music videos / commercials / etc. Is it a union thing or closed off world? Do you have to know people to just get considered? Will posting 'portfolio pieces' to YouTube get you noticed? Do you have to know bands?
I'm in L.A. doing freelance web/motion work, and am trying to figure out how to break into doing music videos / commercials / etc. Is it a union thing or closed off world? Do you have to know people to just get considered? Will posting 'portfolio pieces' to YouTube get you noticed? Do you have to know bands?
I'm a film neophyte, recent graduate working on the east coast. From my (admittedly limited) perspective, it seems like the best way to break into any sector of the film industry is to start from the bottom and do good work/make friends who can get you involved in future projects.
You already have a career of some sort, it sounds like, so starting as a PA isn't as attractive to you as to me. You might want to keep your ear to the ground and see if anyone you know knows someone who knows someone who needs some graphics work done for a stylized music video, etc. It seems like once you get one gig where you do good work, the others are relatively easier to find.
Also, if you're willing to take a risk and you own some of your own equipment, you might try offering your services to local bands. If you've got access to or funds to rent a decent camera/lighting/audio rig, your own editing software, friends with talent who're willing to help, and tenacity, you might be able to make a couple of simple-but-well-produced videos to shop around as a demo reel. This last bit is pure speculation on my part, but in this day of Web2.0, it at least seems like anything is possible.
posted by Alterscape at 2:32 PM on September 16, 2006
You already have a career of some sort, it sounds like, so starting as a PA isn't as attractive to you as to me. You might want to keep your ear to the ground and see if anyone you know knows someone who knows someone who needs some graphics work done for a stylized music video, etc. It seems like once you get one gig where you do good work, the others are relatively easier to find.
Also, if you're willing to take a risk and you own some of your own equipment, you might try offering your services to local bands. If you've got access to or funds to rent a decent camera/lighting/audio rig, your own editing software, friends with talent who're willing to help, and tenacity, you might be able to make a couple of simple-but-well-produced videos to shop around as a demo reel. This last bit is pure speculation on my part, but in this day of Web2.0, it at least seems like anything is possible.
posted by Alterscape at 2:32 PM on September 16, 2006
You're being a little vague with what part of the music video world you want to "break in to."
Are you wanting to continue with motion work but just branch off to include working on commercials and music videos? That's completely different than if you want to start being a music video director.
If that's the case, then just put together a demo reel of some of your work and send it to all the music video production companies you can find. (Why spend time posting to YouTube when you can send it directly to them and they'll have it in their hands? Yes, YouTube is free, but you get what you pay for.) Maybe start working on a few of their websites, eventually offering to do work on some of the projects.
Obviously it helps to know somebody on the inside, but it's really not a strict union thing. Good contacts would be music video/commercial editors, vfx artists, and freelance producers. (Good starting point) Since you're in LA, definitely start going to the RES screenings at the Egyptian when they're on again (their site would probably interest you as well).
If you want to start directoring videos, the best way is to make friends with bands, people in bands, people who know people in bands, people whose kids are in bands, people that have heard of bands. Good places to get jobs are indie record stores, guitar shops, small clubs that feature local bands, etc.
Then offer to direct their videos. For free or very cheap. Yes, it sucks at first. You need to develop a decent demo reel that you can then send to people who've never heard of you and don't care about you, and still have a hope that they will hire you.
If you can be more specific with what you want to do in music videos, I can probably give you more specific advice. (i.e. which companies you should be going to first)
posted by dogwalker at 5:50 PM on September 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
Are you wanting to continue with motion work but just branch off to include working on commercials and music videos? That's completely different than if you want to start being a music video director.
If that's the case, then just put together a demo reel of some of your work and send it to all the music video production companies you can find. (Why spend time posting to YouTube when you can send it directly to them and they'll have it in their hands? Yes, YouTube is free, but you get what you pay for.) Maybe start working on a few of their websites, eventually offering to do work on some of the projects.
Obviously it helps to know somebody on the inside, but it's really not a strict union thing. Good contacts would be music video/commercial editors, vfx artists, and freelance producers. (Good starting point) Since you're in LA, definitely start going to the RES screenings at the Egyptian when they're on again (their site would probably interest you as well).
If you want to start directoring videos, the best way is to make friends with bands, people in bands, people who know people in bands, people whose kids are in bands, people that have heard of bands. Good places to get jobs are indie record stores, guitar shops, small clubs that feature local bands, etc.
Then offer to direct their videos. For free or very cheap. Yes, it sucks at first. You need to develop a decent demo reel that you can then send to people who've never heard of you and don't care about you, and still have a hope that they will hire you.
If you can be more specific with what you want to do in music videos, I can probably give you more specific advice. (i.e. which companies you should be going to first)
posted by dogwalker at 5:50 PM on September 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
I highly recommend listening to Mark Romanek's ResFest keynote. Towards the end he talks about how to break into the business, but if you're interested in the field at all, listen to the whole thing.
posted by gwint at 7:26 PM on September 16, 2006
posted by gwint at 7:26 PM on September 16, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
You might want to try Myspace, as I see there are tons of bands that get followings on there and use it to leverage a deal saying "Hey, I have half a million friends on MySpace"
Fame can be Sexually Transmitted.
posted by gregschoen at 2:09 PM on September 16, 2006