Video and Social media for the music world

The days of just a few flyers and posters to help support a bands efforts are long since gone. Why not make the most of all the hard work you are putting in. Moving image simply speaks volumes and adds so much to any musical effort.

The basic sorts of moving image for the music world are:

1. music videos

2. filmed performance

3. event visuals

4. online video – website

5. social media

6. filmed statements.

There are other uses of moving image, other sorts of content but the above are the major uses of moving image for bands. Other uses would include promotional tools such as video flyers but we will mention such later.

Moving image can be presented in a number of different forms –

a. online, on various websites, be they centred on the particular artists, labels etc. themselves, or collective sites such as social media sites, forums or others;

b. dvd’s;

c. dvd layers on cd’s;

d. as projections, for example event visuals.

1. Music videos include:

a. performance style videos

b. story videos

c. animation videos

d. any combination of the above

and may include

e. the use of effects

f. titling

g. credits, links and logos

2. Filmed performance and events would normally be presented as a straight and uncomplicated piece of film but can include:

- the use of more than one camera and edited in a way to highlight particular parts of the performance or the event;

- the use of a single camera;

- titling and credits, logos, links;

- some effects.

Filmed performance – as it says on the tin, film of one or more performances, using one or more cameras, with or without effects, titling, credits, other additions such as stills.

3. event visuals:

1. using a VJ with pre-prepared content in contrast to or complementing the performance as a whole or in each part

2. using projections of the crowd and or performance as it occurs

3. using third party footage

Very few bands use such for performance. Your stage presence may be great but adding that little bit extra either as an emphasis of what is happening on stage, an emphasis of the content of what is being played and/or sung, or as a contrast, can make a difference to the whole event experience.

4. online video

We will be presenting a special and separate article on online/website video for the music world but …

Online video, be it a website dedicated to the musicians etc. concerned – their own website, or perhaps a label, genre, geographical area – or something wider such as social media, can include any or all of the above. In some cases hybrids or combinations can be of use. The style of video, as always, needs to fit the purpose of the band.

A few bands, producers etc. have something in the way of online presence. A few pieces of video can make a real difference to that. It can be a key element in the whole branding effort, be it some event filming, magazine pieces, intros, vox pops, interviews or a mix.

5. social media

We will be presenting a special and separate article on social media for bands

Facebook – flickr – youtube – myspaceand more …the use of social media can use all of the other instances of video and visual con-tent but presented in a form and size applicable to the site.

6. Filmed statements here include:

1. direct interviews with the musicians themselves and range froma. general interviews with multiple subjects or areas of discussion or state-mentb. introductionsc. overviews concerning particular events, situations, releases etc.

2. vox pops, the testimonial, the statement by buddies, the man or woman in the street3. the professional statement, reviews, critiques, presentations

Something that has been done only intermittently by bands and other promot-ers – video flyers – perhaps it has its uses and has a future, combining the infor-mation about an event as text or spoken word, moving images as film or anima-tion, still images and perhaps some music.

You let the music speak for itself …

But there is still so much to say. We can help with the addition of all of the colour and background. We can set the tone and the style of the music you present. With suitable additions to your myspace, facebook pages, your own website, a youtube channel, we can tell the story not mentioned in the music. Fimed performance, music videos, interviews and more …

The magazine shots, all of those odd little visual extras you find on the dvd layer in your two disc set:

- the introductory interviews;

- the cheeky and quirky outtakes;

- the longer or more pointed interviews;

- filmed performances;

- filmed events;

- testimonials from the fans;

- industry professionals giving comments.

All of these things and more can help to build your presence, your identity as working and producing musicians or performers. When it’s just your mates coming to see you or buying your music its one thing, but do you want to reach people beyond that – we can provide the story, help to build the identity and colour in the presence.

- website visuals and video

- event visuals

- music videos

- filmed performance

- event filming

- dvd layers for distribution

- animated logos,

futurhood av and f4mmedia

We can help with all of the above. Get in touch and we can have a general chat about your needs. Perhaps we could design a package suitable for you. At the very least we can give you an introduction to what is possible.

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Social media for bands, DJ’s, producers, labels

Social media video for all

Social media, it’s on everyones’ lips and minds these days. Does it have a use for people within the music world? Of course it does!

Whether the band etc. is just a hobby or a rather more serious effort, promotion and marketing is of utmost importance. DJ’s and DJ producers have exactly the same issues. No-one likes playing to an empty room. Labels, promoters, here sales and door tax is to the fore.

Brand, profile, presence, identity, image, words regularly thrown about, these things used to be established by the music and traditional forms of promotion and marketing. Flyers, posters, reviews in magazines, papers, interviews and other write-ups, local radio or beyond. Although these are still around and still used, the internet and all of its glories have largely taken over for many bands. Using social media can help, can fill the gaps left.

Not every form of social media is relevant to every band but many of them are. Those below are particularly useful:

Youtube

Facebook

Google +

Myspace

Flickr.

But these are not the only platforms.

What you have to decide upon is the balance of media that is right for you. The balance will be determined by the sort of effort you can put in, the sort of image, identity, profile and presence you want to put across. A suitable and considered strategy, rather than a haphazard and accidental approach, means won’t have to put in as much effort, as much time. It will also mean you will not have to repeat or revise the labour. What you do will be worthwhile and, hopefully, productive.

The form of the content of your social media efforts can range across such things as:

- text

- still images, photos, design work

- music

- video

- spoken word.

The make up of that content could include:

- introductions,

- reviews,

- general interviews,

- short interviews,

- event news,

- release news,

- a history or general background of the band, members, its genesis,

- event photos,

- photo portraits,

- cd design,

- the silly outtakes,

- filmed performance,

- vox pops,

Online video for bands, DJ’s, producers and more

Not every band, DJ, producer etc. can find itself reviewed in the local press let alone major industry magazines or fanzines. Flyers are only picked up rarely, posters are an occasional reminder of an event, a release or of the very fact of a band, DJ, or other. The internet is much more a force in the promotion of a band etc, so why not make the effort and make that effort stick. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so what does a short piece of video say?

Do you have a website? Do you need a website? Even if you think it might be a costly thing to do, [perhaps it really is not – there are .co.uk free websites available via google. There are also cheap hosting options available via 1&1 for example. Such a site for a band or DJ should include information which is sensible and general for any business or activity – contact information, an about us section outlining basic details of the band and its history and make up, a news and events section, how you can pick up any cd’s or download any pieces of music. Some design work would be sensible, perhaps including cd covers, pictures of the band, perhaps during performance or perhaps not, a logo or two. Alongside this some video might be of use. This could include:

- event filming

- performance filming

- music videos

- general interviews with the band as a whole or in part

- introductions, again as a whole or in part

- vox pops

- magazine pieces, the silly outtakes, the short daft interviews, the odd, the throw away bits

This is not an exhaustive list. What you have to decide or get help making that decision upon, concerns the direction and balance of that content and what media are best to put such across.

Do you want to be mysterious? Or informative? If the latter, how much? How informal do you want to be? How joking? How surreal, daft, funny, silly?

The form, the medium, the message, all need to be in agreement, all supporting each other. Think about the cd covers you have designed. They say something very particular about you. Social media poses the same question.

Video can seriously help within all of this. Moving image pieces can be used on facebook, flickr, myspace, youtube and more. Thus, you can include here:

- introductions,

- reviews,

- general interviews,

- short interviews,

- event news,

- release news,

- a history or general background of the band, members, its genesis,

- the silly outtakes,

- filmed performance,

- vox pops,

- music videos,

- video flyers.

Within all of this, once you have decided upon the strategy you are going to take, it is then a case of making regular updates and connecting it all together. Regular updates, regular mentions keep you in the eyes of those you want to reach. Ensuring the connection between your various media and probably your website halves the effort.