Music was revolutionized with the introduction of music videos. A nice video can cover the flaws in the music and influence people to like a song. But making a music video is not that simple. It is not like anyone can open their smartphone camera and start shooting a music video. It requires expertise and equipment to make a good music video.
There are many things to be considered while shooting a music video. A professional director is a huge help for making a good music video. But a director cannot do anything without the help of the required tools. In this post, we will discuss the tools that are needed for making a great music video.
Camera
The camera is the most essential tool that you need for the production of a music video. You may compromise on other things but we do not recommend you do that on a camera because it can make or break your music video. If you cannot buy an expensive video camera, consider renting one. Ideally, you should have multiple cameras to give you shots from different angles. For example, you can have mirrorless cameras along with a drone to record cinematic scenes during your video.
A good camera will not only produce excellent video quality but also makes the director’s work easier. Most of the modern video cameras come with artificial intelligence and adjust certain settings according to conditions.
Music Player
Usually, the singers lip-sync in the music video which requires a music player to play the song. In addition to helping the singer, background music will also help the editing team in post-production. Even though you can use your phone for playing music, but a designated music player is the preferred choice. You can use an iPod for a better sound and additional features like Wi-Fi connectivity.
Tripod
Usually, a music video is shot from different angles and carrying a camera becomes a daunting task. You also have to keep the camera stable during video shooting, and for that, you need a tripod. Placing the camera on a tripod will make shooting a lot easier for you and helps to bring out creativity. Modern tripods also offer 360° pan movement and adjustable legs so you can move around conveniently while recording.
If you are shooting from a smartphone or tablet, you can use a mobile holder.
Lighting Kit
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of cinematography and determines the quality of a music video. Preferably, you should shoot outdoors for better lighting but if that is not the case, use customizable lighting setup. A music video demands shooting in different ambiance and a customizable lighting kit helps doing so effectively. Your lighting kit should include LED lighting fixtures, hit-shoes mount adapters, 360°swivels, and power supplies.
With a good lighting kit, you can experiment a bit more with your creativity by setting different intensities of light.
Lenses
If you are making a low budget music video with a camcorder, you might not need lenses. But for making a professional music video, incorporating interchangeable lenses is necessary. You can use cine lenses as they are optimized according to the needs of cinematography. Cine lenses will help you zoom without pixelating giving a better focus and provide excellent image quality in low light. It can also facilitate in setting an appropriate background filter according to the conditions.
Speakers
If the singer is not singing live, then you require speakers for playing background music during a video shoot. Music playing on the speakers will help the singer to lip-sync better. The power of the speakers will depend on the location of your shoot. If you are shooting outdoors, you need big speakers, and for an indoor shoot, average sized ones are good enough. Portable and waterproof speakers with multiple connectivities are also a convenient option.
Make sure that the speakers produce a high-quality sound so that the singer can hear the song clearly while filming.
Editing Software
Remember that the post-production of a music video is as important as the production process. You can rectify all the errors made during the shooting in the post-production phase. If you do not want to involve a professional editor, go for good editing software to refine your video. You can increase or decrease the length, add different effects and do so much more in a video editing software.
Extra Batteries
Music video production is a lengthy process that requires multiple spells of shooting. Sometimes filming is done in remote places and you would not want your equipment to run out of power there. If you want to stay on the safe side, keep an extra pair of batteries for your gear as a backup. It will help you film without any interruptions saving time and additional expenses.
Camera Monitor
For a professional music video shoot, the camera monitor is an essential item. It acts as a viewfinder for the director and the production team. An external monitor provides the live streaming of the camera recording so that you can see everything in detail. It helps you to point out the mistakes in real-time helping you to save footage. The modern camera monitors come with a touchscreen and can be adjusted according to lighting conditions.
Memory Card
Music video production involves a huge amount of data recording, and you should have ample storage space. Even though the latest video cameras come with plenty of in-built storage but still carrying external storage is good. If you are planning on shooting in 4K, you may have to use multiple memory cards. Use a 64GB memory card for getting the best HD video support. You can also use memory cards with data recovery feature for securing your data.
With the help of the right equipment and good enough skills, you can make a successful music video. Hopefully, all the tools mentioned above will help you in music video production. Best of luck!
