How to Make a Music Video on a Tiny Budget
Ari Herstand
A while back, I released a music video. It cost me exactly $0 to make and it looks pretty darn awesome if I do say so myself. Well, I can say so because I didn't make it. I kind of had nothing to do with it - other than writing and recording the song of course (and showing up and shooting the thing).
So how did this happen?
Well, 4 years ago I played a house concert in LA. After the show a woman came up to me and said she was really moved by the performance, is a filmmaker and wanted to make a music video for me. I wasn't planning on creating a music video at the time and told her I didn't have a budget together for one, but she told me it would be a passion project for her. We got together to discuss concept and then spent a couple days with a small crew on Venice beach shooting it. As time passed, I kind of forgot about it (I wasn't paying her so I couldn't really set deadlines), but then a few months ago I got an email out of the blue from this filmmaker with a Dropbox link to the video and a brief note "sorry for the delay." Ha.
You Pick Two
There's an old saying, "Good, fast, cheap. Pick two." So, this is good and cheap. But it wasn't fast.
When creating your music videos (and recordings), always keep the You Pick Two philosophy in mind. It holds true in most situations. You may get lucky where your good friend, who is an awesome filmmaker, just finished up a giant budget film, has some free time, doesn't need the money and will work on your project to help you out. But that is beyond rare. And you definitely can't plan on this.
When creating your music videos (and recordings), always keep the You Pick Two philosophy in mind. It holds true in most situations. You may get lucky where your good friend, who is an awesome filmmaker, just finished up a giant budget film, has some free time, doesn't need the money and will work on your project to help you out. But that is beyond rare. And you definitely can't plan on this.
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