BTW-this is my 1 year anniversary writing BAND PRIMER for 4th Coast Entertainment Magazine-thank you all so very much!

BAND PRIMER

MAY 2010

VIDEO SHOOTS-PT.2

-In last month’s issue I mentioned why video shooting for bands has become easier & cheaper, a little bit about the digital format & the 2 ways to shoot a music video-either lip sync or live performance. Here’s a few more things to keep in mind. Again, this is for those who are doing more than the lo-fi approach (using a personal camcorder to film some stuff, do some quick editing & then launching it on You Tube).

-So where do you go to get a music video done? You could try searching the Yellow Pages and/or the web, but you may find that some of these businesses can be quite pricey. You could also check out bands in your area that have had them done and see who they worked with. If your scene is lucky enough to have a local music TV show ( For years Syracuse had UVTV.info-now in Chicago), check them out. No matter who it is though, here’s a few things to keep in mind.

-If at all possible, make sure that not only do you own the finished product, but the raw footage as well. This is so you are free to use the footage as you choose. Sometimes you might have to negotiate this for a lower price. An example might be getting a lower price and ownership in exchange for the producer playing the video on their music show royalty free. Make sure that-whatever agreement you have-it is in writing. Also make sure to talk to the person filming & ask to see examples of their work. If it’s bad, chances are your video will be too. Ask what type of camera they use. You want someone who can shoot in the latest format if at all possible. Currently you want someone who can make a HD video, not someone who’s using a VHS-C camcorder.While multiple cameras are preferred, a single camera can work if you have a really good person running it and/or a lot of time to shoot all the different angles. Do you have input on how the finished product turns out or is the producer a control freak? The more info you have before shooting starts the better.

-Another important issue is sync rights and sync licenses-which is part of copyright law. If you wrote the music being used-no problem. There is one if you didn’t write the music. A Sync license is the right to “sync” the music to a type of media output.This also allows you to re-record the song for this purpose. If you want to use the actual master recording, then you also need a Master Recording License This is very important to take care of-last thing you want is to put all the time and money into making a video, and then have it yanked away because of this. For those who use samples-the same rule applies. Contact a good entertainment lawyer for more info on all this. You can also read up on this via books an/or the net. You’ll be glad you did.

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