Question for Directors
So I've always wondered - how do music video directors make the leap from small time to working with a production company?
Do you just get noticed? Do you send in portfolios? Do you get an agent? How does the process work?
Thanks!
I don't think you're getting any answers because there isn't one answer to this question. You just don't do A and B to get C in this profession. Directors get signed various ways.
That was kind of the point of the question, though. I wanted to hear some stories on ways that it does happen.
I think it's a waste of time to each out to production companies directly. Most production companies don't like to or don't have time to look at unsolicited reels. The logic follows that if a director has to tell you how rad he is he's not. You just have to do good / original work and make sure people see it online. When your ready they will call you.
There are very few production companies that sign directors just to do music videos. Music videos bring in very little money to production companies. BUT - they're great reel material to book lucrative commercials.
So - you need to make music videos that appeal to the commercial world. Go here for reference:
Note how there's no generic performance videos, or dull motion graphics videos. Okay, maybe a few clunkers here and there, but for the most part - especially with the no-name bands - you have original ideas and/or really unique visuals.
Make a Her Morning Elengance or a Sour Hibi No Neiro and you'll get signed the following day.
Thanks for the feedback! This is all basically along the lines of what I was assuming.
I also really like Keith Schofield's advice:
"Find an upbeat band who wants to do a music video, and do it on spec (i.e., you front the costs). Do something fun, funny, provocative or R-rated. Before you come up with a concept (and do come up with one!) ask yourself: what would make anyone want to email this clip to a friend? No one knows who this band is, but what will make them say "holy shit, this no name band did this totally (choose one: funny/crazy/explicit/pop-culture-referencing) video, you HAVE to see this." Take advantage of the fact that this won't be playing on MTV - have stuff like nudity, violence, trademarked brands, etc.
Don't let the band hijack your concept. If you're paying for it, they can go along with your idea. If they don't want to compromise, find another band. There are a million of them. Also, make sure your band has a decent quality sounding recording. It doesn't have to be a mindblowing song, but it should at least sound as good as an average band.
Although I did it later in my career, my E.T. video for Wintergreen took a no-name band, with no label promotion, and got about a million hits online (pre-youtube); press articles, etc. I actually landed my first commercial because the agency loved it so much. We did a similar thing for the 'how to make meth' video, which directly lead to my Supergrass video. Budgets were $1200 & $200.
Mistakes people often make on their first videos (myself included) is that they make something that is only enjoyed by fans of the band. Or they do something dark, serious or dramatic. Or they choose their friend's boring acoustic song, where a fun video seems out of place."
The connection between music videos and commercials is more or less non-existent. It has become a little bit better in recent years (simply because commercials are all over the shop these days in form), but for every Nima or Dougal there's a million MV directors who couldn't get arrested in commercials even though they're dying to do the crossover.
This business has still yet to find a typecasting opportunity it has passed over. If you do one thing, that's all they can think you can do. That goes for directors, DP's, make-up, anything.
If the ultimate goal is to do commercials, then do that. If the ultimate goal is to do music videos, then by all means do that. Just prepare to have a day job that pays the bills...
hmm not sure I agree that there is no connection between music videos and commercials.
Name a successful, acclaimed music video director who doesn't have commercial representation and some commercials under their belt.
The directors that can't get arrested in commercials don't have remarkable music video reels. Adequate, maybe, but nobody cares about adequate.
Commercials is the name of the game if you want to pay your rent.
Agreement in interchangeable, however there is a line. Music Video directors that do cross over to commercials are a dime a dozen, successfully directors that do stick to commercials have an edge business wise. Vids are great showreels for developing talent, commercials to me are a well oiled machine that require a different set of skills, that most Music Video directors of this generation do not (necessarily) acquire: sell the product.
It's harder than it looks. I like em both, but commercials pay better and it does matter. There is more freedom in videos it all depends on what career path you want to do. There would be happier people on this site if there's a switchover to commercials. In fact, anything else. Hehehe.
-Alanedit
So it all comes down to the old struggle - pay your bills or make art.
I'm signed for videos and commercials. I got advice from directors reps at various production companies but never asked to be signed. I kept making music videos until a company approached me asking to sign me, and eventually they did... after I made about 3 videos on the trot for independent record labels with no money that got played on MTV2. I've been making videos professionally for about 3 years (but only about 4 a year) so still have to direct other stuff to pay the bills.
Breaking into commercials has been a lot harder... Agencies want to see commercials on your reel, so my advice is similar to the above: if you want to make commercials, go out and make test commercials on favours. If you want to make videos, make some no budget videos and work your way up from there.
Pay your bills or make art? Music videos are art?
They can be, but so can commercials. In fact, I see about the same frequency of "art" in music videos as I do in commercials, so let's step down from that high artistic horse we've been sitting collectively on for far too long. Let's face it - we're whores who make a commercial aimed to sell a label or a bands music and we don't even get paid for it. Could it be any more commercial than that?
"we're whores who make a commercial aimed to sell a label or a bands music"
whores do not gig for free.
shurely what you're advertising is yourself, in order to up your visibility/cred when it comes to getting picked for paid work - correct?
