Every great song should have a great music video to accompany it. If you take a look at every artist’s music videos, you’ll notice that they fall under one (or more) of the following categories.
Here are three general music video concept ideas you can use.
1. Dancing
Music and dance go hand in hand. Dance is not complete without music, and the most natural response to music is to dance. So, a good concept idea for a music video is simply to have impressive choreography that matches the beat, rhythm, and heart of the song. Using special makeup, costumes, and effects will further add to the “greatness” of the video, but just remember that the core of this kind of music video is the choreography.
Sia does a great job of combining dancing and acting in her music videos, as her first of this type (“Chandelier”) went viral. The choreography matches perfectly with the song, and it does not overshadow the music, either.
2. Visual effects
Employing the help of visual effects is another great way to create appealing music videos. Most of the time, particularly for EDM and electronic songs, lip-syncing in front of a camera with a bunch of fancy lights is boring for viewers. So, using visual effects either as a green screen behind the person in the video or over his face will give the eye more to look at. Change the effects and lighting along with the quick beats of the song.
Skrillex and Diplo’s “Where Are U Now” featuring Justin Bieber won the MTV Video Music Award for best visual effects. Pay attention to how the visual effects switch back and forth during the chorus to make the video much more colorful and interesting.
3. Storyline
Another way to arrange a music video is to tell a story. Your music video can have scenes, much like a montage or short film, that tell a story based on the lyrics or overall concept of the song. Many videos use this method, depicting, for example, the story of a heartbreak. If you’re ever at a loss of how to create a music video for your song, just go back to the basics and paint the picture for the viewers. Most times, the emotional scenes in the video will leave a heavier impact than it would any other way.
In Jay Chou’s “Rhythm of the Rain” music video, he tells of the complex relationship between an upper-class girl and lower class boy. While the song is in Chinese, it is easy to understand the meaning of the story without needing to understand every word of the lyrics. The video hits home for many viewers who are facing the same emotional obstacles.
Pay particular attention to how these three concepts are used in the example videos. When you’re brainstorming ideas for your music video, first decide if you want it to have dance, visual effects, or a storyline (or even all of the above). Start with a strong concept, and then work out the details!
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Angelina Hue enjoys listening to a wide variety of music, from instrumental movie scores to alternative indie to Korean pop music. She also likes to make short films and write fiction.
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