Music Video Director

This is an interview with Chris Jean who's occupation is creating and directing music videos. He is a director who produces music videos on a smaller scale with a low budget which is easily relateable and relevant to us and our production of a music video. This interview with him is
very useful for our group as we can see what is achievable within his budget and time scale. He has access to similar equipment and similar editing software to us and still has managed to produce a reasonable quality and conventional music video. I think our final video will be comparable to his.

What exactly is the director's job during the production of a music video?
The director's job on a music video is to develop a visual concept for the song and assemble a creative production crew to produce the content. During physical production of the video - the filming - the director manages all activity to capture the concept on film. This includes working with various creative professionals to ensure everyone is on the same page and persisting in the same vision creatively.
What crew is used to produce a music video?
Music video crews vary depending on budget. On a project for an independent artist - where budgets are small and no funds are being advanced by a record label - you're working with the bare essentials: the performing artist, whatever actors the concept calls for, a producer, a director, a cinematographer and hopefully a few extra hands to help wrangle gear, food and location needs. If you're lucky, a still photographer is available to document the process for print marketing, epk, website and festival purposes.
What equipment is used to produce a music video?
The basic equipment you need for an indie music video is a reliable camera package, a basic lighting package, digital storage drives and a computer with editing software. The equipment is usually cost-prohibitive, unless you're working with talent who can supply the resources - cinematographers who own a camera, editors who own an editing system, actors with interesting clothes in their closets, etc. Shoot digital HD if you can - you won't have to purchase tape stock.
How long does the average music video take to produce?
On average, a quality music video takes two days to shoot - one day for filming the conceptual or story material and one day for filming the artist performing the song. Development prior to shooting and editing after shooting can be a moving target depending on everyone's schedule, but generally can last anywhere from two to six weeks each. On average, let's say six weeks from concept to final, edited piece.
How do you prepare to direct a music video?
The director has numerous responsibilities in order to prep a music video. First, you need a great concept the recording artist likes. Next, you need to assemble a crew with all the right equipment and schedule shooting dates that work for everyone at locations that are appropriate to the concept. In prep for shooting, the director maps out the story beats to be filmed along with directions and adjustments for the actors. Because you're not dealing in dialog performance, casting for the right look and energy becomes essential. If you've prepared properly, everyone understands what they need to do, and you're able to give productive direction when challenges emerge.
How does the music of the song itself affect the production of a music video?
The song itself affects production less than you might think. By all means, you want the song playing during performance. But sometimes silence - or a different kind of music entirely - works to evoke the emotion you're looking for from your actors. If properly constructed, the spirit of the shoot is drawn from the concept, which in turn has been inspired by the song. So, aside from physical performance, the song itself functions best as subtext.
Can you describe the editing process?
The editing process is where everything comes together. First step is to digitize your footage into an editing system. Then you play through everything, sub-clipping and labeling the material for easy access. It's painstaking. It's maddening. But you're building a puzzle, and you need to know where all your pieces are. Sometimes you discover juxtapositions of imagery in editing that never occurred to you previously. The technical term for this is VPMR - visual perception montage rhythm. You're editing musical beats and visual beats to tell a story without dialog. It's a lot like dancing, but on a screen.


Music video directed by Chris