7 Tips for Making an Animated Music VidEO
You've spent a long time getting your single, EP, album, or mixtape ready to share with the world, but you're looking for a way that you can stand out as a music artist even more.
Animated music videos are a great way to enhance the experience of listening to your album by giving fans an opportunity to get more involved with your music. Making an animated music video is not always the easiest thing to do, but if you follow these 7 tips you'll have a much better chance of creating something that will catch the attention of all your fans.
1) Gather Ideas & Plan Your Video
What is the song about? Who is your target audience? How do you want your fans to feel when listening to your song? These are all important questions to consider when planning your video. If you have a clear vision for what kind of video you want, it will make it much easier for someone else to create one for you.
2) Choose the Right Song
Just as not every song on your album is perfectly suited for a single or early release, not every track will work in an animated music video. Look for songs that tell stories—what do you want to say to your fans? How can this particular track help convey those feelings and showcase who you are?
3) Write a Brief
Write a summary of your animated music video concept. This brief should outline your story (if there is one), summarize the desired look and feel of your video, and communicate any other details that are important to you. The clearer this is, the easier it will become for you to find people to help you build your animated music video.
4) Secure Funding
The cost of producing animated music visuals for a 3 minute song can range anywhere between $500 to $10,000+. The final pricing depends on animation styles, video durations—among other variables. Think about which funding sources are right for you: Will you ask friends and family? Apply for a grant? Crowdfund? Find a sponsor? If your budget is $500, you can expect a basic animation with simple drawings and limited movement. If you have $10,000+ available to spend on an animated video, then it may be possible to commission a full team to speed up the process, or one or two animators you trust to make your dream come true.
5) Find a Creative Team You Trust
Great animated music videos typically involve many people working together. If you want dialogue in the beginning, look for voice actors. If you want to be sure your song sounds great on all types of speakers, find an audio engineer to help. Still finalizing your song itself? Try reaching out to a producer. If you know a particular artist with a character design, animation, and/or background designing style you adore? Contact them directly, and negotiate terms before starting any collaboration. If you're in a bit of rush, you might even want to look into an animation studio that can help you with the whole process. If you're having a hard time finding an artist you love, you can always find more on Thumbtack, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms and online marketplaces, but at Constant Creates, we’re always happy to help you out. Contact us or book a free consultation call! We’d love to get started.
It's a good idea to find people who are passionate about what they do, because passion is contagious! Get a team together that you trust, and be sure to communicate your brief with each person to help bring your vision to life.
6) Don't Overdo the Special Effects
Special effects should be used to enhance an animated music video, but adding too many of them can make your work look cheap or dated. While editing, you can ask your artist to experiment with elements like filters and graphics—when used in moderation this may help make the final video look even better.
7) Release and Promote Your Video!
Once you've completed your video, it's time to start marketing it! Sharing it on social media, submitting it (with your artist's permission) to music video festivals, and sending it to music blogs are all good ways to get the word out about your video. You may also want to set up a website or YouTube channel so that people can keep up with your new projects.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, what you want most is to make sure that your music release stands out from the crowd. Animated music videos keep your music competitive, and fans really do appreciate a good one (especially with lyrics). Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles and techniques —and don't forget to have fun during the process! Once you have a clear idea of what you want, finding a team that can create that will leave you with a very satisfying product.
Animated music videos are a great way to showcase your music and get people talking about it—after all, nothing says "I'm serious about my music" like a professional cartoon to accompany your songs. If you want to learn more about creating animated music videos, just contact us today. At Constant Creates, we can help bring your vision to life and make your next release stand out from the crowd!
