Fraser's Ten Steps to Success

Step 1: Research

• Watch plenty of music videos and analyse these.
• Remember that music videos have hug budgets that you won't have.
• Watch music videos of different genres.

Step 2: Getting in a Group

• Chose to work as part of a group or as an individual.
• Chose reliable people that have the necessary communication, organisation and practical skills needed for the task.
• Keep in touch with the group so that times to meet up can easily be arranged.

Step 3: Choosing a Track

• Do not choose a track due to you liking it, choose one that stimulates ideas.
• Consider the genre and what kind video suits the genre.
• Think about possible locations, performers and shots which may be evoked on initial listenings.
• Don't be tempted to choose one that is by your favourite band or is very well known.
• Try to chose something without a music video.
• Do not choose an instrumental or an overly long track.

Step 4: The Pitch

• It should involve a single page of ideas, simply expressed, which would enable  anyone reading it or hearing it to envisage the potential finished video.
• It needs to stand out, with a 'hook' in the first paragraph, a clear idea of location, the narrative (if there is one) and something that will make it stand out from the rest.

Step 5: Look at Previous Student Work

•  It is material that is a similar context to your own work.
• It can be used to see what can be achieved and what could potentially go wrong.
• Ten things to avoid: well-known songs, overdone effects, aimless driving around, scenes involving alcohol, cigarettes and drugs (even simulated), shots of people just walking around, sped up footage or footage ran backwards to cover a lack of material,, zooms, found footage, atmosphere-less stage footage and over the top stories.
• Make sure you have: consistency to the end, a clear sense of genre and artist, well-shot footage, a powerful performance, a good simple effective idea and judicious cutting.

Step 6: Planning and Shooting

• Use deadlines and time constraints to focus your thinking and working practices.
• Storyboard as much as possible.
• Plan ahead all use of props, costumes and locations.
• Double-check that your performers are available and know where to meet for the shoot.
• Make sure you know how to work the camera and have a working tripod.
• Have adequate lighting.
• Shoot much more footage than needed or storyboarded.
• Check footage to ensure it has been recording properly.

Step 7: Editing

• Name files so they can be easily found and make sure everything is filed in folders.
• Use effects sparingly and in a planned fashion.
• You may need to apply filters to even up the lighting.
• Consider the use of transitions.

Step 8: Screening and Feedback

• Get feedback on your video from the target audience.
• Be ready to ask questions to the peers watching the video.
• Try to get other forms of feedback

Step 9: Writing

• Do not leave it till the last minute.
• Don't fill the writing with excuses - blaming the equipment, the teachers, the actors, the audience, or other members of your group.
• It should: cover the whole process, use technical language accurately, include the feedback and your comments on it, place your video in relation to the industry, relate it to real example and their conventions, and include an analysis of the finished product.

Step 10: Marking

• Leave it to the teachers and look forward to a good grade.