Lights, camera, action! This is your big moment: your first video! You have your Director and it’s time to decide how to visually introduce yourself to the world. Except, you have no idea where to start. It’s okay, we’re here to help! There are three core music video themes that almost every artist has used or relied on in some way.
- Worldmaking
Worldmaking refers to a video that places the artist inside a distinct world that tells the viewer who they are. It can range from high-fashion and sexy to gritty, everyday life imagery. The idea is to create a world that tells the story of the song through various visual cues.
You should use this video concept if you want to:
- Showcase your city and/or hometown
- Shoot at a really cool site like a mansion or business
- Are ready to serve looks upon looks
Recent examples: “Nice For What” (Drake, directed by Karena Evans), “Drew Barrymore” (SZA, directed by Dave Meyers), anything Missy Elliott has ever produced.
Source: Hip-Hop Since 1987
- Story-driven
The title should give you a few clues as to what this format entails. This is where you tell a specific story with your video. This can be:
- A frame by frame visual match up to the songs lyrics
- A clear, often referenced narrative like a love story or triumph over adversity
- A parody or homage of a film or TV show
Recent examples: “Plug Walk” (Rich the Kid, directed by DAPS), “The Story of OJ” (Jay-Z, directed by Mark Romanek)
Source: Hypebeast
3. High-concept
This is where story, world and anything else you want to create meet. This is for the visually creative artists who see songs as they write them. This is also where artists marry storytelling with worldmaking to create something special. A great option if you:
- Know exactly what kind of video you want to make
- Have a specific style that you want to reference and re-create
- Have an experienced Director and Producer
Recent examples: “See You Again” (Tyler The Creator, directed by Wolf Haley), “Whack World” (Tierra Whack, directed by Thibaut Duverneix & Mathieu Leger)
Source: XXL Mag
Whatever concept you go with remember that this video should be about how YOU want to present yourself to the world and what you want your music to look like to your fans.
