How To Make Stunning Professional Music Videos On A Low Budget

There are many types of music videos out there and technology has widened the number of routes you can go down. With so many options available, sometimes choosing exactly what kind of video you want to create can be the hardest part of it all. Here are a couple of ideas that will hopefully get your creative juices flowing, in terms of deciding what type of music video to make.

As the name implies, a performance music video typically involves footage or the artist(s) performing their song. This is the oldest form of music videos and the most common type that you will see today. 

Performance videos are great for adding a personal touch to your content and helps form a connection to the audience. When the video is done correctly, fans should feel that live concert sensation without ever having to leave their homes. It is also beneficial for fans to put an artist’s face with the voice or song they are listening to. This will help form your star identity and further grow your brand. 

Another great thing about performance videos is the free range artists have when shooting it. As long as the focal point of the video is around the actual performance of the song, it doesn’t require any specific message, location, setting, or concept behind it. 

Whether you prefer to film on stage and show off your rockstar persona, or film in the studio with more relaxed elements, the range of creativity is vast and dependent on your own artistic style.

Animated music videos are a resourceful option for artists who either don’t want to appear in their own video, or maybe just don’t have the time to film themselves. The different style approaches are versatile and can involve lyric videos, drawing animations, cartoon clips, green screen effects, or even real footage from TV and movies . 

When done successfully, animated music videos can be very appealing to an audience and add another layer of uniqueness to your song. This is definitely a cheaper alternative for those on a budget, as they are entirely digital and created through program software. 

Without any live action or in-person filming necessary for this production, there is essentially no creative boundary an artist can cross. If you are a musician looking to showcase a big idea on a small spend, animated music videos may be a great route for you to take.

A narrative music video can be thought of as a short film that tells a story with a beginning, middle, and end. These are typically less focused on the musicians or song performance and more geared towards a certain message or theme.

Often this involves actors or musicians playing a role in connection to the song meaning, or the video can be completely interpretive and unrelated to the actual song lyrics. In most cases, songs are like stories in themselves. Narrative music videos are a great way for artists to tell a story to their audience while taking them on a cinematic journey.

This type of music video can be very in-depth and require many different resources such as equipment, locations, and staff. Due to these reasons, it is likely to be the most expensive music video option mentioned.  

If you decide to go the route of filming your own music video, you will need to pick up some equipment in order to do so. Here are some of the best budget-friendly options we have found so you don’t have to spend a fortune on your videos. In the right hands, this gear can help you pull off some outstanding footage that will impress your viewers. 

The Canon M50 is arguably the best budget-friendly camera for video on the market. It produces very high-quality shots and has all the functionality that you will need to cover the basics of filming. The Canon M50 can shoot video in up to 1080/60fps and 4K/25fps. Pair the shots that you will produce with the Canon M50, plus the right editor, and you can put together some amazing music videos.

One benefit of investing in a great camera like this is that you can use it for multiple videos and projects. It will prove to be an asset for you in terms of your digital content, so think of it as a long term investment.

If you want to produce any additional audio in the music video aside from the music, such as an opening or a break in the music, you will also need a shotgun microphone. This will allow you to capture clear sound and audio and eliminate unwanted background noise.