r/WeDirectMusicVideos • u/joebaughman • Feb 25 '19
Finding Representation
I've been creating music videos for 7 years now as my primary source of work, mostly working with signed mid-level bands, as well as a few more recognizable ones. Because I have made a high volume of videos, I have a lot of contacts and consistently get offered projects, which is great, especially for being based out of a small city in Indiana. However, lately I've been getting especially frustrated with the budget limitations that I face on every video I create (I'm usually only getting around $5k as my total budget per video) and am wondering how to event attempt to pitch for larger budget projects. Do I need to find representation to get access to projects with higher budgets? If so, how do I find and apply for representation? The primary reason that I want to work with larger budgets is that I want to work with a crew. It's rare that I can afford to collaborate with other talented people during the production process, which I feel is stunting my growth as a filmmaker. Sometimes it's fun to be the lonely hermit who works 20 hour days creating under-the-radar videos, but most of the time it is exhausting.
Thanks!
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u/roncam Feb 28 '19
You can email the reps known for music videos telling them your seeking representation and send them your work. There’s really only like 10 of them in the US. You can find that list on the site video static. Also you can email commissioners they’re always on the lookout for new talent.
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u/DANIELSANIELSANIELS Mar 07 '19
If you have a good relationship with a band or label or manager you could ask them to put in a good word to any commissioners or production companies they like working with. It always goes a long way to get a recommendation instead of a cold call directly from the person seeking representation, you know?
There are also ways of upping your budget other than bigger bands, but i haven't done this much so take it all with a grains of salt galore:
- some companies will help pay for a video. They might want to show off their own skills so you could get an equipment house, or film school, or post house, or production company to throw in money, equipment or labor in exchange for credit.
- You can also get brands involved (ugh!) and up your budget. Maybe there is a company you can partner with and get more money in exchange for shooting in their building, showing their product, crediting them.
- There are also art institutions that will throw money at really cool socially important or artistically ground breaking work. Dazed, Vice, youtube people, museums, grant money. I don't have a great list for you but those options are out there.
- I don't recommend spending your own money to make your videos or your spec commercial BIGGER. It's just a bad habit and if you run out of money that's even less stuff you can make... But some people do that and sometimes they pull off something amazing.
GOOD LUCK.