Making a Music Video?

24 June 08

Welcome to The Pier's 'Ask Weege' column. This is where the 880 South's front man and music scene veteran will be answering questions and providing tips for up-and-coming bands and musicians.

This week, Calvin asks, 'Heya Weege, if you had the resources would you make an 880 South music video clip and what type of clips are your favorites? What do you think makes a memorable clip too? Rock out!'

Calvin,

Do you mean a music video clip or an actual music video?

I think this day in age with viral video exploding, it's key that all bands have at least some live video out. However, creating an image or identifying with your fans is totally priceless. I would make a music video if we had the budget. Even though we'd had a lot of cool offers to make music videos for next to nothing. I want to make sure what the director has in mind is what works for 880 South.

We did make a Floppy Rods video. Check it out.

I did like this video but it did not 100% fit what we wanted. For the most part it was our concept and we were youngsters at the time. However, we had a limited budget, rented camera equipment and director who was still learning a lot as he went. Time is a huge factor as well.

My advice to anyone, if you're doing a music video, it's nice to provide food and drink, but I don't suggest buying three kegs. Let's just say we had a lot of footage left to shoot and people were dropping like flies. That same night we had to play a show with Slightly Stoopid. Hungover at 8pm was a weird feeling, but all of our fans still showed up and we f'n rocked the Cactus Club.

I actually did a lot of the planning and budgeting for this video. I called up sponsors, had a few models come out, had some friends bring their nice classic and muscle cars out. I booked all the bands for the afterparty. Believe it or not the Paleta (ice cream) Cart was just luck. He was walking by and I asked my buddy Giuerllmo to pull some beers out of there and the dude was cool enough to let us use his cart. Things like that might happen. The kiddy pool was a total last minute thing and we got lots of girls wet and that ruled.

The only scene I didn't care for was the shooting pool scene. It just felt like it was forced. I would have rather have seen more chicks, boobies, drinkin and debauchery. Haha, no I just felt like it didn't fit the "barrio" theme.

For the record that video was shot in the Barrio of the bordering East Side/Downtown San Jose home we all once lived in called the One Nine. If you watch carefully you'll see a clip of The Expendables drinking on a couch next to the keg. Haha WORD! My oh my times have changed.

I think a memorable video is something I'm wanting to share with my friends. I'm a big fan of comedy and humor. I'm a big fan of women and their semi-naked bodies, but that really doesn't apply does it?

If you're writing a song about hunting, you might wanna make a video about hunting. However, if you can make it work by putting in some really hot chicks hunting and have lots of beer around. That'd be fun to watch. Still...I don't think it would make much sense. Shotguns, Beers & Titties. Sounds wild and dangerous. Sorry ladies...I'm a bit of a perv. Do videos really make sense all the time? I sure don't think so. Some folks love the artistic thing. I don't really care much but I do appreciate art. I always thought it'd be cool if my homie Billy Bussey did an animation of 880 South performing.

I'll add three of my all time favorite music videos. Yes it's weird YouTube nonsense.

Kelly and Her Shoes (I'd like to thank Alyx for this clip)

GOLIMAR - Thriller Bollywood Style! (Here is my all time favorite)

Lil' Breakdance Fever (Ok so it's not a music video, but damn it's good)

It's been fun!

-Weege-

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