Years Ago, A Music Video Like This Would Have Cost Millions. Now an Indie Band Can Do It.
We reached Peak Music Video sometime in the 1990s. The budgets for at least three Madonna videos topped $5 million. The Michael/Janet Jackson script for “Scream” cost $7 million. Even so, that kind of investment made sense when such clips could boost album sales into the multi-platinum levels.
Special effects? Whatever you need. Costuming and makeup? Just ask. Fast cars and sexy boats? No problem. A couple of helicopters for dramatic overhead shots? You got it.
Today, music videos are nowhere near as important as they used to be but are still important to get the word out on a song, an album and a band. Thankfully, though, the costs of making a high-quality video are nowhere near as high thanks to tiny 4K cameras, laptops with editing software and drones.
Take a look at what Edmonton’s The Royal Foundry has done for their single, “All We Have,” which was shot entirely with off-the-shelf drones. I can’t imagine what this might have cost in 1994.
Royal Foundry has just announced some tour dates.
Aug 12 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Summer Games
Aug 24 – Edmonton, AB – CD Release Show at The Needle Vinyl Tavern
Oct. 5th – Rossland, BC – The Flying Steamshovel
Oct. 6th – Kelowna, BC – Doc Willoughby’s
Oct. 7th – Vancouver, BC – The Railway Stage
Oct. 10th – Lethbridge, AB – The Slice
Oct. 12th – Red Deer, AB – Bo’s Bar
Oct. 14th – St. Albert, AB – Amplify
Oct. 15th – Edmonton, AB – The Needle Vinyl Tavern
Oct. 19th – Lloydminster, AB – The Root
Oct. 20th – Regina, SK – O’Hanlons
Videos are more important than you might think – they’re the one thing people click on in a blog post about a song. If I review a record, I might link the Bandcamp but if there’s a video they’re vastly more likely to click on it …