Better Vids = More Visibility
Improve Your Music Videos, Livestreams & More
By Samantha Corbett
Music
has
people in
the ability
to connect
powerful ways, and that’s been particularly
welcome and important over these
last few months. Of course the COVID-19
pandemic has inflicted significant
challenges and changes on all of us,
particularly those in the music business;
however, thanks to the creativity, innovation,
and resilience of our community, the
music keeps coming, offering solace to
listeners and creators alike through it all.
For artists, that’s meant coming up
with new or adapted ways to hone their
craft, promote their work, and engage
with fans, and as with all of us, video
has been critical in helping to create
connections when we can’t physically
be together. We’ve seen an explosion in
livestreaming, as well as cool composite
performance vids and other boundarypushing
visuals – many of which will
surely continue in a post-pandemic
world.
Canadian Musician has compiled
some tips from an array of artists and pros
to help you improve your video content
and continue creating and strengthening
connections with your fans.
The Livestream
You’ve seen it all over social media. It’s
been a go-to way for artists to perform
and engage with fans while still earning
some money. That said, it’s also become
a saturated space, with countless musicians
competing with other creators for
attention and income. So what goes into
a compelling, high-quality livestream that
will keep people from clicking away?
The PEI-based collaborative duo
of Brendan Henry, creative director of
Minotaur Creative, and Andrew Waite, a
songwriter and performer, shared some
key tips on nailing your set-up derived
from their livestream for Music PEI’s
virtual Tiny Island Concert Series.
Henry notes that
many artists make most
of their living from live
performance, and while
that’s meant virtual performances
of late, “It’s still
important to have control
over your content.”
Waite admits that
he and his wife and
band mate, Nikki, were
initially hesitant about
livestreaming, as nothing
compares to the energy of an in-person
performance; however, once they
had the ball rolling, he says it felt like
more of a creative release and a way to
connect with an audience again, and
recommends artists approach it from an
optimistic perspective.
Dan Mangan offers similar advice.
The accomplished Canadian artist is also
the co-founder of Side Door, an online
marketplace where people can perform,
host, or curate concerts for their communities.
That initially meant in-person
shows, though in the last few months,
Side Door has emerged as a leader in
the planning and promotion of livestreams
hosted on platforms like Zoom,
Twitch, YouTube, and others.
“As soon as you stop treating this as
just a shitty version of a live show and
more like a totally new medium and experience
that didn’t exist before, you can
get really creative with it,” offers Mangan
– and he’s a great case study.
Some of his recent performances
have drawn in fans from parts of the world
he’s never visited, and have featured levels
of engagement that simply wouldn’t be
feasible for a typical live show.
“They’re really interactive,” he offers.
“I’m talking face-to-face with fans from
Argentina and Europe, inviting people to
share a story about what a song meant
to them or having them dedicate a song
to someone watching across the world.”
NIKKI & ANDREW WAITE PERFORMING VIA FACEBOOK LIVE FOR
MUSIC PEI’S TINY ISLAND CONCERT SERIES
PRODUCING,
PROMOTING &
PROFITING FROM
YOUR LIVESTREAM
Visit www.nwcwebinars.com/archives
to access our recent webinar with
Laura Simpson of Side Door, full of
tips on how to maximize the impact
and earnings of your next livestreamed
show.
Not everyone has an elaborate tech setup
at the ready, but Henry doesn’t see
that as a reason to shy away. Obviously,
the main focus is the music, and you
want to properly represent your work, so
consider that your benchmark. Experiment
with what you have, and then consider
buying, renting, or borrowing some additional
gear if need be. A condenser mic
and USB interface can make a world of
difference for your audio quality, and even
a basic webcam that can output 1080p
should work like a charm.
Mangan and Side Door say that time
is more important than technology when
it comes to the overall quality of your
stream. Waite and Henry played around
for about a week before deciding on their
38 CANADIAN MUSICIAN