Class Description
Music videos live at the intersection of music and filmmaking, and in this class, students make both. The core work is generating an original song and shooting original footage to bring it to life on screen. From lyric writing and recording to storyboarding and production, students experience the full arc of making a music video from scratch.
Editing is introduced, and students will leave with a skeleton cut, but the real creative achievement happens in the song and on set. After the final class session, Colter Olmstead and Andrew Tofslie will complete the post-production, and the Program Director will share the finished video link with students within one week.
Learning Objectives: in this class, students will learn about
- How to develop a creative concept, turn it into a song and visualize it in music video form.
- How to use camera equipment intentionally – applying shot composition, angles, and movement to match musical mood;
- How to sync audio and video in an editing timeline to build a skeleton cut — the foundation that professional editors use as a starting point;
- The art of the peer critique and how to give constructive feedback on works-in-progress;
- How to distribute, exhibit, and promote artwork for a variety of audiences;
- Opportunities and potential resources on career pathways in music, film, and media production.
- How to produce an instrumental composition and learn to write to it. Learning melody, song structure and vocal training in a studio setting.
Equipment
- iMacs and/or iPads
- DSLR or mirrorless cameras
- Tripods
- Gimbals
- Camera Monitor
- LED lighting kit
- Reflector Disks
- Lavalier and/or boom microphone
- Slate
- Studio microphones
- Mic stands
- Audio Interface and Mixers
Software
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- FL Studio
Deliverables: Students and Class Projects
- Students will produce two things: an original song, and organized production footage capturing performance, narrative, and/or b-roll. Together, these form the raw material used for the final music video.
- By the end of Day 4, students will have assembled a skeleton cut with key footage synced to the music track. Full post-production polish is not expected. Colter and Andrew will complete the edit after the final class session, and the Program Director will share the finished video link with students within one week.
