Music shouldn't be an afterthought when it comes to video but sadly in my experience it happens all too often.
The most iconic cinematic and televisual scenes have always been accompanied by bespoke music. Why should it be any different in the digital age, where video is now everywhere and becoming more important than ever?
Time and time again I have been faced with the following situation....
Visually stunning video that's creative, well-shot and engaging. Then the music kicks in. Instead of being lost in the beauty of the video, I find myself distancing from it by a piece of music that not only wasn't written for it but also doesn't fit.
Having spoken to videographers or content makers in the industry, I've been told that when it comes to the music, that's the part that can leave them sighing at their computer screens.
For the brands that are wealthy enough to pay for the exact track they want whether it be Bruno Mars' 'Uptown Funk' or 'Happy' by Pharrell Williams for their marketing campaigns, the process is a lot smoother. Instant song recognition but at a price.
For everyone else without a seemingly bottomless marketing budget, the option is simple - wade through the large pool of free online music libraries.
Yes, the track might be free allowing marketers to save money there but it can be a time consuming process, especially if they don't know what kind of music they are looking for. Even if they do there's so many options, how do they really know what will work the best?
Then it's a process of picking a selection of tracks and trialling them with the video. I always believe it's good to have options but the problem is with these tracks, albeit free, you can't change them. They are set in their sound, set in their form and set in their composition.
So my big question to marketers and advertisers out there is this... how much is your time worth? Yes, you might be saving on using a free track but what about all the hours spent looking for it and then trying to make it fit for purpose when it was never written for your content.
It brings me to our solution and our ethos at CreativeAF.
Music should not be an afterthought when it comes to video. It isn't for us. That's why we craft both side by side. Video is important to us but so is music. When it comes to video, music has the power to make or break it.
We deliver the video and the soundtrack that really fits, custom-made and exclusive to the clients and brands we work with.
Compelling storytelling not just on the eyes but on the ears too.