Short Form Video

My Role

Singer, Producer, Mixing, Mastering, Music, Videographer, Video Editor, Social Media Manager

Tech + Tools

Audio and Music Tools, Davinci Resolve, Capcut, Social Media Platforms

Why I Love This Project

I’m so excited about short form vertical video! AKA – reels. Social media has its pitfalls and many music artists loathe the idea of “making content” but I think of it as a whole new art form to learn and master and even though I’ve been doing it since TikTok first came around, I’m just barely scratching the surface. It’s exciting to learn but also frustrating, because the culture on the platforms is always changing, the medium has evolved way faster than I can learn what’s working, and young creators are constantly bringing the heat with amazing creativity and excellent execution.

The thing about social media video though is it truly is a revolutionary way to get your message out, whether you’re a musician or anyone else. In earlier days in music, you’d be trying to make full blown “music videos” but to do it well could cost tens of thousands of dollars – and there’s absolutely zero ROI on that kind of investment, unless it’s part of a larger major label strategy. Even then, those entities largely run in the red.

Social media video, particularly vertical video (reels), on the other hand, is super doable. The culture doesn’t necessarily reward corporate, big money look and feel, which is great news for any creator operating on a shoestring. Instead, the primary concern with social media video is authenticity. Yes, nowadays, creators are making a lot of really beautiful images, but other creators who don’t have that do just as well and often better. The hard part is striking a balance between fitting in with the culture, being authentically you, and standing out to capture attention.

Some of my best performing shorts

Short form video is a study in human psychology and to grab people’s attention so they stop scrolling and then keep their attention (for a mere 15-30 seconds) is the whole game – and it can be maddeningly difficult! It requires either luck, youth, or – when you’re doing it purposefully – dogged persistence and an understanding of the iterative cycle and minimum viable product. Want to know how you find your best social media look? Read “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries!

This is a hard ongoing process and it requires fortitude and creativity. My favorite two things! But for you reading this, the fact that I’m actively engaged means a few things:

1 – I know how to shoot and edit video efficiently

2 – I know what doesn’t work and I even have as much notion as anyone about what does work

3 – I know how to let results drive the process

4 – I know how your video strategy must fit into a larger, more holistic digital plan, or all you’re doing is chasing likes

What I’d Do Differently Now

Everything! Always! This “project” is an ongoing thing and it will not get less important any time soon. Capturing attention at the top of the funnel is the fundamental step in marketing and that game has changed irrevocably. I don’t know anything about securing television ad spots. I know about social media and web – where the real action is. And the only constant there is change!

Also, I’ve learned never to spend too much time on an untested concept, and not to batch too many videos before you know how the concept will work.