Looking for filmmakers for original song videos

Hello,

Very new here... and with high hopes I can connect with a few creative filmmakers (novice or pro) in the production of upcoming original song videos I am putting together. No real budget to speak of, but that doesn't mean I expect anything gratis. Full credit, joint ownership, cross promotion – and all you have to do is provide raw footage. Looking for experimental, surreal, abstract. Your abandoned or long-forgotten projects are welcomed. The soundtrack that will serve as a backdrop to your lovely contributions could best be characterized as dark, moody indie rock. In short, the songs don't suck. I'm nobody famous, and do this just for the love of it. Anyway, if any of this sounds interesting to you, I'd love to hear from you and discuss a possible association in more detail. I am sincere, reliable, soft and easy-going – so you can expect a smooth collaboration and a finished project that you will be proud of.

Thanks,
Louis
 
271 views, 0 responses. What should I be doing differently? Any kind advice on how to spur some interest on a shoestring budget (and make some contacts) would be most appreciated!
 
So basically, you want to create experimental/found footage type music videos, and need said footage.

Can you post some of your music?

Perhaps, instead of asking for footage that exists, you can commission more of what you are after. And do you plan to enter any festivals etc? Or are these for YouTube, so your songs have a music video?
 
271 views, 0 responses. What should I be doing differently? Any kind advice on how to spur some interest on a shoestring budget (and make some contacts) would be most appreciated!

I'm only speaking for myself and not for others but looking at your post, this is what I was thinking:

1. Provide raw footage so you can edit it together? As a creative, I hate that idea. If I'm doing something for 'free,' I want creative control to make something I want to make. Otherwise, I want money.

2. What is your music? Put a link to your Soundcloud.

3. You say you don't expect anything gratis (assuming you mean 'free,') yet you don't want to pay for it. This is a contradiction.

4. Cross-promotion isn't what floats my boat.

Hope that answered your question.
 
Any kind advice on how to spur some interest on a shoestring budget

It sounds like you want people to give you video assets to boost your music career without compensation. Your proposal makes no sense to me. Perhaps it makes little sense to others.

Get your selling shoes on. Sell yourself - Why should we want to work with you. Sell the project - Why would we want to contribute to this project.
 
I appreciate the great responses. They help me understand the mindset of filmmakers better, of which I really have no clue. I’m still fairly new at song video production, so I need all the help and advice I can get.

Before my first post here, I contacted filmmaker friends, friends of friends, contacts in the business – and so far all I have heard is my own echo bouncing back at me from a big black hole. I know since I am marching forward with this project without the luxury of a big fat budget, it is going to be quite challenging.

In response to points brought up above:

● The original song videos I am producing will be primarily for YouTube and Vimeo.

● I requested 'existing/experimental' material because I can’t really afford to commission any work.

● My request for 'raw footage' was intended to mean: since I don’t have a large budget, I am willing to take on all video assembly duties – so that for the filmmaker there is minimal involvement in that regard, and no hassles. On the other hand: I would truly welcome interested filmmakers to be as involved to the extent they want to be – and with as much creative control as they would like. In either scenario – hands on or hands off – the filmmaker has final approval before the video goes live.

● My goal in working with filmmakers is to provide songs that serve the video, and vice versa. It is my intention leave the video portions of these new song videos as intact as possible, without splicing in personal appearances or editing in a way that detracts from the filmmaker’s intention.

● I see how a contradiction could be inferred from what I wrote about compensation, so I will rephrase. I do not expect anything for free, but I do not have a budget that is in the thousands. Whatever financial arrangement is negotiated, we're not talking about a lot of money, because I just don’t have it.

To recap:

● I bask in complete obscurity and that is not likely to change. I have a Facebook artist page with 79 followers. There is no 'career' to boost. I don't tour, and I am not looking for a record deal.

● The only reason for doing any of this is for the fun and sheer love of it.

======================

My SoundCloud Channel

^ However, songs for upcoming videos are not up on SoundCloud yet, because final mixes and mastering are still underway.*

======================

I have assets for 2 videos so far. There are 5 more song videos in the series to produce, over the next 12-18 months.

* Please contact me privately if you want to hear a candidate song for a third video (for release hopefully late winter or early spring 2018). Because the new songs are still in the production phase, I'm not making rough mixes public.

======================

Thanks again, all, for taking the time. Even if nothing else comes of this, the dialogue is very important to me. I'm learning as I go.
 
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I appreciate the great responses. They help me understand the mindset of filmmakers better, of which I really have no clue.

We rarely (if ever) shoot raw footage just to shoot something. So
it's rare that a filmmaker has experimental, surreal, abstract footage
just sitting there abandoned or long forgotten. That is likely why
you got many views but no replies. Very few filmmakers have what
you are looking for.

To some filmmakers it's about money but not to all and not to all
who post here. Most of us are willing to connect with someone and
work on a project with no compensation. But (again) most filmmakers
are shooting specific footage for a specific project. Unlike musicians
we rarely experiment with various images and even fewer shoot surreal
or abstract footage.

I don't understand the mindset of musicians; if I were to go to a forum
with musicians and asked for raw tracks that I would mix and edit to
my specific needs so there is minimal involvement and no hassles
would I get much response? Are many musicians willing to give up their
raw materials to filmmakers to do as they want?

I think what you're doing is fascinating and I wish you the best. I don't
have any footage that meets your needs.

I think that if you asked for specific things you might find someone willing
to go out and shoot. That might be worth trying.
 
We rarely (if ever)...

I appreciate your candor and that point of view; I really do.

I suppose it's naive of me to think that filmmakers have unused stuff from years past, just lying around. I can only relate to my own experience, with 30+ years of songwriting under my belt. I literally have hundreds of songs, kicking around in the can, that will never see the light of day. So that's where all that comes from. I'm quickly realizing that it's probably not the same for filmmakers. This is an education for me.

I do want to clarify one thing in your third paragraph. I am not asking for assets so I can do with them as I please. Ideally, I would like to work with other artists (filmmakers) in an equal partnership. But since I am cash-strapped, I am willing to do all the work to make it happen (if that's what it takes).

So you think perhaps I might have better luck just asking for specific imagery – without really having a budget to speak of, for a proper shoot? Even if somebody out there really likes a song of mine and wants to do that... I mean, we all know time is money. I respect that, and it never crossed my mind to simply make such a request.

Thank you for taking the time.
 
I'm glad to take the time. I'd love to keep an open dialogue going.

I guess you chose not to answer my question because I phrased it
incorrectly. I'll try different words:

If I were to go to a forum with musicians and ask for a few songs
that they had kicking around so I could use them in my movie and
take on all the assembly duties so that for the musician there is
minimal involvement do you think I'd get a positive response and
several tracks? Is that something you would do with your music?

I understand the mindset of filmmakers but not so much the mindset
of musicians.
So you think perhaps I might have better luck just asking for specific imagery – without really having a budget to speak of, for a proper shoot?
I think you might. I know I would if the footage you wanted was
something I would find challenging and interesting. The footage I
have just kicking around that will never see the light of day is directly
connected to a specific project and since none of my movies are
experimental, surreal or abstract they do not meet your criteria. I
imagine a filmmaker with unused experimental, surreal or abstract
images just kicking around might be willing to let you use it. I wonder
how many experimental, surreal, abstract filmmakers are out there...
 
I guess you chose not to answer my question because I phrased it
incorrectly. I'll try different words:

If I were to go to a forum with musicians and ask for a few songs
that they had kicking around so I could use them in my movie and
take on all the assembly duties so that for the musician there is
minimal involvement do you think I'd get a positive response and
several tracks? Is that something you would do with your music?

I read that as more of a theoretical question to make your point, which was well taken. But reading it rephrased, it is a question with practical applications. For myself, the answer would be: it depends on the project, the filmmakers' intention and my gut feeling about the outcome. Do I find the project compelling? Do I like this person's other work? Is my music a good fit? Will my duties truly be minimal, or could this project end up being a high maintenance drag? Do I think I can trust this person to be reliable and not muck things up? Those are the things I would consider through some constructed rapport, over time.
 
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It seems the mindset of the filmmaker and the mindset of the
musician aren't that different. We, too, care about our work and
who uses it and how it is used. One of the major differences is
we don't shoot hours of footage like you write hundreds of songs.
 
OK, I will try a more direct approach, as kindly suggested by directorik.

For the third song video, I need:

A walking sequence. Pavement and concrete preferred. Tunnels and alleyways are good. Stairs would also be good. Whatever location you choose, it all needs to be cold, dark and mysterious. The viewer should have the impression that s/he is walking alone, lost but still with some sense of direction. The destination is never reached.

That’s the visual for the entire song video: your shoot. I don’t plan on splicing in anything else.

I’m open to suggestions on how to make this more compelling, and fully encourage the filmmaker’s input. Location, and what happens spontaneously during the shoot, will certainly factor into that.

I need 3½ minutes of usable footage. Based on past experience, I probably need around 10 minutes of raw video feed.

The deadline is: on or about December 1, 2017.

My budget for this project is: $ / £ _____*

*Please send me a private message to discuss that figure and to hear the song.

I will also ask to see some of your work and will request a couple letters of recommendation from past clients.

Thank you.
 
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