Why Every Underground Artist Needs a Video Creator Mindset

Creating music is just the first step for an independent electronic artist. A new track must also have something that can be seen, shared, and remembered. The great thing is that it is no longer necessary to have a professional production studio or a professional team of editors to produce those visuals. Clideo’s online video creator gives musicians a straightforward way to turn video clips, images, music and text into finished videos directly in a browser. Whether you’re looking for a full music video, a short release teaser or a social media clip, it can come in handy.

For musicians in the field of industrial, EBM, darkwave, synthpop and post punk, that visual world can be of special importance. There are already well-established genres, such as monochrome and futuristic electronic imagery. The challenge is to make that atmosphere become consistent video content without spending a lot of money and losing the character of the music.

One release can become many videos

The traditional approach is simple: release a single, publish one music video, then move on.

Independent artists can get much more from the same material. A single release can produce:

• A full music video
• A 15-30 second teaser
• A vertical clip for Shorts or Reels
• A lyric video
• A behind the scenes studio clip
• A live performance excerpt
• A visualizer built around the artwork
• A short introduction from the artist

One track has suddenly become more than a piece of content, it’s a small visual campaign.

There is good reason to think beyond the full length music video. In its Engaging with Music 2022 research, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) found that 63% of people surveyed said music plays a central role in the time they spend watching videos on short form video apps. The study polled fans of music worldwide showing the growing link between music and the consumption of short-form video.

But for the independent artist that does not imply chasing each and every trend. It means making sure a new song has enough visual material to give people several ways to discover it.

Someone might encounter the track through a short performance clip, then watch the full video later. Another person could find out about the artist through a studio fragment or a visual teaser.

The important thing is that all of those pieces can lead back to the same release.

Think in visuals before you press record

The best time to think about video is not after the song is finished.

Before shooting, think about how the track should look.

Ask four simple questions

1. What is the mood?
   Cold, aggressive, melancholic, futuristic, claustrophobic or euphoric?
2. What is the visual language?
   High contrast photos, monochrome footage, saturated colours, analogue textures, architecture or performance photos?
3. What should remain consistent?
   Different pieces of content can be linked together with the use of typography, framing, lighting, symbols and recurring imagery.
4. What can you reuse?
   One recording session can translate to plenty of posts for several weeks.

This is very helpful for self-publishing artists. It is not necessary to develop a brand new idea each time you post. Instead, build a visual library around each release.

You do not need a huge production

It’s easy to think that having a fancy camera, location and crew means making great music videos. Sometimes they do. In many instances, creativity is more important.

Experiment with creating a visual idea based on:

• One interesting location
• Strong lighting
• Close ups of instruments and equipment
• Performance footage
• Architectural details
• Shadows and silhouettes
• Abstract textures
• Repeated motifs or movement.

Sometimes, restraint is a virtue in industrial and dark electronic music. A basic visual concept can seem more purposeful than a jam-packed production with a myriad of unrelated effects.

The key is to make the limitations part of the aesthetic. A dark room, a single light source and carefully framed performance footage can create a stronger identity than an expensive location with no clear visual direction.

Make editing part of the release strategy

This is where an online video creator will save an independent musician a good amount of time. No more having to launch multiple programs for various jobs, artists can organize their footage, images, sound and text in one browser based workflow.

For instance, with Clideo, creators can:

• Mash two or more video clips and images together
• Include music and other sound(s)
• Put text and captions on top of footage
• Arrange content on a multi track timeline
• Resize videos for different social platforms
• Trim, merge and compress finished videos

The service is very useful when the idea is to create multiple contents from one recording session. An artist can edit the original video, and generate shorter versions of the same content for other platforms.

Clideo also offers dedicated video editing functions for tasks such as adding subtitles, resizing videos and compressing files, which can be useful when preparing the same release for different audiences and platforms.

There’s more to the advantage than just speed. It is consistency. The same visual identity can travel across different formats without requiring a completely new production every time.

Build anticipation before release day

There is also value in thinking beyond the finished music video.

YouTube’s guidance onOfficial Artist Channels highlights how artists can bring their music and video presence together on the platform. For independent musicians, that makes it worth considering how each piece of content supports the larger release.

A simple campaign could look like this:

1. One week before release:
   A mysterious 15 second visual teaser.
2. Release day:
   The full music video.
3. Two days later:
   A performance clip featuring the strongest section of the track.
4. Later that week:
   A behind-the-scenes video showing how the track or video was created.
5. Following week:
   A lyric video or visualizer.
6. After that:
   A live recording, alternate edit or fan-focused clip.

The exact schedule does not matter as much as having enough material to keep the release visible.

The underground scene has always understood visuals

From striking album artwork to distinctive stage design, alternative electronic music has never been purely auditory. Visual identity is part of the culture.

The modern twist on this is that it is no longer necessary to have a record label’s money to play.

With a good idea and a streamlined production process, it’s possible to create a personal visual identity using a cell phone.

The goal is not to make every artist look polished. That’s to make all artists recognizable.

That could be the most helpful position for an independent musician, expanding music exposure without losing the unique quality that made the artist stand out.