Shot two Flops in a row

[Kim Frank]

I'm mainly directing music Videos and most of the time I do the camera work myself (because I believe in this workflow, if the project suits it) but after a lot of succesful work my two last jobs turned out to be complete flops.
The first one didn't even get finished, because the artist and the record company were so unsatisfied with my work and about the second one I heard this evening that the artist thinks it's horrible and has no soul.
That said, they chose my treatment and I shot it exactly as communicated, the Images are great, no technical issues, everything in budget and timing and the artists look as good as they can.
That's why my producer isn't concerned about getting paid the second half of the budget, what the record company tries not to, but the contracts are save and they have no point to avoid the payment.
So all this business stuff is not my concern, but it really destroys my confidence in my work.
I mean twice in a row, both jobs this month.
What experience do you have with these problems. How to not loose the faith and the joy?

 

[Adam Eden]

I am lucky that I haven't had your problem yet. (touch wood) but I know a few people that have had that problem with record labels and artists as I too make music videos among other things.

I believe the biggest problem is communication. And what my company tends to due is not only draw reasonable treatments that people can visualise, but also give heaps of references to looks/ feel and definately mood boards. Even links to other music videos so the artist knows exactly what they are getting.

You as a director are responsible for this and I would highly suggest you employing a senior camera operator when filming your music videos so you can more time with the talent and worry about performance rather than photography. And If you always have the record label at the shoots looking at a client monitor, then you shouldn't have the problem of unhappy artists again as someone representing them is always looking at the shots on a monitor.

Cheer up and good luck and why dont you post the videos up as im sure there are a lot of people on this forum that can give you some proper critic rather than bagging them with out saying why.

You might be surprised.

 

[Noah Kadner]

I wouldn't take it too hard. Artists in the music biz are very fickle about precisely this sort of thing. If you know deep down in your gut that your work was solid then move right along to the next gig. If you agree in any way with their criticism, take it to heart and then move right along to the next gig. The only way you lose is giving up.

Noah

 

[Bill Anderson]

You are in the best of company.

 

[Omar Saad]

Kim, I'd second what Noah said. I was found myself in a similar situation about a 18 months ago with a client. I had to go over our communications in my head, re-read emails, and go over all our creative notes... ultimately I came to the conclusion that I did everything he asked for, exactly as he had asked me to do it and that he had simply changed his mind on several key decisions relating to the project. But before all of this was resolved in my head, my confidence was definitely shaken. I pretty much stepped away from work for a few days, watched some of my favorite movies, and then went out and shot some great looking footage just for fun. The point being, take a step back from work and indulge your creative side a bit... you'll get the confidence back in no time and this will just end up being a minor speed-bump.

Cheers,

Omar

 

[Peter Arnold]

Sometimes the producer or the client just tries to get a cheaper price.

Or it was just one of these days:

Or two in your case.

Anyway, keep your head up.

Peter

 

[Gunleik Groven]

@ Peter...

Long time since I was in that line of work but:
That was more the rule than the exception....

 

[Paul Hudson]

I did over 300 music videos back in the days when there was good money to be made. Here is what I know. Record companies = lowest form of life on the food chain, the only thing artists can decide is to be undecided, publicist say yes to anything the other two say (ANYTHING). Finally what ever goes wrong in the above equation is always your fault.

 

[Michael McLaughlin]

Agree to all the above and then add, economic times are tough, people are much more on edge (and playing turf games etc.).

You might be a casualty of some inside turf/political power play you are totally unaware of; at a higher level. I have been there
in the Documentary world, and once in the music/comedy video world.

Wasn't fun.

Pull out your favorite piece, video you've done, watch it alone a couple times... and understand why you love what you do.

good luck

 

[Mark Stock]

Some of my best work has never been viewed by an audience.
I would not consider these flops. Other factors at work here.

 

[Jeff Coatney]

Get out of the Music Video business and your confidence will improve dramatically. Its a no-win situation. The glory days of music videos have passed. They don't generate the sales they were initially created for. The budgets have been slashed to such a degree that truly innovative visuals become more and more difficult to achieve. With the exception of OK GO's work-- which embraces a low-tech aesthetic brilliantly- amazing visuals will elude the artform until some time in the future when CG becomes more democratized. In an age when amateurs generate greater viral web-traffic than established artists... why fight an uphill battle? Find a story worth telling- learn how to tell it without screwing it up... you'll be much better off. But don't beat yourself up over your last two jobs. There are thousands of reasons why they may not like the finished work- and it may have nothing to do with your talent or ability. The music business is a political minefield, just like Hollywood...

 

[Shawn Booth]

We all have "flops"... It's part of the game. Learn from it and move forward. It's all good... Keep your head up and keep shooting.

It could be worse. They could've taken all of your footage and stuck it in a blender and then allowed an intern to re-edit and then release the outcome... (true story)

I agree with Jeff - get out of MV side of things. 2 years ago, a producer offered me $200/day (x 2 days) to DP a Snoop Dog video... That included camera rental... I have only been in this biz for 11 years now but I believe that job offer sums up the MV side of things quite well.

 

[Peter Arnold]

another view at this topic: :001_smile:

All videoclips I ever did were flops! Not from a creative point of view but financially.
But hey, I did some nice looking videos.
And looking back at them they still hold up OK. Well, most of them anyway. :thumbup1:

Peter

 

[noah newtown]

my tip is shoot max. one video per month! and take min. 1 week off...between two projects
i like the "visual" soul of the "echt" stuff