There's a very good reason people do things like take pictures, write journals (or, these days, blogs), and collect souvenirs. We want to capture a moment in time and hold on to it, reflect on it later and possibly share it with others, make them feel like they were there.
The David Crowder*Band have just released a great example of how bands should do that, too.
It came time for the group to make a music video for their song “SMS (Shine)" and it soon became clear that it would be a pretty big production. The video would involve a very elaborate stop-motion animation sequence involving many Lite-Brite boards, plastic wrap, and many intricate banners made of tissue paper.
Knowing that making the video would be an experience in and of itself, the band decided to film the entire process, setting up cameras that rolled for hours, capturing the hard and tedious tasks involved with the project. Each band member also filmed interviews that went over what inspired their creative decisions and what the whole process was like.
The end results include not only a music video to promote the single, but the series of making-of videos that promotes pretty much everything David Crowder*Band-related and further showcases their talent and relatability.
In other words, whenever you are writing, practicing, recording, touring, or undertaking any big creative project, document it somehow: take pictures, record video, write about the events. Create a path that allows your fans into your process. Logistically, the edited result of your extra works may become exclusives for fans of your Facebook page or e-mail list, while there are also bonus materials to entice potential new fans.
Your music and work is an extension of who you are. Your fans may feel a closeness and attachment when they hardly even know you as a person. For a musician to share an experience with their fans regarding their creative process is something very special, and can be even more insightful than only a song or music video.
The David Crowder*Band have just released a great example of how bands should do that, too.
It came time for the group to make a music video for their song “SMS (Shine)" and it soon became clear that it would be a pretty big production. The video would involve a very elaborate stop-motion animation sequence involving many Lite-Brite boards, plastic wrap, and many intricate banners made of tissue paper.
Knowing that making the video would be an experience in and of itself, the band decided to film the entire process, setting up cameras that rolled for hours, capturing the hard and tedious tasks involved with the project. Each band member also filmed interviews that went over what inspired their creative decisions and what the whole process was like.
The end results include not only a music video to promote the single, but the series of making-of videos that promotes pretty much everything David Crowder*Band-related and further showcases their talent and relatability.
In other words, whenever you are writing, practicing, recording, touring, or undertaking any big creative project, document it somehow: take pictures, record video, write about the events. Create a path that allows your fans into your process. Logistically, the edited result of your extra works may become exclusives for fans of your Facebook page or e-mail list, while there are also bonus materials to entice potential new fans.
Your music and work is an extension of who you are. Your fans may feel a closeness and attachment when they hardly even know you as a person. For a musician to share an experience with their fans regarding their creative process is something very special, and can be even more insightful than only a song or music video.
