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Music Video | Letting the picture follow the song
The editing logic of a music video is completely different from any other kind of film — here the music is the lead, and the picture is what fits around it.
In most films the picture sets the pace; in a music video the song sets the pace. The beat the chorus comes in on, where the drum hits land, the breath in the instrumental break — none of this can be done by feel. You have to lay the waveform out and match to it properly.
This is also why the same material, given to different editors, produces such visibly different results. The footage sets the ceiling, but the handling of rhythm decides whether the video is watchable at all.
When this fits
- Single releases by independent bands or singer-songwriters
- Cover versions that need a considered visual treatment
- Multi-camera live performance material to be cut into a proper music video
- Lyric videos, where the budget is limited but the result still needs to feel finished
- Behind-the-scenes and making-of footage
- Graduation projects or music school work needing professional post-production
Common formats and lengths
- Length follows the length of the song directly, generally 3–5 minutes
- Landscape 1920×1080 or 3840×2160; social teasers are cut separately as 15–60 second vertical versions
- When handing over material, please supply the final mix as an audio file, not a compressed preview file
- Live versions usually need the direct output from the sound desk, with the picture aligned separately
Please prepare these materials
The rules for materials are simple. Just follow whichever one of the options below matches what you have:
1. You already have footage
- Upload the original files to Google Drive, then share the folder link with us
- Please put the files in order first — name them in the order you want them to appear (01, 02, 03…). This step saves a great deal of back-and-forth and makes the quote more accurate
- Please send the original files rather than sending them through a messaging app, which compresses them and costs you quality
2. You do not have footage yet
A simple script is enough. You only need to write down three things:
- From which second to which second
- What is on screen
- What text appears
For example:
0–5 sec | Opening shot (for example an aerial of the setting, the entrance, the product itself) | Text: the brand or topic name
5–12 sec | Main content, camera pushing in slowly | Text: the one line you most want people to remember
12–20 sec | Closing shot | Text: contact details or a call to action
It does not need to be beautifully written, just clear. We will use that script to assess how feasible it is and what the scope of work would be.
3. Other things we can look at (not required)
Below are the supporting materials people often have for this kind of video. They are only a reference, not a requirement. Providing your material in either of the two ways above is enough — having these lets us assess things faster, and not having them makes no difference.
- The final mixed audio file (WAV preferred) — this is the reference for the whole video
- A simple note on each take marking which ones are usable, which saves a good deal of time selecting material
- A text file of the lyrics (if lyric captions are needed)
- One or two reference music videos, with a note on the feeling you are after
- For live versions, the sound desk recording and the files from each camera position
For anything else, just ask on our official LINE.
How we might approach it
Every project has a different set of materials and a different brief. What is listed below are the approaches commonly used for this kind of video; which of them we actually use, and how far we take them, depends on your material and what you need.
- Mapping the structure of the music first: locating the timings of the verses, chorus, instrumental and bridge, so the edit has something to work from
- Lip sync: aligning mouth shapes line by line, the part of a music video where problems show up most easily and which takes the most time
- Cutting on the beat: picture changes land on rhythmic points rather than being cut by feel
- Grading to build a world: the palette of a music video is usually more stylised than an ordinary film, and is set according to the mood of the song
- Multi-camera timeline alignment: live material is aligned by audio track first, then cut by camera position
We do not simply apply a fixed package. We need to see the full picture of the material and the brief first, and only once we have confirmed what can realistically be done do we provide a quotation and a production schedule. That way the price and the delivery date rest on something solid, and you will not get halfway through and find that extras are needed.
The quality of lip sync depends on whether the track was played on set and whether the performer actually sang along. If no reference music was played during the shoot, there is very little that can be aligned afterwards — this is not something the edit can rescue.
Process
How we work together
Every project is bespoke, so the process starts with “taking a look first”, not with a price.
Send the material or a script
If you have footage, upload it to Google Drive and put it in order; if you do not, send a simple three-point script (from which second to which second / what is on screen / what text appears).
Assessment and quotation
Once we have seen the full picture of the material and the brief, we confirm what can be done and provide a quotation and production schedule.
Production and delivery
We deliver a first cut on the agreed schedule, and export the finished film once the revisions are confirmed. Working days are counted from confirmation of payment.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
We only have footage shot on a phone. Can it work?
We can assess it. Phone image quality is good enough these days; what matters is whether exposure and focus are stable. Send us the material to look at first, and we will tell you honestly roughly what standard the finished video will be.
Can the lyric captions be animated?
Yes. Anything from plain captions, to words appearing one by one, to full motion typography. The complexity varies and so does the quote, so please say what level you have in mind when you enquire.
The live sound is bad. Is the picture still usable?
The picture is usable. For the audio, a sound desk recording is the best source; if you only have camera audio, we can assess how far it can be repaired — see live recording repair.
Can you help with the shoot?
BoFrame mainly provides editing and post-production. Raise any shooting requirements when you enquire and we will assess whether we can help or suggest a suitable approach.
Roughly how long is the turnaround?
A typical music video edit takes about 10–15 working days. If it involves a lot of motion design or word-by-word lyric animation it will take longer, and we will explain that when quoting.
Thinking about a music video?
Email us and we will reply with what else we need to know, then move on to assessment and a quote. LINE works too.