Planning a Music Video Release: What to Capture Beyond the Main Film
The main music video may be the centerpiece of a release, but it should not be the only deliverable discussed before production. A teaser, a vertical performance clip, and a campaign portrait each have a different job. Treating them as afterthoughts can leave an artist with a strong main film and little material designed for the rest of the release.
At 7th Letter Media, music and artist projects sit alongside production, editorial, and creative campaign work. For artists planning a music video in New Jersey, we recommend defining the release package before locking the shot list.
Give each deliverable a purpose
Start with the main video: what visual world does it establish, and what performance or story makes it distinctive? Then decide which additional pieces are necessary. A teaser can introduce the atmosphere without revealing every major image. A performance extract can showcase the artist directly. A narrative excerpt can raise a question that the full video answers.
Do not create five shorter versions merely because five sounds more valuable than one. Choose additional edits when they have a useful role. A focused release package is easier to plan and review than a folder full of slightly different exports.
Capture for the intended frame
A wide composition may depend on two people standing far apart or an action happening near the edge of the frame. Cropping it vertically can remove the reason the shot works. Flag important vertical deliverables before filming and decide where dedicated coverage is preferable to a crop.
Also consider the space needed for any titles, release information, or captions you intend to add. The solution is not to make every image generic. It is to know which shots must serve more than one format and which can remain committed to the main film.
Protect complete performances and distinctive moments
A few striking shots are not a substitute for enough performance coverage to construct an edit. Plan complete takes where appropriate, useful changes in framing, and specific moments that can anchor different sections of the track. Give the artist room to vary intensity rather than repeating the same energy in every setup.
For a hypothetical performance-led release, the main video might build from a restrained opening to a more energetic final section. A teaser could use the opening atmosphere, while a short performance edit comes from the later section. Planning that progression gives the additional assets a relationship to the main video without making them identical.
Decide whether stills and behind-the-scenes material need their own time
Discuss artist portraits, campaign stills, and behind-the-scenes material as actual deliverables. Identify who captures them and when. Pulling a frame from video may be useful in some situations, but it is not automatically interchangeable with planning a photograph. Keep promotional material consistent with the artist's intended visual identity.
Lock the audio and approval path
Identify the final audio master, any clean or explicit versions, and whether the video contains dialogue or other sound outside the track. Make these requirements part of the brief. Changes to the approved audio or structure should be discussed as changes to the project, not assumed to be invisible to the edit.
Name one person to consolidate feedback. Instead of ‘make it more exciting,’ notes might request a faster opening, more sustained performance, less narrative interruption, or a stronger ending. Decide the review sequence and revision scope with the production team before setting a public release date.
A useful first message to 7LM
Send the track, release timing, budget range, potential locations, and a short description of the artist's visual direction. List the main video and each additional asset you need. Add references with notes explaining the performance, mood, or framing that matters to you.
7LM was founded by Brien Dougherty and Steven ‘Wealthee’ Garcia, bringing filmmaking and artist-side creative experience into the same collaboration. The goal is a coherent release, with production and post-production decisions serving the music rather than a generic checklist of shots.
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