Music videos are stylistic, expressive, evocative — and a great proving ground for aspiring film and
television directors. Filmmakers like David Fincher (“Se7en”), Spike Jonze (“Being John Malkovich”),
Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), Michael Bay (“Transformers”), and McG (“Charlie's Angels”) began their careers by making music videos. Established directors like Martin
Scorsese, Michael Apted, and John Landis choose to direct music videos as a means of exploration. Why
not follow in their footsteps?
The New York Film Academy has created one of the most intensive workshop programs to train the next
generation of music video artists. Our 4-Week Music Video Workshop guides students through the process
of creating their own original music videos in an immersive, hands-on program. Taught by active
professional music video makers and experts, students learn how to conceptualize their project, work
with a record label, collaborate with a musical artist or band, produce, shoot, direct, and edit their
own music videos. NYFA encourages students enrolled in the music video workshop to take creative risks
and find their own voices as visual artists.
WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
The 4-Week Music Video Workshops gives students the all-around creative and technical experience and training to make their own music videos through rigorous instruction and hands-on production experience. Workshop curriculum includes intensive study in all the major filmmaking disciplines, such as cinematography, directing, screenwriting, producing, and editing. Students write, direct, and edit their own music videos and work on crew of their classmates’ productions.
Our 4-Week Music Video Workshop is for aspiring filmmakers who have the passion to commit to full-time
music video production and demanding curriculum. Participants must work with self-discipline, energy,
and mutual respect.
As in all New York Film Academy programs, the 4-Week Music Video Workshop emphasizes hands-on learning.
Music video directing classes are not theoretical explorations; they are practical workshops designed
to put students in the director's chair as quickly as possible. Workshop students will complete the
program with skills in all areas of making music videos, an enormous amount of production experience,
examples of their own work, and a certificate of completion.
MUSIC VIDEO WORKSHOP CLASSES:
Music Video Craft
Cinematography
Playback
Editing
Production Workshop
MUSIC VIDEO WORKSHOP PROJECTS: Music Video One: Music and Image
Students choose a continuous selection of music from 1-4 minutes and write, shoot, direct, and edit a
non-performance-based music video. The music video may tell a story, follow an experimental structure, or
explore a theme through montage.
Music Video Two: Group Project
Students individually edit their own version of a music video produced by the class as a whole, under the
supervision of the Music Video Craft teacher. Performance footage of the band or artist will be shot by the
class as a group, while each student will have the opportunity to shoot “B-Roll” without the performer or
band for his or her own version of the music video.
Equipment:
Students are trained on and make their music videos using professional industry-standard HD cameras, lights,
and playback gear.