music video motivation

WhiteOpus

WhiteOpus

hey all,
I have been contracted to do a music video for a local psychedelic rock band. They're paying me, they've done videos before and they are all relatively professional so there won't be any issues there. The problem is, I don't much care for the music they make. I just don't feel inspired by it, visually or otherwise. The music itself is well produced and engineered, just not interesting to me. I want everything I create (or put my name on) to look good and to be something I am proud of, and this is no exception. My concern is not being motivated enough to create something amazing for them while simultaneously working on three other video projects (ones which i'm much more excited about).

How do you get through creative block when it comes to a project you aren't super jazzed about (but it has to get done in a timely manner)?
 
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The first time I was hired to be the sound engineer / producer of a local band, I despised their music. In fact, I don't even include the work anywhere in my portfolio, and that doesn't bother me. I went in, did my job, their album sounded nice, and landed me a couple gigs later on recording other artists that heard that album. Money in the pocket!

I will never go listen to that album again - The recording is as professional as I could make it at the time, so it was about half as good as what I do now, but still decent. I just hate the music. I wasn't inspired by it at all, so I let the $$ be my inspiration to move on.

My point, is that I got some connections from doing it, made some money, and nobody was forcing me to brand myself by this band later on. Who knows, maybe someday I'll have the opportunity to pick who I want to record - but right now, the best we indie people can do is get the experience to move onto things we DO want to do!
 
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Beatlesfan1225 said:
The first time I was hired to be the sound engineer / producer of a local band, I despised their music. In fact, I don't even include the work anywhere in my portfolio, and that doesn't bother me. I went in, did my job, their album sounded nice, and landed me a couple gigs later on recording other artists that heard that album. Money in the pocket!

I will never go listen to that album again - The recording is as professional as I could make it at the time, so it was about half as good as what I do now, but still decent. I just hate the music. I wasn't inspired by it at all, so I let the $$ be my inspiration to move on.

My point, is that I got some connections from doing it, made some money, and nobody was forcing me to brand myself by this band later on. Who knows, maybe someday I'll have the opportunity to pick who I want to record - but right now, the best we indie people can do is get the experience to move onto things we DO want to do!
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sage advice there. thank you sir.
 
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Like Beatlesfan1225 I've done many recording sessions for music genres I didn't like or didn't get; I even spent about three years doing almost nothing but rap/hip-hop when I was chief engineer at a studio in "Da Bronx," NY. Pretty weird for a white guy in his mid-40's. And I had many repeat and long-term clients. I now do sessions with talentless singer/songwriter wannabees and many absolutely horrible shorts. I run a business; my job is to make the clients project sound as good as the circumstances and my talents permit - plus I need to pay the bills, so I can't afford to be picky. Many of these folks are also repeat and long-term clients.

And, as Beatlesfan1225 indicated, you do this not just because it's good business, but because it can lead to better, more talented clients who are more in line with your personal artistic/genre/stylistic preferences. "If he can make Bill sound that good, imagine what he could do for me!"
 
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Just do it!
Do the lyrics give you an idea?
Does a certain sound give you an idea?
Do you have crazy ideas you always wanted to try?

Go walk while sort of listening to the music.
Ideas will come up!
And when you have a cool idea, you don't need the music anymore as motivation.

+ what Beatles en Alcove said
 
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As a professional, you do the best you can do for whatever work you agreed to. Nobody forced you to do it. As others have stated, it is a job and it can lead to better opportunities in the future.
 
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