HighlyDef Productions - Video for Public Relations, Music Industry and Web, HDTV

Ben Buie
Producer
404-431-3963

Ed Hill
Director/Writer
678-754-5181
ed at highlydef.com

How Video Press Kits Increase Club Bookings

Recording artist Brandy Rich lip-syncs during a video shoot.

Atlanta, September 19, 2004

How do you get a recording contract? How do you increase
the odds of booking your act in more clubs?

Performing at paying gigs pays the bills but there are other benefits. The more you perform, the more fans you create. Record companies and club managers like acts that can draw a crowd and that can sell CDs.

To a record label your act may be a huge financial risk. Once you sign, the label may spend hundreds of thousands on recording and promoting your act. A record label may watch your act for months before signing you. They often want to see how much you can
sell on your own.

How can you get more club dates for your act?

The market is crowded with acts that want a recording contract. The competition for club bookings is brutal. Beyond raw talent, you need basic marketing tools to sell your act to fans, clubs and record labels. Promoting and selling what you do is crucial to building your career. Nobody will find you just because you sound good. You must take the initiative and promote yourself constantly.

Here are some guidelines that we've gathered from performers, club managers and music industry insiders that we work with. Use these promotion tips to increase your odds of getting booked for paying gigs.

The Press Kit is the most basic tool to sell your act. Your paper Press Kit should include these items:

Biography. Always include a bio. Record Labels and Clubs need to know what category you fit in; Pop, Urban, Hip Hop or Country. The music industry sells the product (your music) to a marketplace. Clubs and Labels want to know if you fit their audience.
Past media coverage or Press Clippings. Bands can include media interviews and reviews. Other types of businesses can include testimonials from happy clients, letters of recommendation, and media coverage.
CD. Bands should include a copy of their latest music release. You have about 30 seconds to make the sale. That's when the club manager or scout is going to make their decision. Labels like a band or artist who can write their own songs. You need at least 3 or 4 of your BEST songs on your demo CD.
Photo. A good band or artist shot is crucial. Good photos often help you get coverage in magazines and newspapers.

To be more competitive you will need to create a Video Press Kit or Electronic Press Kit(EPK). This is more costly than the paper press kit, but it gives you an edge. Video Press Kits created by major and indie labels are usually 5 to 10 minutes long.

Video Press Kit or Audition Video A well made, professional Video Press kit or Audition Video can be the promotion tool that sets you apart. Your performance of your best songs is captured on video in a form that's easy for Club managers to review.

So what makes the Video Press kit or Audition Video work so well?

When we shoot your Video Press kit or Audition Video, you have multiple takes to get the very best perfomance possible. Mistakes and bad takes get edited out. We coach your performance to showcase the look you want. A good EPK or audition video shows off the way you command the stage and relate to the audience.

The Video Press kit can convey the same information as your paper Press Kit, but with much greater impact. Your Video press Kit can include:

Your Biography with interviews that show off your look and personality.
Video clips and Press clips that show your past TV appearances or media interviews. Even newspaper and magazine interviews and reviews can be included in your 5 to 10 minute video.
Music Video style performances that use the music from your Demo CD.
Live performance video to show how you handle an audience.

PLUS your Video Press kit or Audition Video can be distributed on VHS, DVD or compressed for use on your web site.

Your Video Press kit is the powerful tool to get you bookings in clubs, theatres, parties, music festivals and lucrative corporate event performances.

Use your Video Press kit to get coverage and interviews from local TV stations. Plus, we'll show you how to promote your band by editing your Video Press Kit into a commercial for local TV, MTV, BET and VH-1.

It's time to promote your act using the most powerful tool available. Your Video Press kit or Audition Video can help you push past the competition to get the recognition you deserve.

Free 30 minute Coaching on How to Promote Your Music Act with video from HIGHLYDEF Productions. E-mail us today and we'll talk about your act's current promotion methods. Then we'll show you how a Video Press Kit or Audition Video can increase your club bookings.

Video Press Kit