How To Make A Music Videos - RWD & Come Again - August 2004

Ok... The next article is a personally favourite. I remember random people/crews in the scene putting it up on their websites. Damn I should have got paid for that man (copyright infringement or something)!!!

Let me set the scene, your crew has a decent riddim and you need to get a video together. Your budget is ultra low and is basically what you and all your crew can scrape together... So you now have £25.68, but what should the money go on?
First tings thirst. Champs - ok maybe not champs, but I know a good supermarket that does some hectic sparkling wine (£3.97). To keep costs down, it's buy one get one free. So this is the only time you can tell your mate to BOGOF.
The expensive car. Obviously like all cars in urban music videos, the car will be rented (£18.95 per day). This will give the appearance of flossin, even though the budget is as tight as Rick Waller's Y fronts.
Location, location, location. Always do the video shoot in the grimiest estate in your endz (Free). With the odd slice of footage from a random music studio: blag your way in to look around by sayin' that you're with a well known crew, and shoot some footage on the d low. Also do a few shots in the car, this will add ghetto authenticity to the shoot.
Random girls. Forget about all those agencies, put out the word on forums (www.rwdmag.com/forums) of when and where the shoot will go down (Free). Trust me; mention free champs and the chance to appear on TV, girl dem will show up - if you build it she will come. Remember ladies - apparently less is more.
Who and why. Try to feature all of your crew (Free). Even that crazy member who has his chat/rap at the end. He is the one that went to prison and still has that re-offending look in his eyes.
PULL OUT YOUR BEST SH*T!! I can't stress this enough. I've seen to many videos where they don't look ghetto fabulous, they look ghetto homeless. A cross between R.Kelly and gollum.
Creps. Make sure they are fresh. I don't care if they have 2, 3, or 5 stripes, they gotta look sharp as if your mum's copped them that morning (Free - thanks ma).
Calm down. Weird arm movements are soooo 1999, allow it man, seckle. Tell the person in the back of the shoot with the bandana and three hats on to have a Coke and a smile, and...shut the...
That extra clip. It seems to be standard to put in an extra clip of another tune. Well, do this wisely, put in a tune that will make the current tune look and sound ten times better. Try to do this somewhere different, allow LA, keep it real, go somewhere in London (£2.50 one day bus pass)
A crew's best friend. Always have an angry looking dog in the video. The dog can bark when the mopeds go past (All free). This is an urban music video classic and will add the finishing touches to the vid.

So now the cheap masterpiece is finished, you've got loads of money to spare. All you need to do is the editing, don't worry there is always some dude at your mate's uni that can edit and add the crazy graphics. Just make sure they know they're being paid in sweets (Kinda free). Last but not least...try to promote positive things, so allow the gun talk, it's all about mum talk.

Remember the ratios:
- One Avirex for every ten mans.
- Three Akademiks tracksuit for every eight mans.
- Four New Era hats for every five mans.