Hey everyone! Today, I want to share a story that’s a little different from our usual travel adventures or product reviews. This one is about diving headfirst into something completely new, facing challenges, and ultimately creating something we’re incredibly proud of: our very first music video production. If you’ve ever thought about trying something creative but felt intimidated, this one’s for you. We hope it inspires you to just go for it!
It all started a few weeks ago when Nicole had this amazing idea to create a song all by herself. And then, as these things often do, one idea led to another: why not make it even more professional by creating a real music video? And just like that, we embarked on a journey to produce our own first-ever music video. We recorded all the videos ourselves, edited everything ourselves, and had a ton of fun (and a few laughs, and maybe a little frustration!) doing it.
The Song: A Symphony of Languages and Feelings
Nicole really put her heart into thinking about what the song should be about. Having moved to Switzerland only a few months prior, she wanted it to be a song with deep meaning, full of feelings, and a creative representation of her own emotions. Instead of just making a typical song, she had this brilliant idea to include more than one language – actually, three! It features Spanish, her native tongue; Japanese, because she wanted to practice and not forget what she learned in her classes; and finally, German, which she’s currently learning since she lives with me in Switzerland now.
Crafting the lyrics was a bit tricky, especially with the different languages and making sure it all flowed together seamlessly. But Nicole managed it incredibly well, putting the song text together in just a few days. I think it helped that she already had a clear vision in her head, which made the execution much smoother.
The Beat: AI’s Helping Hand
Since neither of us are music producers, creating the beat entirely from scratch was a bit beyond our current skill set. But thanks to the magic of AI, we were able to create a beat that really stands out. It perfectly fits the pace of the lyrics and has this powerful energy that makes for a really interesting mix. Finding or creating that perfect beat that matched Nicole’s vision wasn’t easy; it took a lot of fine-tuning and several tries. But in the end, we were super happy with the result, and Nicole was ready to record her vocals.
Recording: Home Studio Challenges and Triumphs
Nicole recorded the entire song in just a day or two. At first, we really struggled to make it sound professional. We don’t have a fancy studio, or any crazy expensive equipment, or even professional software. We had to do a lot of research into how actual audio studios handle professional recordings. But our goal was to realize this project with what we already had at home, so we weren’t looking to spend a fortune on new gear. We relied on our headsets and a Blue Yeti Microphone, which is a decent mid-range microphone.
After trying out several different software programs and recording methods, Nicole really got into the flow, and the recording itself went very smoothly. The main problem, though, was that the sound was very raw – not professional or polished at all. This meant we had a lot of audio editing ahead of us. Again, we didn’t have much knowledge in this area, so we were constantly searching for an easy way to make an audio file sound amazing. It wasn’t easy at all! All those AI apps that promise to transform basic audio into an amazing voice didn’t really work out for us.
So, we had to roll up our sleeves, do more research, and try things out ourselves with different tools. After a lot of trial and error, and a few frayed nerves, we were finally happy with the result. Nicole did most of this task herself, and I was incredibly impressed by how quickly she picked everything up and learned new tools and skills she’d never encountered before. It was definitely a challenge, but absolutely worth trying something new.
The Music Video: From Shot List to Rabbit Mask Surprises
We firmly believed that a good song deserves a music video! Plus, we’d always wanted to create more videos and level up our video recording and editing skills, so this felt like the perfect opportunity. The plan was set. Nicole started by writing down her shot list, outlining all the visuals she wanted for the video. We were aiming for a moodier, darker overall look.
We decided to split the video recording into two days. The first day was dedicated to shooting in a forest, and the second day would focus on shooting in a city. This was a very challenging task because when we start something, we really want it to look exactly as we’ve imagined. But sometimes, you just don’t have the skills from the beginning, and it takes practice. I’ll admit, I got frustrated pretty quickly when the first shots in the forest weren’t turning out as I’d planned. After a while of rage and frustration (mostly mine, I confess!), we managed to finalize the first day with all the shots we were looking for. Despite my personal struggles, everything else went well, and it was a really nice day realizing a project together.
Filming with a Rabbit Mask: An Unexpected Public Spectacle
Oh, and here’s a funny anecdote that added to the challenge (and the fun!): part of the video involved Nicole wearing a rabbit mask. So, imagine us, out in public, filming with someone in a full rabbit mask. It was sometimes pretty weird when people would stare or look at us, clearly wondering what on earth we were doing! It definitely made for some memorable moments and added an extra layer of
curiosity (and maybe confusion) for passersby. It was a unique experience, to say the least!
Second Shooting Day: The SD Card Saga
Shooting Day number two happened about one or two weeks later, and I have to admit, we weren’t really well-prepared. The location was very close to our home, but first, we had to turn back because Nicole forgot her phone with all the shot plans. Then, on the first location, I realized I’d forgotten to put the SD card back into the camera! Talk about a double whammy of forgetfulness.
Luckily, we still had our vlogging camera, the DJI Osmo Pocket 2. So, instead of going back home again, we decided to shoot the rest of the video with the DJI Osmo Pocket 2. This meant we had to adjust a little bit, as the settings were different, the focal length of the camera was different, and the lighting, in general, was different that day. But after those initial hiccups, we were able to create all the other shots smoothly. We even discovered some new places in our home city that we hadn’t explored before, which was a nice bonus!
The Editing Process: Learning on the Fly
No video is truly finished without editing. While raw footage can sometimes look good, since we’re not professionals in recording, our initial footage wasn’t perfect. This made the editing part even more challenging. And not only are we not professional video editors, but it’s exactly these kinds of projects where you learn the most. So, we went for it and spent hours editing, matching the video to the sound, and even color-grading it as much as we knew how to. Is the video perfect? Definitely not. But was it a lot of fun, and are we still incredibly proud of the result? Oh, yes!
The Final Result & Our Takeaways
We absolutely loved this project. It was an amazing and challenging experience for both of us at the same time, and we would do it instantly again. It’s a testament to what you can achieve when you push through the struggles and focus on what you can do with the skills and resources you have. The end result might not be a Hollywood blockbuster, but for what we had and with our current skills, it’s amazing to see it come to life, and we are very proud of what we made.
So, let’s see how long it takes until we create another song with a music video to it. We can’t wait, and we hope you can’t wait too! Here is the final result:
and also below you will find our vlog for the behind-the-scenes video:
If you have any questions, or if you want to know anything else about our first music video production journey, just let us know – we’d be more than happy to tell you. And now, we’d love to hear from you: What’s your own creative project, or how did you experience your first song or music video if you’ve ever tried to create one? Share your stories in the comments below!