Sunday, January 17, 2010

7 Artist EPK's and What I Like About Them

I am currently in the process of developing my first artist EPK and came across a few things that I liked in my research. The main thing that I learned in the process is that an artist EPK (Electronic Press Kit) Video doesn't have to be anything specific, but it should always accomplish one specific goal. Whether that goal is to introduce a developing artist to a wider audience or to promote their 11th studio album, it probably makes the most sense to keep that goal in mind during all aspects of production and not to try to do too much.

While I have yet to find the 'definitive' artist EPK, here are 7 that I came across that possessed a great quality or two that we can all learn from.




I love the EXCITEMENT that this projects. It tells us that Michael Buble is a worldwide phenomenon and makes us feel like even bigger things are in store for 2010.

Alice In Chains
I like how this is shot like a film and the artistic qualities conveyed. I also like how the use of black & white imagery contrasts the video content. They don't appear to have had much video content other than the interview to work with but these two factors help tremendously.



James Hunter "The Hard Way" EPK @ Yahoo! Video

I like how the song titles appear digitally in the corner of the screen as they show the live footage and the print media quotes add a nice touch. Both great ideas.



I love how the best and most dramatic clips of their music are used the way the timing of each music clip works with the storyline. The dominance of the music in this EPK makes me feel like the music itself is the strongest part of their act—that they don’t expensive video effects, high quality performance footage or a compelling interview to show us who they are.



I like how it starts off with her voice and name IMMEDIATELY in the first couple of seconds without delay. The video also shows a good balance of live audio with mastered audio tracks.



I like how the different effects on the still photos make them feel ‘alive’ as well as the use of childhood photos. I also like how he talks about the songwriting process and most importantly how the video genuinely ‘introduces’ the artist. It doesn’t assume that I already know who he is and what he’s accomplished; I'd never heard of him and the video told me everything I needed to know.



Again I enjoy and appreciate the ‘filmlike’ qualities of this. They really only have interview and rehearsal footage but the editing technique makes it feels like so much more. I also enjoy the way that the start of a new song in the background signals the beginning of a new topic of conversation.