Music Video Production

A piece of music without an according video - unthinkable today. As at August 1, 1981 MTV goes on air, this had an impact on the entire music industry. Even before the music channel influenced the market, music videos were used to highlight sound. In 1975 "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen was the starting point of the genre music videos that revolutionized everything.

The music video became a musical status symbol. Artists and filmmakers identified new opportunities and there arose music videos that made history. There were no limits for technology and costs. The most expensive music videos in the world include: "Scream" by Michael and Janet Jackson for proud 7 million US$, closely followed by Madonna with "Die Another Day" to the eponymous James Bond film, and Guns N 'Roses´ music video for "Estranged", which made approximately 7 million US$. In particular, the special effect "morphing" allowed to create intermediate transitions between two frames. A famous example is the video "Black or White" by Michael Jackson.

Artists recognized the benefits of their music videos to reflect social developments. They criticized public policy decisions, provoked for equality between men and women and expressed criticism pertaining to the public opinion. Therefore videos oftentimes ended up on the index and were banished from the program.

In Germany on 1st December 1993 VIVA went on air. It was the second music channel in Germany after MTV Europe. The broadcaster in particular wanted to provide a German-language broadcasting concept to support national artists. The first music video that went on the air at Viva was "Zu geil für diese Welt" by Die Fantastischen Vier.

No idea was too crazy - no spectacular effects too expensive. What was solely regarded as a support of a music track in the early eighties, is now a must-have in order to succeed in the music industry. Music videos have reached a new dimension by Hollywood directors such as Francis Ford, John Landis and Martin Scorsese. Three-minute clips became short films. Some videos have made history in the past 40 years. And to this day a spectacular video is to be bon ton for every musician.