Q and A&R). See my video for further explanation (and thanks to Rave's YouTube Channel for the video with the translated lyrics): [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RnVN-yQkVg] 1. "I have an idea for an amazing video" Get creative and talk about how your band is similar to a product that you would buy, such as a car, a computer, a phone, etc. Then, talk about the video you would watch for that product. Try to be as descriptive as possible when describing the video. For example, you might say, "I'm listening to some Snoop Dogg and I hear the sound of a car being driven by a man or woman with blonde hair driving on the freeway at night. The person is smiling from the headrests of the car." 2. "What are you most excited for in your new album?" Ask your group what they are most excited for on your new album and use that information to write a video concept. Be sure to express how excited you are about your new album in the video. You could even ask your group to create a short video of how excited they are for your new album. For an example of how this question can be expanded, one student asked, "My band is very excited for our new album. What do you guys think about our album being released? In the video we might show someone working on the album or the person's reaction when we tell him/her the album is coming out. We could see someone listening to the album when we tell him/her." 3. "The band has a song that starts with the name of the album" Ask your students, "When do you normally get excited about something? Why do you get excited about it?" Then talk about how your new album might be one of those things. For example, if your band is in the pop genre, then the video could be when you open your album cover and take it out of the box. Or, if your band is a rock band, you can show the video where you are in your garage opening a giant box, and you rip into a new tape deck and turn on the stereo. 4. "How do you want to express your personality to your fans?" The concept of how you would like your personality to be revealed in your upcoming album should be incorporated into your video. The concept could show fans how cool you are, or it could show them why they should buy the album. The video could be simple, as well. You might have a video where you show a scene of your favorite video or music that influences you the most. Your idea for the concept of the video should include how you want your fans to feel after watching the video. For example, if your band is an alternative rock band, then you might show people how sad they will be when they hear that one of your favorite bands split up. 5. "What would you do if you could go back in time? What would you say?" Now it's time for your group to write a video where they portray the back story of the band and their formation. For example, how would your band look like if it was founded in 1993? How would you look, etc. Be sure to be as creative as possible in the video. It should incorporate the main idea of the video, "What do you want the world to know about your new album?" 6. "When you imagine your fans, what do you see? If you are an A&R, what do you see?" Ask your students what they see when they think about fans. Have them act out what they see as the characters from their videos. The goal of this question is to help your group connect with your fan base in a much more personal way. 7. "How can you tell fans that your new album is out?" What's the most creative way to tell your fans that your new album is available? Maybe it's like when you are having dinner and you tell your family, "My new album is coming out in a week." 8. "How can we incorporate music videos into our album's release?" If you were working on an upcoming album and the album was coming out in a month, how could you use music videos to promote your upcoming album? For example, you could release the video that showcases your favorite song and then let your fans know how much they mean to you. Or, you could have the video to be the cover for your song. Then, maybe, one of your YouTube videos or a YouTube link can be on the cover for the new album. Remember, your concept should incorporate the main idea into the video. The concept of the video should be as creative as possible, just as you would expect the album to be. Try to think like a music video director. This may seem difficult at first, but after doing a few of them, you should have no problem with it. The goal is to let your fans have their own opinion about your band through your videos. Now that you have the tools, and they are ready, let's see how you can connect with your fans. As a business, you need to be in tune with your band's fans to truly connect with them. You must find a way to give your fans what they want. The fans are your clients. The fans are not just someone you have a one-sided relationship with. The fans are the lifeblood of your business, so let's give them a voice. Let's give them something to listen to and watch. The best way to connect with your fans is to put it in a video that they can relate to. Now the fans know that you want to make a connection with them. When you're communicating with your fans, they need to feel like you're connecting with them as a person, not as a company. You can create an authentic relationship with the fans by giving them your all in the music videos.