If You’re A Calgary Musician, Here’s Why Music Videos & Visuals Matter

Credibility In the Age of Digital: Music Videos

Over the years, running a recording studio in Calgary has opened my eyes to the importance of artists’ self-advocacy, largely in the form of music videos and visuals. We have plenty of artists come and go, so our sample size is by no means limited—here’s what we have noticed over our years in this industry.

A photo of one of our camera setups. A7siii w/ Sigma lens and Atomos Ninja and minimalist cage

Often, the successful modern artist is equal part brand equal part creative. Long gone are the days of vinyl-only, label dependant artists. Nowadays, with cheaper, more abundant access to premium studios, as well as a reasonable rise in home studio quality, nearly anybody can pursue their dreams of making a living off of music. The thing is, though, that while being free from the requirement of labels brings considerable freedom, it also withholds from the artist the resources and funds that often accompany traditional record deals. As an independent artist, you must be your own brand ambassador, marketing team, financial manager, and motivator - and in the age of digital media, visuals are a brand no-brainer.

Everybodies Addicted, and it’s Free Advertising!

While they scroll, show face! It’s likely that, if you’ve put your heart and soul into your project, it will be a nice break from Skibidi Ohio rizz moments. Presuming you have a well-produced, recorded, and engineered track, and acknowledging that TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are all heavily visually dependent (therefore, what one sees is far more likely to grab one's attention before what one hears), a high-quality visual will do nothing if not heavily increase the odds of potential fan retention and realization.

Where content is often repetitive and low quality, cinematic-grade visuals alongside a new-to-most piece of music will help you leave your mark faster than an iPhone screen recording of your .WAV.

How Does One Achieve “Cinematic” Videos/Shorts?

While we have creatives like Cole Benett, who have made significant strides with varied equipment, including his iPhone- quality, cinematic content does not come easy. While shooting with your iPhone is a great place to start, it does not come without considerable setbacks at the post-production stage. High-quality, stand-out level content is a result of years of colour grading experience, transition/chopping skills and tool familiarity (check out the massive rig involved with Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” content!). Truthfully, a musician's best bet is to seek a dedicated team, who they not only jive with emotionally but trust.

What Our Calgary Based Location Offers Artists

Where does one find such a trustworthy and dedicated team in Calgary, one may ask?

This blog post was a trap, and has led you directly to one.

To quote our Music Video Page

“Our Calgary location and team bring the same standards of excellence to our music video production as we do to our industry-leading audio work. If we couldn’t meet our uncompromising quality benchmarks, we simply wouldn’t offer this service.

Our revamped music video creation service is powered by cutting-edge equipment, including the Sony A7siii, A7iv, and other professional-grade cameras/equipment (gimbals, Atomos Ninja). Paired with a selection of premium lenses, we capture your vision with simultaneous A, B, and C angles for dynamic storytelling. Our advanced lighting setups, stabilization tools, and portable rigs ensure your video stands out in any environment.

Post-production is handled by our skilled team, utilizing industry-leading software like DaVinci Resolve 18 and Adobe After Effects to polish every frame. Whether you have a storyboard ready or need creative direction, we’ll bring your vision to life with precision and passion.

Elevate your music with visuals that inspire. Contact SAD Entertainment today to create a music video that sets you apart.”

To Put It Plainly

We got into this line of work less for the immeasurable financial gains (ramen and ravioli, exclusively), and more because we love music and film, truly. We want to stand alongside YYC as its artistic scene grows, and contribute in any way we can. We have invested countless hours of time and study into perfecting our craft (and even climbed a literal mountain to test one of our rigs!), no matter the weather, time of day or distance, if an artist establishes a great relationship with us - we will always go the extra mile for both them and our city.

Check out our music video services here: Music Videos

Check out some of our work (we are fans of underground films like “Fight Club” and “Requiem For A Dream”)!: Our Work