7 Accessible Winter Locations For Shooting Your Next Music Video

Winter, albeit cold, is the ideal time for shooting original content at a low cost! As long as you have a professional stabilizer (you can find them on Amazon for about $100) and a decent phone, you’re good to go! Whether you do Rap, Rock, Pop, or Acoustic, winter is rather unique in benefits for shooting videos for your music. We’ve compiled a list of 7 ideas for you to put into practice for your next visual!

7. Rooftops filled with snow!

If you live in the city this is a no-brainer. If you live nearby one, you should have at least an acquaintance or two who would give you free access to a nice rooftop. If you are fortunate to catch snow during winter in your area, call up your links and buy them hot chocolate in exchange for 2 hours on the snow-filled rooftop. You will be dazzled by the beauty this location offers. If you can shoot in the evening when taller buildings start being visible and the warm light emanates from the surrounding apartments, don’t even sit to think about it! Start shooting!

6. Public Christmas decorations!

Most cities, and even villages, have a central area that is carefully curated to embody the Christmas spirit. Your task becomes to figure out when it is least populated, hour and day of the week, and go use the brightly lit location to your advantage! After all, you would need to cough serious dollars to rent out a film studio and decorate it yourself. Work smarter not more expensive.

5. Your vacation stay!

Your hotel, or inn, or Airbnb. If you’re not extremely poor or bootstrapping for a serious acquisition, chances are you are planning to get away for a couple of days for your winter retreat. While we are well aware that your vacation is supposed to be THAT, your time off, do keep in mind that pretty places filled with snow are hard to come by during the year, and with only a one-time 3-hr investment out of the full day you spend there, you can bang beautiful, useful, original visuals to add to your project. You can most assuredly carve out 3 hours and a bit of creativity to shoot your own music video to grow your catalog and increase brand credibility.

4. Your favorite local bar!

Why your favorite and not just the local bar you might ask? Because unless those people know your name, face, and trust you, they will be hesitant at the idea of associating their image and likeness to your brand. Whereas if they know you, your background, and you’ve loyally showed up in their spot throughout the year thus literally spending money on their beverages and food, they are highly likely to gladly let you do your thing on a winter morning before they even open for the public. They win more attention to their spot via social media mentions and tags, you win because you use a beautiful location that’s not your bedroom, and everyone’s happy. Merry Christmas!

3. Your closest woods (or park)!

Because trees covered in snow are majestic! Nature, generally, has the amazing ability to take on new meanings depending on the context one adds to it. If you have a dark Rap song, the trees will give off ominous vibes. If you are about to release a happy Xmas song, those trees will inherently ooze holiday feels and joy. Open your eyes and use the free gifts of Earth to build your visuals!

2. Your aunt’s cool house!

Or your richer friend’s mansion if you managed to forge an authentic connection with someone of a higher social class. It’s not using people before the sensitive snowflakes start melting. It’s called “so I need a nice place to shoot my next music video in and honestly, your house is one of the coolest spots I know. I would be stoked if you allowed me 2 hours in it to shoot some scenes. I can’t pay you but I can get you free tickets to my next gig.” Look, people in better social positions than you are just people at the end of the day and oftentimes, lonelier than most because they have a hard time making new friends. If you found such an individual who’s actually a good-hearted person and you have many interests in common, do not hesitate to ask for a favor or two especially when it costs them nothing. To the surprise of many, they love feeling useful and important and are happy to help!

1. The closest mall!

Because even Billie Eilish shot a full music video in the mall. Now imagine that with holiday decorations!!! Life doesn’t get better than that! The safest bet is going in the wee hours when cashiers are setting up their workstations and barely pulling back the curtains. Yeah, you might get a weird stare or two but who cares? As long as you are not including the workers’ faces in the video you are legally entitled to shoot your videos in public spaces. Go for it!