ArtlistIf you run a video production business or make wedding films, you know the delicate balance that exists between producing the highest quality work and maintaining profitability.
Once your pitch has been accepted by a client, you’ve got to put in the time to plan everything well and spend the money to produce it, perhaps even bringing in freelancers to help. You’ve got to make handfuls of creative and logistical decisions, oftentimes sacrificing vision because the budget just isn’t there. Then of course, you’ve got to deal with the client revision process (which isn’t always bad, but it can be).
All of this is to say, the process of commercial/corporate/wedding filmmaking usually walks a fine line when it comes to how profitable a project ends up being when it’s all said and done.
So if you own a video production business of any kind, my question for you is this. If you had the ability to simplify, streamline, and make affordable any piece of the creation process, without sacrificing quality or creative potential, why wouldn’t you?
Well, that’s exactly Artlist is looking to accomplish with its newly released music licensing platform. Before we get into the details about why it’s a great option for anybody running a filmmaking business, here’s the company’s introductory video.
So what is Artlist exactly?
Artlist is a subscription service that costs $199/year. That price gets you unlimited access to the company’s extensive library of quality music, which it sources directly from indie musicians all over the world.
And the best part is that the music is pre-licensed for every purpose imaginable. Regardless of whether you’re making home movies, wedding films, corporate videos, or high-end commercials, you can use any song in Artlist’s catalogue however you’d like without any additional fees or royalties.
It’s a stellar deal for content creators, especially considering a few other popular platforms these days charge significantly more to license single song for commercial projects.
But here’s the best part.
The quality of music is phenomenal
There are a few other platforms on the market that offer music on a subscription basis (AudioBlocks and Soundstripe are the first two that come to mind). However, when it comes to quality of music, Artlist is simply unmatched by the others.
And let’s be honest, quality music is something that clients notice. It’s something that allows you to provide them with the best possible value for a price that’s more reasonable. All of this is to say, when you scrimp on costs by opting for generic stock music, nobody wins.
Anyhow, here are a few profiles of the artists you can find on Artlist right now:
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In addition to those two artists and their handful of their songs on Artlist, there are thousands more that you can browse immediately. Plus you can listen to full songs without any annoying watermarks or anything (which is always a plus).
If you’d like to hear the quality of Artlist music for yourself, be sure to check them out.
Artlist makes it easy to find great music and keep track of it
While most music licensing platforms have a way for people to like or “favorite” certain songs in the catalogue, Artlist takes it one step further. When you’re browsing Artlist (check out the video below for exactly how to do that), you can create your own folders and use them to keep track of all the music you might want to use later.
For instance, you might have a folder for corporate interviews, a folder for bride and groom montages, a folder for timelapses, a folder for personal projects, a folder for aerial footage, etc.
I’ve found it’s good practice to check on Artlist daily to listen to the new music that’s been added. Then you can sort the stuff you like into your folders and never have to worry about finding it again. That way, when you’re deep in an edit, you can just dig into your folders for the perfect song rather than having to browse the full catalog again.
If you create videos in high quantity, Artlist is immensely valuable
This is perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle for anyone running a high-volume video business. When every single song you license costs money (lots of money if it’s a commercial license), you either have to eat those costs or pass them on to your clients.
However, when you have unlimited access to an ever-growing and evolving library of music, and you can use that music however you want, it frees you up to do several things. You could always charge less than your competitors, which could help you win more business. Or you use the savings in licensing costs as boost to your profits, which you could invest into growing your business in other ways. The possibilities are endless.
Either way, the fact of the matter is that the more videos you create and the more you use Artlist, the more valuable it becomes.
Just imagine, if you’re used to paying $99 per song (which is pretty low if it’s a commercial project), and you make 40 videos per year, that’s roughly $4000 just in licensing costs. Compared to the $199/spent on an annual Artlist subscription, it’s clear which option is more hassle free and valuable.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, high quality music allows you to provide the absolute best value to clients, which should always be the end goal. The more value you’re able to provide, the more repeat business and referrals you’ll get in return. Such is the cyclical and symbiotic nature of client-based businesses.
So let’s go back to that question I asked at the beginning: If you had the ability to simplify, streamline, and make affordable any piece of the video creation process, without sacrificing quality or creative potential, why wouldn’t you?
When it comes to music licensing, that’s exactly what Artlist enables you to do for your video business.
Twine
