Music Video Production
Types of Music Videos: Performance, Narrative, Lyric and More
If you are releasing a track and trying to work out what kind of video to shoot, the honest answer is that there are 5 main types of music videos, and the right one depends on your song, your budget and how much time you can give to the shoot. Performance videos show you playing or singing. Narrative videos tell a story. Lyric videos put the words on screen. Animation replaces live footage with drawn or motion-graphic visuals. Hybrid videos mix 2 or more of these into one. Below we break down each format with what it costs in money and effort, so you can pick the style that actually suits your release rather than chasing whatever looked good on someone else's channel. At JLM Studios in Adelaide we have filmed artists from Jessica Mauboy and Taylor Henderson to Nathaniel, Dino Jag and Hindley Street Country Club, and the format conversation always comes first.
Key takeaway
Pick the format that matches your song and your budget, not the trend. Performance videos are the safest, most cost-effective starting point for most Adelaide artists. Narrative gives you the biggest emotional payoff but demands the most planning and money. Lyric videos are the cheapest way to get a release-day visual live. Animation suits a distinct aesthetic. Hybrids get you the best of both worlds when the budget allows.
Performance videos: the reliable workhorse
A performance video is exactly what it sounds like: you performing the song, either as a full band, a solo artist, or a lip-synced piece to camera. It is the most common music video format for a reason. It puts the artist front and centre, it sells the energy of the track, and it gives you footage you can reuse across social media and press.
On budget and effort, performance sits at the friendly end. You can shoot a strong single-location performance piece in one day. The main costs are the camera and lighting package, the location, and the edit. Because there is no cast, no script and no props to source, the planning load is light compared to a narrative piece.
Where performance videos win or lose is craft, not concept. The difference between a flat performance clip and one that feels cinematic comes down to lighting, lens choice, camera movement and how tightly the edit is cut to the beat. This is where working with an experienced cinematographer matters far more than an expensive location. Adelaide has strong options for performance shoots: the industrial spaces around Bowden and Port Adelaide, a hired studio with full lighting control, or a live-feel venue if the track calls for a crowd. If you are unsure which format to commit to, this is usually the safest first video to make.
Narrative videos: story-driven and cinematic
A narrative video tells a story alongside (or instead of) the performance. It might follow a character, dramatise the meaning of the lyrics, or build a visual world that has nothing literally to do with you singing. When people picture an ambitious, film-like music video, this is usually what they mean.
Narrative is the most demanding format on both budget and effort. You are now producing a short film. That means a script or treatment, a shot list, potentially actors, locations, wardrobe, props, more crew, and often 2 or more shoot days. The edit is longer too, because you are cutting for story and emotion, not just rhythm. Nothing about a narrative video is quick, and that is the point: the payoff is a video people watch to the end and remember.
The trade-off to weigh is whether your song actually carries a story. A track with a clear emotional arc or a strong lyrical narrative is worth the investment. A pure club or dance track often is not, and the money is better spent on a high-craft performance piece. As a director of photography who has worked across award-winning short film and documentary, Jason's advice is consistent: only commit to narrative when the story genuinely earns it, because a weak concept shot beautifully still falls flat.
Lyric videos: fast, affordable, release-day ready
A lyric video puts the words of the song on screen, usually over a designed background, simple footage, or motion graphics. It started as a low-cost placeholder while the official video was finished, but lyric videos are now a legitimate release format in their own right, especially for streaming and YouTube algorithm play.
This is the most budget-friendly of the video types. There is often no shoot at all, or only a small amount of B-roll. Most of the work happens in design and animation of the text, so you are paying for creative and editing time rather than a full production crew and location. That makes it the fastest way to have something live the day your single drops.
The honest limitation is that a lyric video does not show you as an artist. It builds streams and gives fans the words, but it does not create the personal, star-making footage a performance or narrative video does. A smart release plan for an Adelaide artist often uses a lyric video on day one to capture the launch window, then follows with a full performance or narrative video once budget and schedule allow.
Animation and hybrid videos: distinct looks and best-of-both
Animation replaces live footage with illustrated, 2D, 3D or motion-graphic visuals. It suits artists with a strong, stylised identity, and it is a genuine option when you want a look no live shoot could deliver. Budget for animation varies enormously: simple looping motion graphics are affordable, while frame-by-frame character animation can cost more than a full live-action shoot and take considerably longer to produce. Effort is heavy on the production side and light on the shoot side, because there is no shoot.
Hybrid videos mix formats: performance cut with narrative scenes, or live footage layered with animated and graphic elements. Most polished modern music videos are hybrids in some form. The advantage is flexibility. You get the artist presence of a performance piece and the emotional depth of story, without committing a full budget to a single approach. The cost sits between a straight performance video and a full narrative production, depending on how ambitious the story and effects become.
For most independent Adelaide artists, a performance-narrative hybrid is the sweet spot: enough of you on screen to build your profile, enough story to hold attention, and a budget you can plan around. The key is deciding the balance before the shoot, not in the edit.
How to choose the right type for your song
Start with 3 questions. What does the song need? A story-driven ballad wants narrative or hybrid; a high-energy anthem wants performance; a dense lyrical track can be well served by a strong lyric video. What is your budget and timeline? Lyric and simple performance videos are quick and affordable; narrative and detailed animation demand real money and weeks of lead time. What is the video actually for? Building your artist profile points to performance or narrative, while capturing a release-day streaming spike points to a lyric video.
The most common mistake we see is artists copying a format because it looked impressive elsewhere, without asking whether it fits their track or their budget. A modest performance video shot with real craft beats an over-reach narrative that ran out of money halfway through.
If you want a second opinion before you commit, JLM Studios is based in Adelaide and works with artists across the metro area and within 100km of the CBD, and Australia-wide for larger projects. Call Jason on +61 424 965 133 or email jlmstudios75@gmail.com, and we will help you match the format to your song before a single frame is shot.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest type of music video to make?
A lyric video is the most affordable type of music video. Because it usually needs little or no on-location shooting, the cost sits mostly in the design and animation of the on-screen text rather than a full crew, cast and location. It is the fastest way to have a professional visual live for a single's release day, though it will not show you as an artist the way a performance or narrative video does.
How long does it take to produce a music video?
It depends entirely on the format. A single-location performance video can be shot in one day and edited within a couple of weeks. A narrative video is effectively a short film and needs pre-production, one or more shoot days, and a longer edit, so a few weeks to a couple of months is realistic. Detailed animation can take the longest because every frame is created rather than filmed. Give any ambitious video generous lead time before your release date.
Which music video type is best for an independent artist on a budget?
For most independent Adelaide artists, a well-shot performance video or a performance-narrative hybrid gives the best return. A performance video is affordable, puts you on screen to build your profile, and produces footage you can reuse across social media. A hybrid adds just enough story to hold attention without the full cost of a pure narrative production. A lyric video is a smart, cheaper companion piece for the release-day streaming window.
Can you combine different types of music videos in one project?
Yes, and most polished modern videos do. A hybrid video mixes performance with narrative scenes, or layers live footage with animation and motion graphics. Combining formats lets you get artist presence and storytelling in the same piece, with a budget that sits between a straight performance video and a full narrative production. The important part is deciding the balance during planning rather than trying to invent the structure in the edit.