AN average of three music videos are being produced in Jamaica every week, this is up from one every three months about 20 years ago. And there has been a significant increase in the number of producers of music videos, from two to about 50.
But some of what is needed to help Jamaica claim major benefits from the "big business" that music video production has become internationally is still lacking. This is according to media consultant Marcia Forbes who spoke recently at a Rotary Club of New Kingston meeting, during which she shared research data on the industry that she has gathered over the past six months, in support of her PhD thesis exploring the relationship between adolescents and music videos. She said there is little or no empirical data about the music video industry a situation that forces persons who are interested in such data to rely on personal research.
"While we have the music soaring to higher levels and outlets for broadcast of music videos are springing up all over cable and free-to-air TV, we really haven't got hard figures to quantify the extent of the growth of music video production," she said. Mrs. Forbes added that such empirical data, instead of just anecdotal evidence, is critical in helping to guide training institutions such as the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC) re what courses they needed to design to enhance the skills of video producers. The media consultant who was also responsible for producing the music video for the Lovindeer mega hit, 'Wild Gilbert' pointed out that her own research has revealed that many young Jamaicans want to see the leaders of the local music industry investing in the design of training programmes to upgrade the skills of Jamaican producers and directors, instead of focusing on making music videos overseas.
This is an important consideration, she believes, since most of the music videos are aimed at the very youngsters whom her research shows are not impressed with the presentation of most of the music videos that are produced here.
The consensus among those researched was that, in the main, the quality of locally produced music videos with very few exceptions is bad and shows little creativity. "In fact, some adolescents see the poor quality of local music videos as an affront to their dignity and feel we should and can do better," she emphasised.
Mrs. Forbes noted that, with record labels and artistes pumping millions of US dollars into producing each music video over the past two decades, in order to ensure a buy into "mind share" and to help to reinforce lyrics and rhythm of the work, "producing music videos has become big business internationally and could become just that in Jamaica as well, if we pay attention to what needs to be done to make it so," she said.
In Jamaica, the average cost of producing a music video has moved, over time, from the approximately $1,500 to anywhere from $100,000 for a one-day video shoot, to $500,000 for a three-day video shoot. The more expensive exceptions include the Beenie Man remake of 'Dude', featuring Miss Ting, which Mrs. Forbes said cost about $5 million to produce, including funds injected by overseas agencies.
