How can you use art direction to create a retro look for a music video?

2 Why use retro style?

Retro style is a popular choice for music videos because it can evoke nostalgia, nostalgia, and emotion in the viewers. Retro style can also create a contrast or a connection between the past and the present, depending on the theme and the genre of the music. Retro style can also showcase the influences and inspirations of the artist, or pay homage to a certain era or culture. Retro style can be defined as any style that refers to a previous time period, usually between the 1950s and the 1990s.

3 How to choose a retro color palette?

One of the most important aspects of art direction is choosing a color palette that matches your retro style. Color can create a strong visual impact and set the mood and the atmosphere of your music video. To choose a retro color palette, you need to do some research on the colors that were popular or characteristic of the time period you want to recreate. For example, if you want to create a 1980s retro style, you might use bright and neon colors, such as pink, blue, purple, and yellow. If you want to create a 1970s retro style, you might use warm and earthy colors, such as orange, brown, green, and red.

4 How to select retro props and costumes?

Another essential aspect of art direction is selecting the props and costumes that fit your retro style. Props and costumes can add authenticity and detail to your music video, and they can also help to define the characters and the setting of your story. To select retro props and costumes, you need to consider the function and the meaning of each item, and how it relates to the song and the style. For example, if you want to create a 1960s retro style, you might use props and costumes that reflect the social and cultural movements of that decade, such as peace signs, flower power, hippie fashion, and psychedelic patterns.

5 How to edit and grade your footage?

The final aspect of art direction is editing and grading your footage to enhance and unify your retro style. Editing and grading are the post-production processes that involve cutting, arranging, and adjusting the images and the sound of your music video. Editing and grading can help to create a consistent and coherent retro look, and they can also add some creative effects and filters to your footage. To edit and grade your footage, you need to use software and tools that allow you to manipulate the color, the contrast, the saturation, the sharpness, the grain, and the aspect ratio of your video. For example, if you want to create a 1990s retro style, you might use editing and grading techniques that mimic the look of VHS tapes, such as low resolution, distortion, noise, and glitches.

6 How to get inspired by retro music videos?

The best way to learn how to use art direction to create a retro look for a music video is to get inspired by retro music videos that have already done it successfully. You can watch and analyze how other artists and producers have used color, props, costumes, editing, and grading to create a retro style that suits their music and their message. You can also look for references and sources of inspiration from other media, such as movies, TV shows, magazines, posters, and artworks that have a retro style. By getting inspired by retro music videos, you can develop your own vision and creativity for your art direction.