Here at Bitmain we do more that program beautiful web apps. Some times, I get the pleasure to grab my camera and shoot some fun stuff.
Some time I get hired to shoot events like the Vancouver Jazz Festival, and sometimes for free to help out some friends.
This music video is called Lifeguard by 3 O’Clock Animals.
I had the pleasure to shoot it, direct it, and edit it all in just 14 hours.
I know because I logged all the hours in my task manager and time tracker PointKit.

Professional videos (those that you see on MTV) are usually shot using a budget that ranges from $10,000 to $40,000. I know because I helped produce about 35 music videos for a local production company called Triton Films.
Here in Canada, bands have the amazing opportunity to have their music videos financed through some goverment grants.
Most of the music videos I worked on where funded by a grant called MuchFACT (formerly knows as VideoFACT). They are not easy to get but if your band has a really good song, you may get one, and then, you can finance the production of a really nice looking music video.

Here is the PointKit project overview page for this music video:

Typically music videos are produced in 3 to 4 weeks from the original treatment to the final edit. It takes about 1 or 2 days to shoot and about a week to edit.
Another week to prepare, find locations, talent, and secure all the film equipment and crew. Music videos are like mini movies and they are produced very much in the same manner as features, except that everything goes faster and there is way less people involved.

However, if you have zero budget and are not lucky enough to get a grant what do you do? well, use your imagination and hopefully get someone with a camera to volunteer his/her time to shoot it for you. That was precisely what the guys at managed to do with me for their first music video. No budget, one location, cheap props, but lots of fun to put together!