Episodic Music Videos: Build a Story Fans Remember

Josh Emerick
Apr 22
7 min read

Updated: Apr 23

How to deliver on your meaning, themes, and emotions. Don’t just drop a cool video. Build a universe your fans can live in.

Survaliance style footage on CRT TV from music video

Bands Come to Us Asking for a Cool Video.

And hey, we’re down for that.

But more often than not, what you’re really asking for is a story.

Not just a three-minute music video with fog and flashing lights.

A story with weight.

With meaning.

With characters, symbols, worlds...

Something fans can get lost in and return to again and again.

You’re not just releasing a song.

You’re building a world.

And if you play it right, that world can grow with you.

Why Episodic Music Videos Tell a Bigger Story

We’ve been experimenting with a different approach to music videos for years now.

Think less “one-off visualizer,” more “TV show episode.”

Each video builds on the next.

You start with a feeling, a theme, a character. Then we build rules around that world.

We introduce symbols, visual motifs, sometimes even full-on lore. The second video builds tension. The third delivers an emotional punch. And by the time fans are watching your fourth or fifth release, they’re invested, not just in the song, but in the story.

This is what we refer to as episodic storytelling.

This episodic approach to music videos has been powerful for us and our clients.

How we helped Backwordz think about the bigger picture

We helped them shape visuals, brand voice, and story world across both videos, giving them a system to grow from, not just a set of deliverables.

“Josh and the team didn’t just make music videos—they brought a story to life. Their process gave our project the weight it needed and helped us step into a bigger creative identity. I can’t imagine working with anyone else now.”

Eric of Backwordz

Your Band Is Already Telling a Story—But the Videos Aren’t Aligned

These days, a lot of bands are dropping music the smart way: one single at a time.

It’s the waterfall release strategy.

A track every few weeks, momentum builds, and the fans stay engaged. Eventually it all ladders up into an EP or full-length album.

No notes—it’s a great move.

But here’s the problem we keep seeing: The songs are connected. But the visuals? They feel random.

One video’s a high-concept performance in a warehouse.

The next is a vibey mood lighting in a bedroom.

Then a gritty B-roll cut in a field or a church or wherever someone could borrow a camera.

Each one might look cool on its own. But stacked together? There’s no thread. No story. No sense that these visuals belong to your band.

And that’s a missed opportunity.

Because almost every band we’ve worked with, when we actually sit down and talk, has something deeper at the core.

A central message.

A tone.

A worldview.

Something connecting the songs, even if it’s never been put into words.

That’s where the magic starts.

Treat Your Band Like a Show. Not a Channel.

When we think about your music release strategy as episodic storytelling, everything changes.

Each video isn’t just a promo for a song; it’s an installment in a bigger universe.

You can start slow. One video lays the foundation. A second one introduces a visual motif or character. The third raises questions that don’t get answered until your fourth release.

Suddenly, your fans aren’t just watching—they’re invested.

This doesn’t mean turning every video into a full-blown film.

It means seeing the full arc and being intentional about the experience your audience is about to step into.

What Makes It Work?

This approach lets us go beyond the lyrics.

It creates consistency in visuals, props, wardrobe, tone, pacing, and even casting.

It ties your aesthetic together and gives you room to build toward something more profound.

And just like a great show…Your fans come back not just for the next song, but for the next chapter.

The Invisible Work Is Where It Starts

What most see is the final product. There's so much extra love and care that happens behind the scenes to make this possible.

It's the difference maker.

What don’t you see?

6+ phone/video meetings
A dozen shared notes and brainstorms
Moodboards, symbolism maps, narrative drafts
Finding the right actors, keeping them consistent
Rules for the world: what it means, how it evolves
The emotional spine of your song turned into something cinematic

It’s easy to imagine the cameras, the lights, the day-of energy.

But this kind of work? It’s built slowly. Intentionally. In partnership.

It’s invisible until it’s undeniable.

“Josh and his team created an environment where I felt heard, understood, and supported. Every call, every prep meeting—it built this sense of alignment.

By the time we hit the shoot day, all the stress was gone.

It didn’t feel like we were making a music video, it felt like we were telling a story that mattered.”

— Aaron, Buried Crosses

This is the difference between filming a music video and crafting a creative experience.

One is a checklist. The other is a journey.

From 2K to 10K to 40K: The Value Becomes Clear

We’ve had multiple artists approach us with $2K budgets.

That’s what they thought they could afford. And that’s fair—$2K is no small amount for most bands.

However, we then got on the phone.

We shared ideas.

We zoomed out.

We asked better questions.

And something shifted.

The vision expanded. The ideas deepened.

Suddenly, the goal wasn’t just a video—it was a legacy.

Those projects? They landed at $10K, $15K, and even $60K+.

Not because we upsold them. Because they saw the value. They felt it.

“Working with JECP transformed how we saw our music video. Josh didn’t just understand our vision—he pushed us to think bigger, connecting the video to a larger story.

The final product was beyond what we could have done alone, both technically and emotionally. JECP made us feel like part of the team.”

— Zack & Keegan, Ghostwave

Our job isn’t to upsell—it’s to help you see what’s possible when you stop thinking in single songs and start thinking in seasons.

Why This Approach Works

When you build a world around your music, you open the door to more than just a video release.

You create:

Stronger emotional resonance
A clear creative direction for your brand
Consistent visuals for shows, social, and merch
A library of story pieces for future videos
Deeper fan connection (and trust)

It's not about making something trendy. It’s about making something timeless.

“It was more story than music video—making our song feel larger than life. The locations, the actors, the way it was shot elevated everything.

Even during the shoot, we all felt the stakes were high because we knew something special was happening.”

— Scott Ryan, Love Side RX

What We Actually Do: The Special Sauce

Yes, we shoot music videos.

But what we really do is partner with artists who care deeply. We listen, we collaborate, and we build something together.

We don’t rush. We don’t cookie-cut. And we don’t just show up to press record.

We help you shape a story—your story—and bring it to life in a way that builds belief, momentum, and meaning.

This isn’t just pre-production—it’s permission. Permission to dream bigger, get aligned, and create something your whole team can stand behind.

This is filmmaking as a team sport. You bring the spark. We help shape the flame.

Art Direction as a Confidence Multiplier

With Hello Luna, we helped define a consistent visual style and build a cohesive creative system that matched Kenzie’s vision, down to the finest details. From pre-production to shoot day, the vibe was dialed, and the confidence showed up on screen.

“Every single thing, I know I’m getting a good value. I know I’m getting a good product. This was probably the first project that I’ve ever worked on where I said, ‘This is exactly what I envisioned.’”

— Kenzie, Hello Luna

Once the vision is set, the experience can scale with intention.

Reframing the Budget Conversation

Most artists view video as an expense. A necessary spend to stay relevant. A line item in the marketing budget.

But what we’re building isn’t just a music video—it’s an asset. A tool. A story people remember and revisit.

In TV writing, there’s a concept called a “bottle episode.” It’s a way to save time and money by filming in limited locations with fewer characters, but it only works after the audience is already invested in the world and story.

That’s what the early stages of your music video universe are doing: building the foundation.

Once your visual language, brand tone, and characters are set, it becomes easier to create follow-ups that are smart, efficient, and still emotionally rich.

It’s not about going cheaper. It’s about going deeper with less.

When done right, it creates merch ideas, social content, live show visuals, and a story world that fans want to explore.

That’s not a cost.

That’s an investment in your brand, your fans, and your creative longevity.

From Vision to Experience

The experience we’re building with you starts long before the camera rolls.

It’s the alignment calls.

The shared documents.

The random voice notes that hit at 2am.

It’s the trust that lets us try something weird. The confidence to follow a visual thread that makes no logical sense—until it clicks.

That’s where filmmaking thrives.

Not just in what you see on screen. But in what you feel along the way.

When we talk about episodic storytelling, this is what we mean.

It’s not a project. It’s a shared pursuit. A creative momentum you can keep building on—release after release, arc after arc.

Closing Notes

I get it, this is a lot to unpack, and it's not for everyone. We don't exclusively do this sort of work, but it is the direction we lean when we can, because it benefits all parties.

Ultimately, we take the time to get to know our clients on a deeper level, so we can make the most informed judgments and advocate for what will work best.

At the core, every project is a collaboration, and that's the magic every time. Filmmaking is an incredibly hard, time-consuming, and meaningful art form. We take it seriously and encourage our clients to do the same.

Beyond world building and storytelling, when our clients grasp this, it gets them more invested in their projects, gives them momentum and confidence, and that's always the main transformation we aim to deliver, project after project.

I hope this has been inspiring and eye-opening. I appreciate your time in reading and would be more than happy to discuss ideas with you to see what works best.