How Storyhunter Uses Epidemic Sound to Creatively Soundtrack Films
We’ve talked to Storyhunter and Björn Nilsson - both using Epidemic Sound - to hear what they think about us, our collaboration, and of course: to get some useful content tips.
Storyhunter is a platform that matches creative freelancers with companies and projects. We’ve talked to Storyhunter and Björn Nilsson, a creator who's using both Storyhunter and Epidemic Sound, to hear what they think about us, our collaboration, and of course, to get some useful content tips.
A chat with Storyhunter
Q: Why did you partner with Epidemic Sound?
A: Epidemic Sound is offering a vast, curated library of music files that is conveniently organized by genres, easy to search, and flexible to tap into different music genres and find inspiration. And, it offers complete peace of mind when it comes to copyright issues.
Q: Why do you use Epidemic Sound?
A: The Epidemic Sound Commercial Plan makes sure that our community of creators and brands is protected from copyright claims. Creators using the Commercial Plan can safelist their clients’ content, so companies do not have to worry about copyright claims.
Plus, with Epidemic Sound, you get unlimited access to a diverse, continuously updated, and easily navigated catalog with world-class music. Both Storyhunter and Epidemic Sound are committed to providing premium services for our clients so they can create world-class video content.
A chat with Björn Nilsson
Q: Where do you find inspiration for your content?
A: I find inspiration from YouTube. I watch content from fellow creators who are from Sweden. Making cool content is not only about having the best gear but also about creativity: finding creative angles, storytelling, and music. I try not to reinvent the wheel. I find inspiration from what’s already out there.
So much content is already produced. So by scrolling through the trending pages on YouTube, we can see what’s popular, what will go viral, or what people actually want to see. To find inspiration from videos like that is probably a better recipe for success than to try and do something completely new. It’s finding bits and pieces, small techniques or transitions, that elevates the piece.
Q: What are your best tips for making unique content for different brands & clients?
A: Audio is most important for creating an atmosphere in a video. Visuals are, of course, important, but I would say they are secondary. I would stop watching a video if the audio wasn’t good. It would be easier to watch a video with a good soundscape. If it’s a song that’s really annoying, it would make me stop watching the video. In terms of music, when I am working with BBC, it’s more classy and aimed at an older audience, so I would use more classical music. If I make a YouTube video for a client that’s about to promote on TikTok or aiming at a younger audience, then perhaps I would use more upbeat music.
Q: What’s the one thing you wish you knew when you started off your freelance career?
A: The one thing that I wish I knew before I started my freelance career was that I would eventually make a living doing what I love to do, to create video content. I think a lot of experience is just learning by doing. I’m not sure it would have worked if someone had told me before exactly this is what you should do to be a successful freelancer.
Because it’s a lot about networking as a freelancer. I never found it easy to make cold calls. It’s so much about networking and finding platforms like Storyhunter, which is a great go-between for freelancers. On platforms like this, brands actually reach out to the freelancer instead of the opposite.
I think the opposite is really hard. It’s much easier when the contact is already established, especially the big brands. I never imagined that I would work with such huge brands. I’ve been to Switzerland, Egypt, and so many other countries on Storyhunter assignments. It’s opened up a lot of possibilities.
Q: What does your process look like for finding music and soundtracking content?
A: Usually, I find the right soundtrack to the video by downloading a couple of different tracks with the right beat. When it’s a visual piece without interviews, then I usually choose the music first to try and build the soundscape. I try to get the feeling through the music and then edit it. But it’s the opposite for documentaries. Then, I put the story together first and then add the music. The process differs depending on the content type.
Epidemic Sound has many categorized themes. I find selected tracks. They have ‘adventure trailers’, ‘documentary’... it’s also categorized for different types of videos such as ‘science experiments’, ‘space exploration’, ‘archival footage’ and so on. This really helps when looking for music. I use Epidemic Sound because there are so many talented music producers and composers on the platform, and I also think their site is very user-friendly. It’s really cool that it’s a Swedish company. And the video piece on the Northern Lights was filmed in Sweden. It feels like everything comes together.
Q: Why do you use Epidemic Sound?
A: There are a lot of good music composers and producers on the platform. There’s a lot of good quality music on Epidemic Sound. It feels up to date. There are always new songs popping up that are high-quality. And it’s user-friendly. It’s not a hassle to find a good track. Because it could be difficult to find good music, but they streamline the process by making folders with selected tunes for different types of videos.
Q: What’s important to think of when creating content for your own channels?
A: For my own channels, I create content that makes me happy and gives me more energy and inspiration to keep on creating. It’s also crucial to make sure you have permission to use the music in your video. You shouldn’t have to worry about copyright and royalties when soundtracking your YouTube content. Nor should you have to think about where you’re allowed to upload or if it’s okay to use in things like digital ads. I’ve found that Epidemic Sound’s Commercial Plan takes care of all of that.
Q: What's important to think of when creating content for a brand?
A: When creating content, it’s most important to listen to the client. I always try to exceed expectations and make their job easier. With Epidemic Sound’s Commercial Plan, I can clear productions for clients in which I’ve used Epidemic Sound’s music, so that they don’t get copyright claims for not having a license.
Storyhunter is a platform for brands and media companies to hire the world's most talented video creators with a network of 36,000 video freelancers and around 4,000 companies. Whether you are producing editorial video, brand videos for social media, animation, photography, or live streaming, Storyhunter uses algorithms to match great talent to great projects. Do you, too, want to get paired up with exciting projects? Check out their site here.
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