The total amount of money allocated by the label or artist to produce a music video, covering everything from crew and equipment to locations and post-production.
Music video budgets vary enormously, from a few hundred pounds on a self-funded DIY shoot to millions on a major label production. The budget determines the scope of what is possible and shapes every creative decision from the briefThe document sent by a label or commissioner to directors be... onwards.
Commissioning budget in the real world
The gap between the top and bottom of the music video budget range is dramatic. OK Go’s Here It Goes Again (2006) was made for approximately $4,000 and won a Grammy. Michael and Janet Jackson’s Scream (1995) reportedly cost $7 million and also won awards. Budget does not determine quality, but it determines what is physically possible on the day.
Related terms
BriefThe document sent by a label or commissioner to directors be..., CommissionerThe person at the record label or management company respons..., ProducerThe person who handles the logistics and finances of the pro..., Pitch processThe process by which multiple directors respond to a commiss..., Production scheduleA master document that maps out every stage of the productio...