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What is a music video director and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a music video director. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.4 an hour? That's $50,747 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 12,800 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreMusic Video DirectorUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $50,747

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
-

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 6.32%

Black or African American 7.79%

Hispanic or Latino 14.32%

Unknown 5.56%

White 65.84%

Gender

female 23.71%

male 76.29%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Complexity level
8.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Music video director career paths

Key steps to become a music video director

  1. Explore music video director education requirements

    Most common music video director degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.2 %

    Associate

    22.8 %

    High School Diploma

    4.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific music video director skills

    SkillsPercentages
    YouTube47.86%
    Video Shoots29.84%
    Video Projects22.30%
  3. Complete relevant music video director training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New music video directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a music video director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real music video director resumes.
  4. Research music video director duties and responsibilities

    • Shoot, mic, light, interview, and edit video training materials for DVD s and online video curriculum.
    • Generate daily content including news columns, write promotional copywriting and advertising.
  5. Get music video director experience

    Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a music video director. The most common roles before becoming a music video director include director, production assistant team lead and assistant director.
  6. Prepare your music video director resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your music video director resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a music video director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable music video director resume templates

    Build a professional music video director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your music video director resume.
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
    Music Video Director Resume
  7. Apply for music video director jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a music video director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first music video director job

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Average music video director salary

The average music video director salary in the United States is $50,747 per year or $24 per hour. Music video director salaries range between $22,000 and $113,000 per year.

Average music video director salary
$50,747 Yearly
$24.40 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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