How to hire a music video director

How to hire a music video director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step music video director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a music video director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new music video director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a music video director, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A music video director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, music video directors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents music video director salaries for various positions.

   Type of Music Video Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Music Video Director	Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.	$10-54
   Video Producer	Generally, a video producer manages and coordinates different aspects of the video production process. Video producers establish and develop multimedia content for internal corporate announcement videos, customer stories, and any other business projects... Show more	$16-47

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • YouTube
   • Video Shoots
   • Video Projects

   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.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your music video director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A music video director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, music video directors' average salary in wyoming is 35% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level music video directors 81% less than senior-level music video directors.
   • Certifications. A music video director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a music video director's salary.

   Average music video director salary

   $50,747yearly

   $24.40 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level music video director salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a music video director job description

   A good music video director job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a music video director job description:

   Music video director job description example

   Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino),California,United States
   
   Sales and Business Development
   
   + You have a passion for filmmaking, photography, design, and technology.
   
   + You're conceptual thinker and problem solver who is wildly creative and also obsessively meticulous.
   
   + An expert in all aspects of filmmaking, and are able to lead internal production teams as well as vendors, and direct professional and internal talent.
   
   + Expert storyteller with a command of visual, communication, narrative, and motion design principles, including composition, framing, and timing.
   
   + Flexible and can direct big productions as well as getting hands-on in smaller projects.
   
   + Understanding of what makes content- everything from live action to motion graphics- engaging and successful across channels and audiences.
   
   + Love keeping up with trends across all types of media associated with the entertainment, and social media.
   
   + Deep understanding and hands-on experience in: cinematography, lighting, camera operation, sound recording, and video editing.
   
   + Knowledgeable and hands-on experience with: RED cameras, RED RAW workflow, and ARRI cameras.
   
   + Deep understanding of and excellent proficiency in: Final Cut Pro, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, After Effects, and a diverse range of motion design software, plug-ins, techniques and approaches.
   
   + A keen ability to build work as well as package and presenting creative solutions in an inspiring manner.
   
   + Clear and concise communicator displaying strong organization and collaboration skills.
   
   + Flexibility to travel domestically and internationally as the need arises.
   
   **Description**
   
   We build impactful edits and engage key audiences. We have the ability to visualize the project's vision in the early conceptualization stage and continual ideation with the team throughout the edit. We work well with key partners to ensure successful execution throughout the post-production process. You will direct teams to produce video content, as well as touch all aspects of production from ideation, to video shooting, and postproduction. You methodically assess and resolve technical and creative issues. We achieve high quality and continuity between multiple projects while working against aggressive deadlines. We actively maintain expertise in the latest technology trends, techniques, and tools related to post-production.
   
   **Education & Experience**
   
   BA or BS in communications, film, broadcast, media production, or related field or equivalent experience.
   
   **Additional Requirements**
   
   + Please submit a demo reel and portfolio that clearly demonstrates your video directing skills.
   
   **Apple Footer**
   
   Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation or that of other applicants. United States Department of Labor. Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is required to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination mandate issued by the New York City Department of Health. We will verify the vaccination status of all New York City team members who are working at an Apple Store, office, or partner store in New York City. New York City Department of Health Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. If you're applying for a position in San Francisco, review the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance guidelines (opens in a new window) applicable in your area.
   
   Apple participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Apple is a drug-free workplace. Reasonable Accommodation and Drug Free Workplace policy Learn more (Opens in a new window) .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right music video director for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with music video directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit music video directors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your music video director job on Zippia to find and recruit music video director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit music video directors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new music video director

   Once you've found the music video director candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new music video director first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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