Music video production
Click Play Films produces music videos and artist content to a broadcast standard, from performance pieces to narrative concepts, with a producer accountable on every project.
The budget is the concept
Broadcast craft. One strong idea. Executed properly.
Music video budgets almost never stretch to cover a weak concept. The videos that work at a realistic budget are the ones built around a single strong idea that the money can actually deliver, rather than a big idea delivered badly. That is the conversation we have first: what is the one image or moment people will remember, and what does the rest of the production have to give up to pay for it.
The other thing that shapes this work is that music video is a deadline business. Release dates are set by labels, distributors and playlisting cycles, and they do not move because a shoot ran long. We schedule backwards from the release, build the edit time in rather than hoping for it, and are honest early when a date and a concept are not compatible.
Music and artist work we have produced
Performance, narrative, brand-partnered and electronic.
Music video production services
Performance Video
The artist and the song, shot properly. Lighting, camera and edit doing the work instead of a concept the budget cannot carry.
Narrative and Concept
A story or visual idea built around the track, scoped so the strongest moment actually gets the resources it needs.
Vertical and Short-Form Cuts
Phone-first versions built from the start rather than cropped down, for the platforms where most people will actually see it.
Animation and Visual Effects
Animated sequences, effects work and hybrid pieces where live action alone will not get there.
Brand and Artist Partnerships
Videos funded by or made with a brand, where the track and the campaign have to serve each other.
Live Session and Tour Content
Studio sessions, live captures and tour documentation, cut fast enough to stay relevant.
What the work actually requires
Scope the Idea to the Money
A concept that needs six locations on a one-location budget produces a weak version of a good idea. We cut scope early so the money lands where it shows.
Release Dates Do Not Move
Labels, distributors and playlisting run to fixed dates. The schedule is built backwards from the release, with edit and delivery time protected rather than borrowed.
Playback and Sync
Shooting to playback sounds trivial and is where amateur shoots fall apart. Clean playback, consistent tempo and proper sync marks save days in post.
Clearances Still Apply
Locations, logos, artwork, extras and any sampled or licensed visual material all need clearing. A video that cannot be posted is not finished.
Versions From the Start
A main cut, a vertical cut, clean and censored audio versions, and stills for the release. Planning these up front costs far less than recutting after delivery.
Delivery Specs Are Not Optional
Distributors and platforms each have their own delivery requirements. Getting the masters right the first time avoids a rejection days before release.
What a music video costs
Most production companies will not put numbers on a page. Here are ours.
Cost is driven by shoot days, locations, crew size and how much post the concept needs. Talent, permits and specialist equipment are quoted separately and itemized rather than buried in a day rate.
$3,000 to $10,000
Single location performance. One location, one shoot day, a compact crew. Includes production, edit, color, sound sync, and versioning for the main platforms.
$5,000 to $20,000
Concept or multi-location. Several locations or setups, a larger crew, art direction, and more involved post including effects and graphics.
$10,000 and up
Campaign or multi-video package. Several videos produced together around a release, which lowers cost per video substantially by sharing crew, locations and setup.
A production partner, not just a camera crew
We come at music video from commercial and broadcast production, which mostly shows up in the parts artists do not enjoy: schedules that hold, clearances handled, delivery specs met, and a release date treated as fixed. One producer owns your project from concept through delivery, and if a concept and a budget do not fit together we will say so at the start rather than halfway through the shoot.
Music video production questions
How much does a music video cost?
A single-location performance video typically runs $3,000 to $10,000. A concept or multi-location video runs $5,000 to $20,000. Multi-video packages around a release start around $10,000 and drop in cost per video. Paid talent, permits and specialist equipment are quoted separately and itemized up front.
How long does a music video take?
Two to four weeks from concept lock to delivery for a straightforward video. Four to eight weeks for concept-heavy pieces or anything with significant effects work. If you have a fixed release date, we build the schedule backwards from it and protect the edit time.
Do you help develop the concept?
Yes, and it is usually the highest-value part of the process. We work from the track, the artist and the budget together, because a concept that ignores the budget produces a weak version of a good idea. Bring a reference, a mood or nothing at all.
Can you shoot to a fixed release date?
Yes, and we treat it as fixed. Labels, distributors and playlisting run to dates that do not move, so we schedule backwards from the release with delivery time built in. If a date and a concept genuinely cannot coexist, we say so before anyone spends money.
Do you deliver vertical versions?
Yes. Vertical and short-form cuts are planned from the start rather than cropped out of the main edit afterwards, because framing for both changes how the video is shot. Most releases now need a main cut plus vertical and teaser versions.
Who handles permits and locations?
We do. Location scouting, permits, insurance and clearances for logos, artwork and extras are part of the production. A video that cannot legally be posted is not a finished video.
Can you work with a label or only directly with artists?
Both. Label and management projects usually mean a documented scope, defined approval rounds and strict delivery specs, all of which we build into the schedule. Direct artist projects tend to move faster with fewer approvals.
Do you shoot live sessions and tour content?
Yes. Studio sessions, live captures and tour documentation are regular work, and they usually need a faster turnaround than a scripted video because the content dates quickly.
What about animation or visual effects?
We produce animated and hybrid pieces where live action alone will not deliver the idea. Effects-heavy work needs to be decided at the concept stage rather than added in post, because it changes how the shoot is planned.
Who owns the footage?
You do. You receive the finished cuts and, on request, the camera originals. We archive projects so later versions, alternate cuts or stills for the release can reuse the material.
Got a track and a release date?
Send us the track, the date and any references, and we will come back with a concept direction and a quote, fast.