Why some music videos cost over $100,000, TG Omori

Nigerian music video director ThankGod Omori, known as TG Omori, has shared that some music videos he has worked on cost over $100,000 to make.

Omori made this known during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast on YouTube. He talked about the budgets for producing music videos, especially those shot outside Nigeria.

He said video directors and filmmakers often hesitate to reveal how much their projects cost. This is because production costs mainly depend on the concept and location.

"As directors, we don’t really like to reveal budgets because filmmaking is subjective. The ideas vary, and sometimes we don’t like to put budgets out," he explained.

Omori mentioned that sharing production budgets could discourage some people or make them undervalue the creative work involved.

"It doesn’t scare people. It doesn’t also speak cheap of our art. To some people, it might be scary to some people. It sounds very… So it always boils down to the concept that we’re trying to work on," he added.

He pointed out that music videos shot in the United States, especially in places like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, tend to be more expensive due to extra production costs.

"Most times if we’re shooting abroad, it’s actually more expensive. So most of the videos I’ve had to shoot in Las Vegas or LA have had to be a bigger budget, not necessarily coming to me, but because shooting in America, I have to pay for insurance, have to pay for these, have to… Every hour spent, all of those things," he said.

According to Omori, these productions could cost well over $100,000 since payments are made in dollars and many expenses have to be covered.

"At the end of the day, you’re paying in dollars, and sometimes it goes way above a hundred thousand dollars," he stated.

When asked if he meant more than $100,000 for a single music video, he replied, "Yeah, most times."

He also mentioned that he has produced some music videos in Nigeria for about $100,000. He noted that working locally could be more profitable.

"But in Nigeria here, I’ve done a couple for around a hundred thousand dollars. But it’s easier here. You make a lot of profit from that in Nigeria," he said.

Omori explained that spending a similar amount on a production abroad often results in lower returns. A lot of the money goes towards production and service costs.

"But if I do that abroad, you probably might not make… You just probably get a service charge because everything is actually very…," he said.

He also talked about the benefits of working with local artisans in Nigeria. They can help create elaborate production designs at lower costs.

"That’s why I enjoy shooting in Las Vegas because I won’t say cheap, but manpower or labour is quite affordable here. You can get good artisans, local artisans," he noted.

According to him, local artisans can deliver quality work when guided properly and given a clear creative direction.

"If you have the vision that can help you get the best, if you can… It’s just that working with people in Lagos is actually, you are going to sacrifice your sleep and your time to make it happen," Omori said.

He added that while working with local artisans can cut production costs, directors often have to keep a close eye on the process to get the results they want.

"It might save you some money, but to save your health, to go after your sleep and your health, because you have to literally work with them with every nail that is going into the wood," he explained.

"You have to watch the process of everything. But they’re going to get it right. But you’re actually going to have to monitor everything to actually get what you really want. So those are the downsides," he concluded.