Successful music video directors are paid very well to work with famous singers and musicians. It takes time to build this kind of career and to get to know the right people. It takes hard work and dedication.

Most successful filmmaker of any kind started by learning still photography. This is a great way to learn about lenses. composition, lighting, and framing. All of which are important to video making. Take stills and then videos of local bands performing in your area. Don’t try to charge for this work. Give the bands free still photos and videos. Off to put these videos on YouTube, Facebook etc and be sure to include your name and contact info in the video credits.

Study all genres of music videos. Understanding the differences between and the strengths of different genres of music video will help develop your knowledge and ability to discuss these genres and styles. Decide which styles of music video you like the best. Get to know the work of individual directors.

Notable music video directors

* RT!

* System D-128

* Floria Sigismondi

* Jonas Ã…kerlund

* Chris Applebaum

* Michael Bay

* Samuel Bayer

* Alan Calzatti

* Roman Coppola

* Chris Cunningham

* Gregory Dark

* Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

* Shane Drake

* David Fincher

* Bill Fishman

* Jonathan Glazer

* Michel Gondry

* Phil Harder

* Lasse Hallström

* Jean-Pierre Jeunet

* Spike Jonze

* Joseph Kahn

* Ray Kay

* Marc Klasfeld

* Little X

* The Malloys

* Anthony Mandler

* Melina Matsoukas

* Diane Martel

* McG

* Dave Meyers

* Chris Milk

* Jean-Baptiste Mondino

* Vincent Moon

* Sophie Muller

* Jake Nava

* Doug Nichol

* Tony Petrossian

* Derek Pike

* Brett Ratner

* Mark Romanek

* Stéphane Sednaoui

* Scott Speer

* Marc Webb

* David LaChapelle

* Hype Williams

* Bille Woodruff

If you use The Music Video Database at http://www.mvdbase.com/, you can film each directors list of works and links to their own web sites. Directors are listed as technicians so do a search at that web site for a directory in the technician category.

Take courses in film and video directing and video art.

Get to know the local bands in your area. Offer to shoot a music video. Produce a number of these. Edit the best into a demo reel. This is like a portfolio of your work designed to get others to hire you. The demo reel is always evolving as your do more and better videos.