Pitching a music video isn’t just about presenting an idea – it’s about making people feel something. The best pitches make the artist, label, or producer instantly see the video in their mind, like they’re already watching it unfold. It’s about energy, vision, and clarity. Forget the formalities. The best directors make people believe before they even shoot a frame.

Know the Artist & Song

Start with the music. Listen to it on repeat. Close your eyes and let images form naturally. What’s the dominant emotion? What’s the pacing? If you’re working with an artist, understand their aesthetic. Look at their past videos, social media, and even their personal style. Your concept should feel like an extension of their world – but fresher, unexpected.

Pro Tip:

Spike Jonze once pitched a music video to Fatboy Slim by literally dancing out the concept. It worked. If you can make someone feel your idea in the room, you’re halfway there.

Hook Them Instantly

Your logline is everything. It’s the sentence they’ll remember. Imagine you only have five seconds to convince someone.

Example:
“A lone traveler crosses surreal dreamscapes, mirroring the song’s emotional highs and lows.”

If it’s vague, they’ll forget. If it’s too detailed, they’ll get lost. Find the sweet spot.

Build the Concept Like a Story

Think about the best music videos – they either tell a great story or create a world you can’t look away from. What’s yours doing?

• Performance-Based? Maybe it’s all about energy, movement, and style.

• Narrative-Driven? Tell a story in beats – intro, rise, climax, resolution.

• Abstract & Experimental? Give it a unique visual hook. Does the world bend? Does time loop? Does color shift?

What Makes It Stick?

Hype Williams once said, “I don’t just shoot music videos. I create environments.” That’s the difference. Your video should feel like a world someone can step into.

Visual Language: How Does It Feel?

A music video is a moving painting. So describe it like one. Instead of saying, “It’s cinematic,” say, “Every frame feels like a lost memory, washed in warm sunset tones, like the last day of summer.” Instead of “It’s high-energy,” say, “The camera never stops moving, whipping and crashing with the beat, like a visual heartbeat.”

Pro Tip:

Mood boards are your best friend. Use film stills, paintings, photography, even textures to show what words can’t.

Key Moments That Stay With You

Sketch out the major beats. What will people remember after they watch it? Maybe it’s the way light hits the artist in the first frame. Maybe it’s a shocking transition or a dance sequence that feels hypnotic. Find the moments that stick.

The Practical Side: Make It Real

A great pitch isn’t just creative – it’s also grounded in reality. You need to show you can actually pull it off.

• Budget: Big production or DIY grit? Be clear.

• Tech Needs: VFX? Drones? Analog film?

• Cast & Crew: Who do you need? Any special skills?

• Schedule: How long is the shoot? Any tricky setups?

Make Them Believe

The best pitches don’t feel like presentations. They feel like invitations. You’re bringing people into your world, making them feel it, breathe it, crave it. If they’re nodding, if they’re leaning in, if their eyes light up – you’ve already won.

Pro Tip:

Some of the best music video directors got their first gig by showing passion, not just experience. Directors like Melina Matsoukas and Daniel Wolfe started with bold, unique visions that made people stop and listen.

Final Thoughts

A great pitch isn’t just a document – it’s a performance. It’s the way you speak about your vision, the way you light up when you describe a scene, the way your excitement becomes contagious. Bring the energy, paint the picture, and make them feel like they’ve already seen the best music video of their lives – before you even hit record.