Music Video Production Los Angeles
A music video lives on streaming platforms and gets clipped for social long after release week. We handle production for directors, managers, and labels in Los Angeles: crew, locations, camera, edit, color, and the vertical cuts that go out with it.
Quick answer
Clouds Agency produces music videos in Los Angeles for directors, managers, labels and artists. A real person on our team runs the production: budget, crew, locations, call sheets, camera, edit and color. We deliver the master and the vertical cuts, and we can work with the director you already use.
Where music video shoots get stuck
- 01
The video looks cheaper than the record
A great song with thin lighting and a flat grade reads as an afterthought. Spend goes furthest on fewer setups with real lighting and a finished color pass.
- 02
No look carries between releases
Each video gets its own style, so the artist feed looks random. A steady grade, framing, and type treatment gives fans something to recognize.
- 03
The logistics pile up fast
Call sheets, locations, wardrobe, and a crew that moves quickly are easy to underestimate. A producer who has run these days keeps the schedule intact.
How We Help
What we handle on a music video
Full music video production
Producer, crew, camera, lighting, locations, and edit. We work with the director you bring or recommend one.
Vertical cuts for Instagram and TikTok
Reframed 9:16 versions and short clips, edited for the way people watch on a phone.
Artist EPK and behind-the-scenes
A second camera or a b-roll shooter on the day, edited into press and social material.
Color grading and finishing
A final color pass, cleanup, and delivery files for streaming platforms and social channels.
Hiring Checklist
What to ask when you hire for music video production
For managers and label staff comparing production partners. Each answer protects the schedule or the budget.
Who is the producer, and what is in the budget?
Ask for a line-item budget with a contingency line and a named person who approves overages. A good answer separates crew, gear, locations, talent, insurance and post, and explains each before shoot day.
How are locations permitted?
FilmLA coordinates permits for many Los Angeles area jurisdictions, and requirements differ by city. Private locations need a signed location agreement. A good answer names the permit path for each location and who applies.
What insurance is in place?
Locations and permit offices often ask for a certificate of insurance naming them. A good answer: they show a certificate on request and tell you who is listed on it. Ask your counsel what coverage your label requires.
Who is on camera, and what paperwork covers them?
Performers, dancers, extras and minors each have different paperwork. California has work permit rules for minors in entertainment. A good answer: releases for everyone, payroll sorted ahead, and union status checked early.
Are there special elements?
Drones, vehicles, fire, water or animals add approvals and crew. A good answer: they list these during treatment review and say what each adds to time and cost before you commit.
What counts as delivered, and how many revisions?
Delivery should be spelled out: master file, vertical versions, clean version, captions if needed. A good answer: revision rounds are fixed in the scope, with one consolidated set of notes per round.
Questions people ask
How many shoot days does a music video need?
It depends on the concept. One location and one look can fit in a day. Several looks, sets, or travel add days. We quote after reading the treatment.
Can you produce for our director?
Yes. We can run production for a director you already work with, or put one on the project if you need it.
Who handles music licensing and releases?
The artist or label owns the music, so licensing the track sits with you. We gather releases from people on camera and plan location permission. Samples and outside footage need clearance, so tell us early. We do not give legal advice.
What do we receive at delivery?
A master horizontal cut, vertical versions for social, and a clean version without text if you ask for one. We agree on the file specs before the edit starts.
How many rounds of revisions are included?
The number is set in the scope. We send a cut, you send one consolidated set of notes, and we revise. Extra rounds are discussed before we start them.
Do I need a film permit to shoot a music video in Los Angeles?
Usually if you film on public property or in places managed by a city, though rules vary by jurisdiction and by equipment such as drones. Private property often needs a location agreement instead. FilmLA publishes the process for its jurisdictions. Check with them early. General information, not legal advice.
What goes on a music video call sheet?
The date, call times for each department, shoot address with parking, contact numbers, the shot order, cast and crew lists, weather, the nearest hospital and any safety notes. It goes out the day before so everyone arrives knowing their time and place.
What file formats does a music video need at delivery?
That depends on where it goes. A common set is a high-quality master file, a compressed version for upload, vertical edits for social and sometimes a clean version without text. Distributors and platforms publish their own specs, so we confirm them before the edit starts.
Can minors appear in our music video?
They can, with extra steps. California requires an entertainment work permit and sets limits on hours for minors. Ask the California Labor Commissioner's office for current requirements, and tell us early so the schedule, set guardian and paperwork are planned. General information, not legal advice.
Related
A realistic, practical guide to producing a music video in Los Angeles. Budget ranges, crew requirements, location logistics, post-production workflow, and what separates good music videos from great ones.
A release plan for independent artists: which video assets to make, how to cut snippets, when to pitch on Spotify, and a six-week rollout calendar.
One full production day, properly planned, can produce 30 to 60 pieces of usable content across multiple formats and platforms. Here is how to structure the shoot and the post-production to maximize every hour.
Property walkthroughs, agent films
Music videos, lyric videos, EPKs
Brand films, testimonials, events