TG Omori music videos can cost over $100,000, with the director explaining how overseas filming, insurance and labour drive production costs higher
Nigerian music video director ThankGod Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, has revealed that some of his music video productions have cost more than $100,000, particularly projects filmed outside Nigeria.
Omori made the disclosure during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast published on YouTube on Wednesday, where he discussed the often-hidden costs involved in producing high-end music videos.
The director explained that filmmakers are generally cautious about disclosing production budgets because the cost of a project depends heavily on its concept, location and creative demands.
“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,” Omori said.
He added that revealing a budget could sometimes create the wrong impression about the value of a production or make the cost appear unnecessarily high to people unfamiliar with filmmaking.
For Omori, the concept ultimately determines how much a production requires.
“It always boils down to the concept that we’re trying to work on,” he said.
The filmmaker said productions filmed in the United States, particularly in cities such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles, tend to be significantly more expensive.
According to Omori, overseas shoots come with additional expenses including insurance, labour, equipment and hourly charges for production services.
“Most times if we’re shooting abroad, it’s actually more expensive,” he said.
“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.”
Omori said the combined expenses can push the cost of a single music video well beyond $100,000.
“At the end of the day, you’re paying in dollars, and sometimes it goes way above a hundred thousand dollars,” he said.
When asked whether he was referring to individual music videos costing more than $100,000, Omori replied, “Yeah, most times.”
The director also revealed that he has produced music videos in Nigeria with budgets of around $100,000, but said the economics of such productions can be more favourable when the work is carried out locally.
“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,” Omori said.
The difference, according to Omori, is that a similar budget spent abroad can be consumed largely by unavoidable production and service charges.
“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.
Omori also highlighted the role of Nigerian artisans in helping filmmakers achieve elaborate production designs without incurring some of the costs associated with overseas productions.
“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 said.
He said local craftsmen can produce quality work when directors provide clear creative direction and maintain close supervision throughout the process.
For Omori, however, the financial savings can come with a different cost.
“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,” he said.
The director explained that detailed supervision is often necessary when working with artisans to ensure that every aspect of a set or production design meets the intended vision.
“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,” Omori said.
“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 added.
Omori’s comments offer a behind-the-scenes look at the financial realities of producing elaborate music visuals, where the headline budget can cover far more than the director’s creative fee.
The figures also illustrate how location can dramatically affect production economics, with insurance, labour, equipment, permits and other operational expenses capable of consuming a substantial portion of an overseas budget.
For Nigerian filmmakers, Omori’s experience suggests that local production can offer significant creative and financial opportunities, provided directors are prepared to invest the time and supervision needed to translate ambitious ideas into finished work.
