The music video for Run The World (Girls) is directed by Francis Lawrence.
Beyoncé worked with 8 choreographers including Frank Gatson and Sheryl Murakami. The executive producer was Missy Galanida.
Filming took place in the Mojave Desert and Inglewood, California. Images from the Mojave shoot were leaked on internet on April 12, 2011, showing Beyoncé standing in a smoky, post-apocalyptic war zone, wearing a gladiator outfit and a gold crown, and waving a red flag with a "B" logo. She was surrounded by dancers in brightly colored skirts, black military-style jackets and peaked caps.
Other images showed an army of women posing against a ravaged car with the word "Révolution" sprayed on it. Posters of Knowles' face are seen behind the women.
On April 13, more images were leaked. They were showing Beyoncé standing on sand wearing a bright yellow dress, black knee-high boots and gloves.
On April 20, 2011, a teaser for the music video was released on Beyoncé's official website which described the video as a "B Revolution". It opened with dawn breaking behind a barbed-wire fence, cutting to the word "Révolution" painted in red on a broken-down car. Beyoncé then appeared riding a black horse.
The official music video was filmed between April 11 and April 13, 2011.
The producers hired 242 dancers, Mozambican kwaito dance group Tofo Tofo and French duo Les Twins to appear in the video. Tofo Tofo taught Beyoncé native dance moves for the video's routine.
Chart ranking
The single reached number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It reached the Top Ten in Australia, Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, and South Korea, and it was a Top Twenty hit in Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Three days after its release to digital download outlets, the single debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 18 on April 24, 2011. One week later it had risen to number 11 and debuted at number five on the R&B chart. The song descended the chart for five consecutive weeks to number 45 before rising again to number 23 on the singles chart and from number 12 to 6 on the R&B chart.
In Ireland, the single debuted at number 11 on April 28, the highest chart entry that week. In France, the song debuted at number 33 and peaked at number 12 on the first of May.
The song entered the Australian Singles Chart at number 12 as the highest new entry that week and at number 6 on its Urban chart. One day later, it debuted at number 21 in New Zealand, where it was the highest new entry that week. The song declined in the charts in Australia and New Zealand. However, after the release of its music video, the single rose from number 42 to number 15 on the ARIA Singles Chart and peaked at number 4 on its Urban chart on May 30.
Run The World (Girls) debuted on May 7, 2011, at number 23 on the US Hot Digital Songs chart with 77,000 downloads sold. The song also debuted at position 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and debuted at number 65 on the Radio Songs chart with 18 million listener impressions the same week. For the same issue date, it was the highest debut on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, opening at number 41. It was the highest debut starting at number 37 on the US Pop Songs chart issue dated May 21. For the same week ending, the song continued to descend the Hot 100 chart to number 65. A week later, the single debuted at number 43 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart, becoming Beyonce's' nineteenth solo entry on that chart. The same week, the single fell to number 76 on the Hot 100 chart. After descending the Hot 100 chart for four consecutive weeks, the single recovered 26 places, moving from number 76 to number 50 for the week ending June 4, promoted by the song's re-entry on the Hot Digital Songs chart at number 44 after the video's release.The following week, the single escalated to number 29 on the Hot 100 chart, which was its peak. The song peaked at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart issue dated July 9.
As of June 29, 2011, Run The World (Girls) had sold 424,000 downloads. On July 29, 2011, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for having sold of over half a million digital copies.
Awards and nominations
On July 20, 2011, the music video received three nominations at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards in the categories; Best Female Video, Best Choreography, and Best Cinematography.
It won the Best Choreography category.
On September 19, 2011, the music video was nominated for the 'Best Video' award at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.
On October 20, 2011, the music video received a nomination for 'Best Dance Performance' at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards.
The music video is also nominated for 'Favorite Music Video' at the 2012 People's Choice Awards.
