Film Score Composing Charges

[red1]

I have been asked to compose music for a 45min film. I don't know exactly how much of that will have music unfortunately so I can't give you that information.

For those of you that do this type of work, I was hoping for some ideas of what people charge. I know it varies but it would be useful to have some starting points to work from.

Thanks

[Jon Pierre]

You need to find out what type of budget their dealing with. Ask them nicely, "hey in order for me to give you a fair quote, I would need to know what type of budget you're dealing with specifically. I want to be fair and I definitely want the gig, so maybe you can level with me?"

That should get you the answer you want. If the budget is less than $1000 figure on getting 0-100. $1000-5000 budget then ask for 100-500 dollars. So on and so forth.

Hope that helps!

[drBill]

Seriously, it could be anywhere from you paying for expenses out of your pocket, to $200,000. Depending on who you are, what the project is, how much music there is, what the instrumentation is (orch vs. solo ac. gtr) etc. To give any degree of intelligent answer, you need more information.

[londontown]

...they had a line in their post budget for music. Minus song costs and bingo that's what you're going to get. Depends on how much of a fantasist the line producer or upm were in the first weeks of prep. You can ask for more, but you're unlikely
to get it.

If the money is crap ask to keep the publishing rights.

Features range from $1 to $1 million +

all about who you are and what you're worth to them. And how much the shoot went over budget. Which it did, and if they say it didn't they are lying!

[ruy]

in my experience, whoever gives the first number looses, ask them what their budget is and take it from there. i would recommend you split the budget in composer fee and production costs, so that you are better protected. always ask to keep the publishing rights, at least the writer's share.

[red1]

Thanks for the replies, most appreciated! Hopefully I will have more information about the project in the next day or two.

[Sunshy]

Roughly, I've been told 1 - 3% of the project budget: (e.g. if it was a one million dollar movie, they would have between 10k - 30k for music). But "whoever says a number first" sounds about right to me!

[sonnykeyes]

Originally Posted by red1

I was hoping for some ideas of what people charge.

A composer friend of mine used to say $1000/minute for scored music. Maybe this would give you a base line to get beaten down from..?

Sonny Keyes
Ricochet Audio
Toronto