Musicians: Your past credits means nothing to producers

[Blade_Jones]

Why do musicians slave themselves for FREE (or for peanuts) just to get their name on a credit roll?

I can tell you after having produced a movie that I could CARE LESS about what credits (if any) someone has. There's only 2 things I care about: 1) Is the song what I'm looking for and is the quality of the recording up to par, and 2) How cheaply can I license it for? Is it within my budget?

And if I'm looking for a composer to write music from scratch to fit my movie, it's the same thing; I'm looking for someone who writes great sounding music. If you have a nice credit roll that means nothing if your music sucks or your style doesn't fit. If you haven't written sh*t on any movie ever, but your music sounds great then I want you to be my film scorer.

Musicians should AT LEAST charge SOMETHING! If a producer can shell out $175 a day for a studio teacher or $75 to $125 a day for each crew person, then they will certainly find some $$ to pay you if they really like your music. If they can't then their movie is gonna look so "low budget" that you'd probably be embarrassed to be associated with it anyway.

Producers are getting away with paying nothing I think because musicians THINK that having a credit will somehow advance their career. I can tell you that unless your name is "Hans Zimmer" it doesn't make any difference. It's all about the song and the price.

 

[PositiveFuture]

I don't think it's so much about the credit roll but exposure. An extra ten thousand ears hearing their work can't hurt.

I see your point, a lot of them are slaving for nothing. That's supply and demand for you.

 

[Blade_Jones]

An extra ten thousand ears

These days more like a thousand

 

[Deniz Akbulut]

As a composer, I totally agree with you. If a composer doesn't charge anything, his music probably is worth nothing.
There are just too many composers offering music for free and even write free in capital letters in their post titles. If a director does not want OR can pay the composer, he probably doesn't know that the composer is as important as anybody else to make a great movie.
Credit entries are nice and important but it does mean nothing if the music and also the movie itself sucks so much, that it won't get any attention.

 

[directorik]

Why do musicians slave themselves for FREE (or for peanuts) just to get their name on a credit roll?

Some do it for the experience.

A composer who has not worked with a director on a feature
(or even a short) can gain valuable experience by doing so.

And if I'm looking for a composer to write music from scratch to fit my movie, it's the same thing; I'm looking for someone who writes great sounding music. If you have a nice credit roll that means nothing if your music sucks or your style doesn't fit. If you haven't written sh*t on any movie ever, but your music sounds great then I want you to be my film scorer.

I'm exactly the same. One way I find a composer who writes
great sounding music is to watch movies. If I really like the
score I will look at the credits and then contact that person. If
the music sucks I don't.

Another way I find composers is talking to musicians and listening
to composers who post on message boards. If they haven't written
for a movie but I like their music I will give them a shot. And very
I pay that inexperienced composer peanuts for their first credit. Then
I tell my fellow filmmakers about them and perhaps someone will
see their name on the credits in my movie, like their work and contact
them for another gig. Networking is an amazing way to get experience
and more work.

That's why composers work for FREE (or for peanuts) just to get their
name on a credit roll and the experience of scoring a movie.

 

[Papertwinproductions]

The importance lies within the experience, and not the credit. I know many, many composers, some paid, some not. All of who look upon "Credit", not as derogatory to their skill/craft, but purely a notch on their belt.

If a composer is in a position to be paid. Then be sure that they will. In the meantime, like the rest of us, they'll do whatever they think best to help their career.