So how much would YOU charge?!

[Danny Jay [Film Composer]]

Okay, so I have quite a lot of experience in composing music, I've won an award, I've been commented on by big name producers but one thing I'm not sure of is 'How much does a composer charge?'.

Only recently have production companies been emailing me asking "how much I charge", and I just don't know.

Do I charge per minute or just one fixed price?

If anyone want's to visit my website to listen to my music, please just send me a message. I don't want to seem like i'm promoting myself

 

[Brooksy]

I think you would charge per minute of song they needed composed. But then I think you would base that on how long it takes you to write a minute of music. So if it took you one day to write one minute of music then you would charge a full day rate. If it took you half that time then maybe two minutes is a day rate. Keep in mind I don't work in your area of the field and I am just spit balling here but maybe it will get others thinking and you can come up with a price. Keep in mind you want to get paid professionally for your work so do your best to charge professionally.

 

[Danny Jay [Film Composer]]

Thank you very much Brooksy, good bit of advice there.

I'll definitely bare that in mind.

 

[Randy Ericksen]

http://www.cutshawkane.net/id4.html

Chris ferree supplied some music for my last Film. These are their rates. I don't know how they compare to others

 

[PositiveFuture]

If you're not sure, just charge by the day and guaruntee you'll have the job finished in a certain number of days.

 

[Alcove Audio]

How much to charge is going to depend upon a number of factors. It is especially difficult in the current economic environment. Over-charge and you won't get any work, under-charge and you can't make a living.

As an audio post guy I offer a range of prices from the basic "Fix & Mix" to the full treatment. It is based on a sliding hourly rate. A feature can keep me busy for months, a short can take only a few hours. Added to my fee will be expenses - the cost of field recording trips, expendables, hiring voice and Foley artists, etc.; these usually require client approval. There are other stipulations in the contract; a separate rate for re-syncs (if they decide to re-edit the film) and delay fees, for example.

As you are composing you may want to split up your fee system; a flat fee for the actual composition and another set of fees (hourly) for the performance/recording of the score. Add in additional fees for rewrites and re-orchestrations. And remember to, of course, charge for OoP expenses like musicians, recording studio time, etc. And don't forget about hard deadlines; never do anything open-ended.

 

[AlistairF]

Hey Danny,
I dont really know how the film industry works but I agree with Brooksy there. In my line (composing for artists) I usually charge depending on how long I think it will take me to compose a particular piece of music.. usually my time goes a bit over or under but I guess that's the nature of these things.

 

[Ches Jefferson]

Check out a book called the Reel World by Jeff Rona - lots of useful advice about fees etc in there. I'll try and summarise a bit of what I can remember from the book.

Easiest way to do it would be to approach an agent and let them handle it for you. You'd lose about 12-15% but in the long run they could help you get more projects with bigger names and production companies.

If you don't want to go that route, find out from the production company what the music budget for the film is and go from there. If it could be a breakthrough opportunity then be prepared to potentially lose money to get the best possible result for the project.

If they haven't set a music budget, suggest having a free spotting session with the director to find out just how much music is likely to be required (rough estimate) and then plan a budget from there. You (as the composer) generally have to cover all costs (musicians union fees, studio fees, mixers, engineers, conductors, orchestrators etc.) involved in creating the finished product so these need to be set out in your budget. From there you can add on however much else you think is reasonable for yourself.

It varies massively but if for example you created a completely synthesised score, you would probably have a smaller budget but more of it would actually end up in your pocket. All depends how/if at all greedy you want to be.

Hope I've helped! Good luck!