# Preproduction Start point for TV Composers ?



## Bropecia (Aug 16, 2018)

Hi everyone this is my first post I figure the noobs section is the right place. It looks like I will have my first TV composing gig starting sometime between September and November this year. When is the composer traditionally brought on? And is there a reduced rate pre-production pay (for a brand new series) in order to flesh out themes with the series creators? I believe principal photography begins in the middle of September. Thanks!


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## studiostuff (Aug 16, 2018)

Depends... It is definitely better to be brought on as early as possible if only to relationship-build with the creatives and producers. 

My experience is that the composer is paid for delivered work. Meaning, if you score a pre-production trailer, or contribute theme-song demos... I try to be paid for those deliverables. 

If it is the production company's idea to do a leitmotif approach to music/characters, I would ask for payment for the time spent doing that work... perhaps a fee for each character's theme demo, presented as demos in imagined emotional styles. 

However, if you're definitely under contract for 13 episodes or some contracted amount of work, those pre-production fees are harder to criticize if they are rolled into your fees for the total amount of your contract. 

The fine line is: you don't want to appear to be a chump and give away your time, yet you do want to be a cooperative team player. If you are not contracted for the series, definitely get paid as you do work for the production company. 

Definitely depends on your relationship with the prod co. 

I've had the good fortune to be "the guy" on some stuff, and also been canned for minor bulsht after a couple of episodes. 

As Dorothy says, "People come and go so quickly around here..."


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## Bropecia (Aug 16, 2018)

Got it. Thanks for taking the time, I appreciate it.


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