# Does a mixer need to be credited?



## RandomComposer (May 11, 2018)

If I compose a film soundtrack and produce it myself, but have it mixed by someone else, would the person who mixed it need to be credited in the film credits?


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## NoamL (May 11, 2018)

That is one of the most important credits you should be fighting for!

Composer, mixer, orchestrator, additional composer... without them there would be no score.


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## AlexRuger (May 11, 2018)

Yes, of course. Though it often isn't due to political reasons, we should all strive for credit to simply be a historical record of who did what.


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## tmhuud (May 11, 2018)

It’s up to YOU to fight for your team. It’s the right thing to do.


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## RiffWraith (May 11, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> If I compose a film soundtrack and produce it myself, but have it mixed by someone else, would the person who mixed it need to be credited in the film credits?



Depends. Where do you live? I can't speak for other jurisdictions, but in the USA, the presence of credits are adjudicated by guilds and unions. If this is a union job, which means the score mixer would be a union/guild member, I am pretty sure that there is a requirement to list the score mixer. If it is not a union job, that requirement does not exist, however, giving credit to those who worked on the film is the right thing to do.

Cheers.


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## JonAdamich (May 11, 2018)

Ethically, yes.


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## jcrosby (May 12, 2018)

Agree... the post team typically do tons of heavy lifting, typically with little glory... Personally, I couldn't live with not crediting someone I worked with as long as they did a solid job...

And considering I do all my own mixing and mastering then ask yourself this... Why bring them in? (Probably because you feel your sound skills aren't on their level ...) So why deprive them of credit where credits due if you feel your own mix isn't worthy of one?...

A rising tide lifts all boats...


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## fretti (May 12, 2018)

Don't know if you need to, but if they put in a lot of work they will appreciate (to say the least) when you do that and honor their work they've done with and for you. Can say that from Pixomondo (so Visual FX) where the people who've done the most work for a project were really happy and satisfied when they saw that they were listed in the movie/tv credits. Gives them really a boost when they see that their work is appreciated and valued by others.


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## Tfis (May 12, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> If I compose a film soundtrack and produce it myself, but have it mixed by someone else, would the person who mixed it need to be credited in the film credits?


Was he paid by you or your customer?


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## Heinigoldstein (May 12, 2018)

Tfis said:


> Was he paid by you or your customer?


It's just a matter of respect, that everybody gets credit for the work he did. No matter if or by whom he got paid and if it would be legal to do not.


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## RandomComposer (May 12, 2018)

Tfis said:


> Was he paid by you or your customer?


None of us are getting paid for this (not even the customer), it's just a side-project for submitting to film festivals.

Just to put this all into context, the film and soundtrack have all been completed (including mixing by myself), although there is no way to go back and add further credits into the credit roll of the film. I've been strongly considering getting someone else to mix it with a fresh pair of ears and re-upload it on Vimeo with the new mix, but won't be able to do so if it needs to be credited in the film as the film content itself can't be changed.


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## Dr.Quest (May 12, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> None of us are getting paid for this (not even the customer), it's just a side-project for submitting to film festivals.
> 
> Just to put this all into context, the film and soundtrack have all been completed (including mixing by myself), although there is no way to go back and add further credits into the credit roll of the film. I've been strongly considering getting someone else to mix it with a fresh pair of ears and re-upload it on Vimeo with the new mix, but won't be able to do so if it needs to be credited in the film as the film content itself can't be changed.


You could at least credit him/her on the Vimeo page about the film.


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## RandomComposer (May 12, 2018)

Dr.Quest said:


> You could at least credit him/her on the Vimeo page about the film.


Yeah I might do that, my main concern though is film festival showings.


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## Tfis (May 12, 2018)

At least you owe him a favor.


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## Living Fossil (May 12, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> If I compose a film soundtrack and produce it myself, but have it mixed by someone else, would the person who mixed it need to be credited in the film credits?



Yes, of course.
For me, it's always important to have people credited in films who have helped me.
Musicians, score mixers etc. are credited by their functions.
People who contributed in other ways (etc. by being inspirational etc.) get mentioned in the "Thanks to..." category.

Life is giving and taking, and it should be normal to be thankful to those who contribute...


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## dariusofwest (May 13, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> If I compose a film soundtrack and produce it myself, but have it mixed by someone else, would the person who mixed it need to be credited in the film credits?



Of course ^_^


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## d.healey (May 13, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> there is no way to go back and add further credits into the credit roll of the film.


Were the credits shot on film?


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## X-Bassist (May 13, 2018)

If you’re going for a remix and it’s not a union job and you really can’t add his credit...

Simply tell him the circumstances BEFORE he does the job. Leave it to the mixer to decide to do it anyway or pass. I assume you would pay the mixer something (otherwise he is doing free uncredited work, so... what are you giving him in return for him mixing time?).

Many people make the mistake of not mentioning this stuff before the mix, but it is the right thing to do. Many mixers I know would still do it, but it helps to have a choice before you start working.

Just think of it as if it was you and a filmmaker was asking the same question to you as a composer. Treat other people in the way that you would like to be treated. Cheers.


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## Scoremixer (May 13, 2018)

Look, it's nice to be credited, but shit happens. Pay someone for their work, do what you can in terms of getting them recognition but otherwise don't stress about it. We've all done things (often very long, taxing things) and received no credit for them... And then you'll do other things that are super easy and the credits will be meticulously collated and attributed... such is life.

A colleague of mine once mixed the whole score for a film, and took a new date to the cinema to see it... Waited through the whole credit roller (music team credits are normally right towards the end, behind the 3rd assistant accountant and just above the American Humane Association logo...) only to find the music mix attributed to a completely different engineer from a different studio who had never laid a hand on the project!


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## JohnG (May 13, 2018)

Best to email everyone who helped so each person can give you the wording he / she wants for credits, and to find out if there is any union issue for that person. Typically it's up to the producers whether or not those credits get included. Usually they are happy to do so if they get them in time.

I like for people to get credit.


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## bryla (May 16, 2018)

One film I worked on the first thing they asked me for – before I did any work – was how I wanted to be credited, because they closed credits in a couple of hours.

On the other hand I have arranged and orchestrated for quite a few albums where it turned out that I was the only one not credited on the cover. Whether it is added in an online database afterwards or not is somewhat useless since my name is not attached to the product.


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## gregh (May 16, 2018)

Glory is infinitely divisible 
One of the issues I have found working with visual artists is the attribution of credit. Typically the gallery world sees the artist as doing everything even when their contribution was to come up with an idea for other people to execute (with feedback / changes etc - like a design process). For example I have made videos with artists where I have complete control and authorship of the sound yet get no credit at all in the exhibition - even when the artist says to give me credit! Galleries can be very conservative and still labour under the idea of the genius sole artist. Also I think the market is similarly conservative and wanting sole authorship to make assessing market value and future worth easier. Artists are generally not the problem here, it is more a systemic organisational industry "habit". The artist I am working with at the moment is great, as is the gallery we are showing at in June, so this is not a universal problem fixed for all time.


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## esafoster (May 17, 2018)

I am pretty sure you can still add him to IMDB as uncredited. Just let your collaborators know that’s what you are doing it so they do challenge.


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