# 7-10 mill budgeted film - what to charge for the score?



## Rob Elliott (Oct 26, 2016)

I have been away from the 'indie film' game for over a year - mostly doing TV now (just got burned out working that hard on indies for so little and the fact that projects just haven't gotten me excited.) Now I have a client that has confirmed 'at least a 7 mill budget' (with hopes to up that to 10) on a film that has me VERY interested. 

My question is what to charge for 'composer fee'. I am hoping to exclude any live recordings in my fee to them (with this film, live recordings should be limited to 'soloists' - which I can do in my studio.)

I would consider this the upper range of the indie film game and just not sure what to charge (1.5%, 3% of budget, ??). Advice? Experience? It's a good client that sees both value in the 'right' score and likes what I have done for them in the past. I don't want to get greedy - just want to make the 2 months of sleeplessness be worth it.


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## NDRU (Oct 26, 2016)

Ask what is his budget for the music? what is his vision? No greed about it..... (Get back to me)


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## NDRU (Oct 26, 2016)

Maybe let's not talk about percentage. Follow the unconventional method.. Give him an estimate quote of your composing fees, average $600-$1300/min?? Depending on the instrumentation, what can be achieved with the $600/min, $800/min, $1000/min.. like Tier/quality of sound. Giving him the impression, the budget for music will impact the end product. Since he's already interested in putting original music for the film, he will definitely care about having this discussion. Just be honest.


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## Coldsound (Oct 26, 2016)

May be you can have a look at "the Village" budget (  ). Doing the Math will be easy as it is a factor 10 from your movie and it will give you a clue of what to ask. In the US it tends to be at least 3% of the budget (up to 5) but in europe it's more around 0,5% ...


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## d.healey (Oct 26, 2016)

Mike Verta advises in one of his classes to simply ask them what they budgeted for the music when they were getting financing for the film.


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## Rob Elliott (Oct 26, 2016)

anbg90 said:


> Ask what is his budget for the music? what is his vision? No greed about it..... (Get back to me)


For sure - even if I have a number in mind - I always ask FIRST where they set the music budget for many months before they even talked to me. Sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised - but mostly they are lower than scope and vision. We'll see in a few days.


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## Rob Elliott (Oct 26, 2016)

anbg90 said:


> Maybe let's not talk about percentage. Follow the unconventional method.. Give him an estimate quote of your composing fees, average $600-$1300/min?? Depending on the instrumentation, what can be achieved with the $600/min, $800/min, $1000/min.. like Tier/quality of sound. Giving him the impression, the budget for music will impact the end product. Since he's already interested in putting original music for the film, he will definitely care about having this discussion. Just be honest.


Yea - it is what I like about this Producer. He's a good AND honest business man (who just happens to make films as his business.) He believes you get what you pay for. I won't retire on this film but I am expecting a solid and fair budget estimate.


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## IvanP (Oct 27, 2016)

Coldsound said:


> May be you can have a look at "the Village" budget (  ). Doing the Math will be easy as it is a factor 10 from your movie and it will give you a clue of what to ask. In the US it tends to be at least 3% of the budget (up to 5) but in europe it's more around 0,5% ...




Am I missing something or JNH was only paid travel and hotel expenses? I can't find his composing fee anywhere...


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## d.healey (Oct 27, 2016)

IvanP said:


> Am I missing something or JNH was only paid travel and hotel expenses? I can't find his composing fee anywhere...


Looked the same to me too


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## Daryl (Oct 27, 2016)

Rob Elliott said:


> For sure - even if I have a number in mind - I always ask FIRST where they set the music budget for many months before they even talked to me. Sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised - but mostly they are lower than scope and vision. We'll see in a few days.


I would try to get two budgets. One for the composing fee and one for the music production costs. It also depends on who owns the music Publishing afterwards.


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## Rob Elliott (Oct 27, 2016)

Thanks Daryl - good advice.


IvanP - perhaps he took just 'back-end' points?


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## IvanP (Oct 27, 2016)

Rob Elliott said:


> Thanks Daryl - good advice.
> 
> 
> IvanP - perhaps he took just 'back-end' points?



Well...that would be a HUGE bet to put your wages in back end only...you have to pay out of your pocket your assistants, orchestrators, mockupists, etc...that can be pretty big at the end of the day.

In case of boxoffice flop, you lose everything. I'm sure JNH can handle it...BUT, my point is that if this is the common procedure for AAA composers in the blockbuster venue...we're definitely screwed big time while we wait for our AAA license to come.

Still...even more scary...is that they spent 50.000 bucks on Wrap Party but no money for the composer?? On a 70 million feature?


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## clisma (Oct 27, 2016)

1,3 mil, guys. That was just JNH's fee.


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## IvanP (Oct 27, 2016)

clisma said:


> 1,3 mil, guys. That was just JNH's fee.



Where did you find it? I looked a couple of times, didn't find it nowhere


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## clisma (Oct 27, 2016)

Page 069, bottom 3rd of the page, under the header MUSIC, first item. Also a good read in regards to the rest of the team.


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## Rob Elliott (Oct 27, 2016)

IvanP said:


> Well...that would be a HUGE bet to put your wages in back end only...you have to pay out of your pocket your assistants, orchestrators, mockupists, etc...that can be pretty big at the end of the day.
> 
> In case of boxoffice flop, you lose everything. I'm sure JNH can handle it...BUT, my point is that if this is the common procedure for AAA composers in the blockbuster venue...we're definitely screwed big time while we wait for our AAA license to come.
> 
> Still...even more scary...is that they spent 50.000 bucks on Wrap Party but no money for the composer?? On a 70 million feature?


agreed but didn't the composer for Guardians of the Galaxy take that deal? (Tyler?)


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## IvanP (Oct 27, 2016)

Rob Elliott said:


> agreed but didn't the composer for Guardians of the Galaxy take that deal? (Tyler?)



dunno about Tyler, maybe they weren't very happy with their last marvel stuff and he offered himself for free...

I know personally, at least one AAA composer who told me he got very well paid on a recent franchise, so, afaik, composers are still getting paid!


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## IvanP (Oct 27, 2016)

clisma said:


> Page 069, bottom 3rd of the page, under the header MUSIC, first item. Also a good read in regards to the rest of the team.


Thank you, couldn't see the bottom part on the browser.


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