DENIZ'S MUSIC BUDGET &
COMPOSER'S FEE CHART
Don't let anyone fool you, this is tried and tested, the real deal!
IMPORTANT! THERE ARE GROUND RULES, PLease read carefully.
- Do not work for free if you can help it. Always bargain for something, anything, preferably something that is useful to your career - not dinner! 🙄
- Unless you are working on a game project or for a music library company, do not even think of charging by the minute. You're not a plumber, you're an artist.
- Please note that if you're working on a school project, the school might have rights to your music, so check with their official policy first.
PROCEDURE
1) Find out the accurate total budget of the film project. Ask the director/producer at the start, straight up. Please be aware that most film folks will not want you to know what that true figure is, some will outright lie or downplay their cost. Do not be so ready to believe them! Also make sure to factor in any donated time or equipment as part of the film’s total expenses. Just because a filmmaker actually spent $1000 total, does not mean that the actual value of the production was that - it’s much, much more. You need to know the actual functioning overall budget of the film if everyone were paid. Spend time doing your research, do your sleuthing, ask around.
2) Once you've determined the budget of the film project, determine what percentage of that figure you should ask, using the sliding scale below. Take it one line at a time, sliding it in your mind somewhere between 2% and 10%. Please note that if it's a small project, there will most likely be no profit sharing, even though they'll tell you otherwise. Also please note that an enormous film budget refers to a Hollywood blockbuster, at $100 million or more.
