FILM
Film and television composers must be capable of organizing every aspect of production and providing finished tapes on very tight schedules. Composer must think carefully about what future their work may have, because the initial fee varies considerably depending on what rights the composer retains to income from the music. Money received up front may not be as important as retaining copyright ownership, for instance, or the exposure a project will bring. What follows is only an outline of general practice in a complex field. Prospective film and television composers should consult colleagues for
more detail, and engage an experienced entertainment lawyer or agent in negotiating with studios and producers.
Composer’s fee can be either a negotiated figure or part of a “package”—that is, the portion of the music budget remaining after paying musicians, producing a soundtrack, and buying rights to existing music. Music budgets range from 1% to 10% (usually 3-5%) of overall budget, amounting to $1,000-$1,000,000 depending on the kind of film. In studio films, composer works “for hire” as producer “buys out” all rights to music. With independent films and documentaries composer can often negotiate certain rights in exchange for a lower fee. Credits as performer, orchestrator, and leader allow composer to receive a package of benefits through the American Federation of Musicians. Screenings in the United States do not produce composer royalties, but for broadcast on television and screenings abroad, the performing rights
societies collect licensing fees for their member composers-—which can amount to a considerable income if composer has retained publishing rights.
The following ranges indicate typical net composer fees, depending on film budget, rights retained, and composer’s prestige. A composer seeking exposure may accept less.
Major Studio Film $50,000-300,000
Independent Film $5,000-125,000
Documentary $2,000-30,000
TV Film $15,000-75,000
Film and Broadcast Music
TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
As in film, composer’s fee is usually negotiated as part of a “package”—the portion of the music budget remaining after paying musicians, producing a soundtrack, and buying the rights to music. Performing rights societies pay composer royalties on “performances” (broadcasts)—more for networks and cable, less for public television. Credits as performer, orchestrator, and leader allow composer to receive a package of benefits through the American Federation of Musicians.
The following ranges represent what a composer typically nets. A composer seeking exposure may accept less.
Television
Network Cable Public
30-minute series episode
$2,000-6,000 $1,500-3,000 $1,250-2,500
60-minute series episode
$8,000-25,000 $4,000-8,000 $3,000-5,000
Commercials and Logos
Music production houses employ composers “for hire” and hold all rights to their music. Many composers now function independently in order to retain their rights. Composer’s Creative Fee is 25-50% of the overall music budget. Performing rights societies do not effectively log broadcast of commercials, so composer’s future income depends on royalties as composer, paid by producer or broadcaster and American Federation of Musicians recording payment as performer, arranger, or leader. The longer the musical content is likely to be used in one version, the higher the Creative Fee should
be. The following ranges represent what a composer typically nets. A composer seeking exposure may accept less.
Regional Commercial $1,000-6,000
National Commercial $3,000-25,000
Logo (Corporate/Product Identity) $5,000-50,000
Industrial Film $3,000-15,000
[\quote]
