- This topic is empty.
- Posts
Second Feature Productions is searching for a film composer to score a low-budget short film for the film festival circuit.
We won’t be able to pay you, as we are, as of now, an amateur production company. But if you are still in school and would like a few titles on your resume before you enter the market, this might be something to consider.
For more information, contact us at secondfeatureproductions@cox.net
By posting this add in here, we have a better chance of finding composers with good musical taste.
Nothing of any real signifigance yet.
We’ve made a few short films with friends for actors and stuff, but this would be our first serious project.
But we have been commissioned to produce an educational children’s show for a local cable channel, if that lends any credibility to us.
Christopher Shore
Do you have any information about the project? A script would be REALLY helpful on this. Also, I read that you can not pay but are you willing to cover the composers costs (such as shipping CDs and such)? In any case, good luck.
Knight (Wouldn’t it be cool to watch a Elfman Vs. Horner boxing match?)
I know this guy is just looking around, but I’m getting really tired of people not willing to pay anyone for original music. The thing that really gets me is that I score for movies and I’ve done the “low budget/ no pay” thing and it sucks!
You know why? They start to give deadlines, then they push them up, and then expect the composer to drop everything and hurry up for them. They start to pressure and want edits and then want the composer to re-score things… for no pay. I know money isn’t everything, but it helps and if I’m going to be pressured to give a product and use my time and energy to do so, I want something in return.
I’m on a film music e-mail/ e-group thing and 90% of the people coming in asking for original film music aren’t willing to pay for it. Do these people think that I spent my time, money, and sanity going to school just to write music to hand out free of charge? I’m still in school for composition and I’m not even half way done yet.
To do my scores I recently bought:
a Macintosh Dual 1.8 G5, 1 gig of RAM, and 160 gig HD= $3,000.
I then bought a MOTU soundcard= $700.
I use Emagic Logic Pro software= $900,
GPO software= $250
Korg Karma=$1,800
Novation Supernova 2= $2,000
and much more equipment that costed me a ton of cash and these people want me to do original compositions *FOR FREE*?!?!?!? Yeah, sure….I apologize about this, but it really gets to me when ppl do this. I had to vent.
The Cap
I understand what you are saying. But think of it this way: everyone else involved on the movie, the actors, writers, directors, cinematographers, and such, are not getting paid either. And we’ve dropped quite a bit of cash on equipment as well, understanding that we probably won’t make any money off this.
As for the pressure and the lines, this is an unavoidable part of low-budget filmmaking. Everyone involved has to understand that we are doing this for either the experience, or in hope of getting noticed and getting a job on a project that actually pays.
If you would like more information, respond via e-mail and I’ll send you more details about the project. But I’m not to comfortable sending scripts around the internet just yet.
We might be able to cover some minial composers cost, depending on the numbers we’re looking at. I consider music to be one of, possibly the, most important parts of a movie, so it’s something I might be willing to spend what little money we have on.
I’m just hoping the actors don’t get greedy and expect us to pay for meals or something.
CHRISTOPHER SHORE
Response to Captain Hook:
Ok Dude or Dudette, whichever, these guys have spent alot of money too an dthey probably aren’t going to get a paycheck as well. If they can get money from the festival in December then maybe everyone will get a portion or not. But as far as getting paid for a vbery low budget film…DUH, you should no that doesn’t happen. Beside sthere aren’t enough low budget films anymore and we need mroe of them, the true appreciation of the art they make is highly unrecognized now. So just please chill and realize that you are not the only one having to fork over money to make a dream come true. I am sorry you were gipped in the past but you move on and you build your credibility to find work that will pay you.
FFC
Hi Chris,
check out my website
http://web.onetel.com/~edwardtop1972
In response to ‘the Cap’ e-mail. I am also a trained composer. I have spent years studying. My concertmusic is performed alover the world, won prizes etc. However I want to be a film composer. I have also bought all that equipment. Since a year I live in London because the film industry is better there then in my native Holland. London has the highest rents in the world, It’s bloody expensive. All the money I make is spent on that one goal: writing music for film. I have done several short films, paid my own expenses, the occasional software, even instruments to fit the mood of the particular story. And you know what? That is the only way. There are millions of composers out there who have walked the same path. And you have to. Flexibillity and sacrifice are keywords. Studying filmcomposition sucks, the only thing it might get you is contacts, but real musical skills you learn from playing music and working up close with musicians. Writing film music after that you’ll only learn from working with starting film makers, communicating on the right level.
Cheers
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.