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This depends on if you're a good composer or a crummy composer. It depends on the score as well as business intentions. Some scores called "fillers" are what James Horner can do quick and cheap, he doesn't ask for much, but he does a wonderful job. Unless your work is genius and virtually expansive in contrast to the feature film, you shouldn't deserve more than 5% of the gross.
The film "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" for example was nothing without the John Williams score. Usually the ends don't justify the means. Because there was much effort put into the movie by everyone else but Williams, he could not recieve the real worth of his score by Spielberg's stamp or the production agency until the CDs (soundtracks) were sold. Films are more of a gateway for aspiring composers, and it's wrong to ask for too much even if you think you're the only one available capable to score the film to what you consider accomplished. There are much better composers out there composing for movies you only wish you had the chance on because they know how to work their way in and out of any situation without attracting too much negative attention to themselves. The real money makers are the ones with the natural talent of course.
Good film composers are like kings. They're respected by most, but they can't change the laws of the world. If I'm working on a video game with a team of three and I'm one of the three designers as well as the music composer, I still take in 33% of the web gross. But for major projects with hundreds in the crew, it's more of a talent contest.
In an extremely priceless case, my partner/movie director is giving me way more money than I deserve when his feature films are completely developed and in theatres across the globe, and this is mainly because my music has had an ongoing impact on the films and his writing and directing work throughout a large time in the industry and even before then. We are worth so much to each other, and even though I only write the music, I am like the second director because of the imagery and company I influence him with. We invested in each other because we recognized talent, intelligence, and loyalty. Sorry that I'm not giving you more information on my director and me; I'm keeping the details in serenity for personal benefit.
So this being said, you have to be a friend and not only a musician if you wish to earn your deserved salary in today's world, and it's been this way for a long time, so it's not bound to change soon unless you're the next Beethoven figuratively speaking. I can't say I'm one to show the disloyalty of Beethoven even if I have various musical talents such as he had. I'd rather be as selfless as I can be to where I will help the movie develop gracefully. I'm only speaking in figures here, as I'm generally stating that you have to put up a firm fecade of a casual businessman.
It helps to build your profile if you compose for movies you love. Jerry Goldsmith had a major problem with this aspect, and lack of love and care toward the unscored movie rather than the score itself is generally why his scored movies didn't gain much recognition. He was too much of a hothead in my opinion.
So personality factors play a big role in the film world (Spielberg/Williams or my director/me). Talent, business intentions, and most importantly the score itself are other roles of soundtrack gross.
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Mar 28 2008, 6:09 AM
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