Composing : Western remix score by Danielle Kaheaku

Danielle Kaheaku

Western remix score

Working on compiling the budget for a feature western - currently looking for quotes to compose the score. Need western remixed music, similar to Ennio Morricone - Ecstasy of Gold. Please reply with links to work and proposed budget needs. I need to put together the budget to submit to a few interested producers.

Matt Gates

indie films ought to budget around 5-20k for music.

Danielle Kaheaku

Thanks Matt, though that's quite a range. Is the higher end normally for music with vocals?

Matt Gates

live musicians do add to it, the size of the project comes into play on multiple levels. it might be easier to think of it in % of the budget. 5% for score is good in most cases.

Jeff McDonough

No - vocals have absolutely nothing to do with it. How much is the budget of your film and about how much music is going to needed? That is more the determining factor in cost. Plus who the composer is. A composer is going to be paid differently for a 50 million dollar film, then a 500k dollar film, then a 20k dollar film. Pay peanuts get monkeys. That is the Universal Rule. There are too many questions that need to be answered before you can get an answer. Scoring a film is not at all the same cost process as hiring production sound mixer or DP who gets a day rate. Is it an Orchestral score? If you're looking for someone to write Ennio Morricone type music then that answer is yes. Can you afford a live Union Orchestra for 2 or 3 days:? Can you afford one playing remotely in Budapest? Can you only afford to have the score completely played and recorded by the composer in his studio using state of the art orchestral sample instruments? Is it 10 minutes of music or an hour? Are you trying to make an entire film for 300k? Say goodbye to any Orchestra. Etc.

Danielle Kaheaku

Thanks guys for the info. This is probably the one area I'm having the most difficulty in budgeting for. I already have access to several cameras, trailers, booms, sound mixers, etc., and have several crew on hand that I've worked with before, but music for past films were always prerecorded songs purchased from indie bands or the like. I've never been directly involved in putting together or managing a new score for a film, and this is a learning process. I appreciate the insight, and will keep all this in mind. I assume one of the best ways to go about this would be to put together a plan of what I'm looking for, and then just submit my proposed score ideas/concepts to composers for quotes?

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