[Fmpro] Turning Down Work

[Les Hurdle]

How rude Pete.

I see on average 6-8 movies per month........... many of the scores are 
same old crap.
Same goes for TV.

There are some Library Composers I know who can write rings around even 
the Hollywood A list, but they choose to write Library.
So let's not start dinging product........ to do so strengthens the 
division between the perceived 'value' of music by PRO's  e.g Song $1, 
'score $0.20 per min., Jingle $0.03

My concern over the business practices mentioned is the fact writers 
work for companies, Scripps is a great example, where the writer 
assists in the removal of all composer rights, the writer then joins 
the regular work force and complains about loss of rights, $$'s etc.

Have the words of Mr Northam and Mr Holden fallen on deaf ears this 
past few years?>

Les

On Aug 6, 2006, at 8:22 PM, Pete wrote:
>  If the house
> (show) is in a bad neighborhood (History Channel),
> they might just use the old kitchen cabinets with some
> fresh paint (library music). They know you would put
> in a fantastic new kitchen (score), but the profit
> margin is low with this house, so they'll stick with
> the old cabinets. Of course if you want to put in a
> hot new kitchen for the same price as refinishing the
> old cabinets, they'd be all to happy to give you the
> job.
>
> Hopefully, when it comes time to put a new kitchen in
> a billion dollar mansion (hit show), they'll remember
> your work and pay you what you deserve.
>
> Best,
> P e t e
> S u r d o v a l
>
> --- Merritt Music Productions <chris at merrittmusic.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Glad to hear the expo went well!  Thought you guys
>> might like this.  I
>> turned down a $5k job last week.  Here's why:
>>
>> Last year I did a History Channel show for this
>> production company.  It's a
>> company I really wanted to work with so I did it for
>> less than normal -
>> $3,500.  I was thinking it would be the start of a
>> long relationship and
>> all, you know the drill.
>>
>> Anyway, the music turned out great.  I'm not saying
>> this to brag, I mean to
>> prove a point here.  I have a top of the line setup
>> with all the major
>> samples and such, but I also played real cello,
>> violin, flutes, guitars,
>> drums and so on.  It was a real work of art in some
>> places; they were
>> amazed, and loved it.  I told them my price was that
>> low ONLY for this first
>> project.
>>
>> After some time of not getting any more work from
>> them, I realized: they
>> don't really care about the quality.  Now that
>> they've had a show composed
>> for $3,500, which is not the cheapest they've had,
>> they don't want to pay
>> any more.  No matter what.
>>
>> But it gets better:
>>
>> They called me last week and said the usual:  they
>> LOVED my work and really
>> wanted me to do some more for them.  Great!  We
>> talked about the show and
>> the musical needs and I determined that I would
>> still cut them a break.  I
>> have a minimum of $5k.  That means that I normally
>> don't do any type of
>> project unless it pays at least $5k.  So I told them
>> I would do it for $6k.
>> A steal in my opinion for any real composer.
>>
>> He emailed me back saying that they only had $5k in
>> the budget (b.s.) and
>> that it must be the SAME contract as our earlier
>> project together.  I asked
>> for him to send me the contract from the last
>> project because I was out of
>> state.
>>
>> Turns out the earlier one was a pure Work-for-hire,
>> granting the writer's
>> share back to me.  These are the types of deals you
>> have to look out for
>> nowadays.  This production company is making THEIR
>> OWN music library from
>> composers who have scored their shows!  He told me
>> this directly.  So when
>> you score for them, they are REUSING your music as
>> much as they want without
>> paying!
>>
>> I told them I would still do it, though.  $5k for
>> non-exclusive licensing
>> and NOT work for hire, or $10k for pure work for
>> hire.
>>
>> They haven't called back......
>>
>> Moral - Composers should make EVERY deal be
>> non-exclusive licensing ONLY
>> (huge projects could be different)
>>
>> NEVER do a work for hire!
>>
>> Hope everyone is well.  I'll keep ya'll posted!
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> Merritt Music Productions
>> 9701 Clearwater Drive
>> Knoxville, TN 37923
>> merrittmusic.com
>> 865-357-5473
>>
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