How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Film Composer?

Historically, cinematic music budgets can be up to a million USD, and 1 to 10% of the movie’s budget. Although filmmakers know the value of the film score, their way of managing time and money often makes it hard, or even unrealistic for the musician to make his best. It is usually a stage of post-production when the media composer is hired, and he is expected to create a masterpiece under hectic time stress.

High expectations can sometimes be impossible since the creative process requires time and peace instead of rushing. And there is often great compromise with the music quality. That’s why the film composer should be hired at the earliest stage of the cinematic process possible. Preferably during the preproduction so that he/she may dive into the movie and the director’s idea. It’s a pity, the business reality brings filmmakers under budget, as a rule, and time appears to be the biggest luxury.

What impacts the price of soundtrack:

1. Style of the music you need.
2. How long soundtrack should be.
3. Music arrangement.
4. Music mixing.
5. Mastering the soundtrack 

Each of this will have its own cost that is summed up at the end. You have to understand what results do you expect, for a long lasting effect of your film you will have to pay a certain price.

How to keep the music budget down?

• Licensing instead of buying the music altogether. For a large cinema project, the choice of hiring a composer is natural. He will get his part of royalties, while the music will be owned by a film production company. In the case of the permanent license, the music is in the project forever.
• Relevant expectations are good for your budget. Film composers can write a piece of music for an entire orchestra, but you should be lucky with an unlimited budget for that. Just adding a romantic solo flute or a dramatic piano on top of a sampled orchestra may be a wonderful solution as our ears tend to be attracted by a “live” instrument. Besides, modern samples are recorded with a premium quality that contributes to film excellence, and modern composers are universal being able to work in various styles. Let`s not forget that different popular music tracks are great for creating an association to the time. Beautiful electronic music tracks are easier to create so it also helps the cinema project budget.