Unpaid work. At some point, we all do it. We are certainly always being buffeted with requests to do it, anyways! Let’s dig into this concept and discuss when it is(?!) a good idea to pursue!

Strap in, #gameaudio friends. We’re gonna figure out what is or isn’t exploitation! Basics, first. We all have rates, we all have expenses, and kind words don’t pay your bills. Obviously, receiving usable currency is often the ideal outcome for a gig. However, it isn’t the ONLY positive result. What are some examples of ways we can extract value?

Composers! Demo reel time. As an audio supervisor for Tencent, I get a TON of them every day, and have started to develop a lot of feelings about how said reels are shown. I wanna talk today about why I feel @ReelCrafter provides the best solution for this! Before I begin, let me note: this isn't a paid endorsement. They haven't asked me to do this whatsoever. However, I WILL share my referral code (first month free!) if you decide to try it out: enter this during the registration!

EBD3366

As, ever, @jessemyersmusic nails it! For a freelance soloist, you can expect this range to increase anywhere from $150 to $500. 3 hour minimums are common. If you're indie + offering a flat rate for a player, $200-$250 is usually a safe bet that most would accept.

https://twitter.com/jessemyersmusic/status/1514257563587600384

Don't forget, part doubling/multitracking/rearrangement could all add to the time and, thus, cost extra. When I hire @jeffthatnoise, I often expect my costs to double or even triple bc I'm not just hiring him to play one line; he's often an entire orchestra!

Composer ask: CHAOTIC RESPONSE EDITION

(thanks @matthewharnage and @RoPanuganti for making this). Starting off with 2, will do more if the likes demand it haha 1. I stared into the void, and the void stared back. It demanded jazz.

At the risk of sarcasm, I kinda feel like the history of AAA music is the proof you need to see the truth in the top statement. No one is out there saying Chrono Trigger just doesn't work anymore because it isn't live/has inaccurate VSTs by modern standards.

https://twitter.com/TheZackParrish/status/1485051071076646912

I disagree with the second half of it in that I don't even think people SAY real musicians aren't a valuable/essential part of it for relevant genres; musicians are easily as important as the notes you write, if you ask me. Maybe even more!

Ok, time for the big one. What are appropriate rates for #gameaudio/#gamedev composers? How do you calculate what to charge? What is everyone ELSE charging? What do the numbers look like in AAA, midcore, indie, and so on? Let's deep-dive. #GameDevPaidMe

(1/23) Sources: 1. I'm gonna be referencing stats from the Game Audio Industry survey by @GameSound. This is wonderful, but is biased in that respondents are folks who are well-enmeshed in this community. They are likely more successful than the average.
gamesoundcon.com/post/2019/09/1…

(2/23)

Friends in #gameaudio, I'd like to expand on this after a conversation with a composer buddy of mine. We talk about the importance of reels constantly without ever acknowledging that most of the best jobs don't actually consider reels whatsoever. (1/7)

https://twitter.com/MasonLieberman/status/1425266721829490691

What do I mean? Well, a reel serves a proof of concept for when you are pitching your services as a way of convincing someone else to hire you. However, many of the highest paying gigs (AAA etc) will tend to originate on the company end AKA they reach out to you. (2/7)