480 put all one's eggs in one basket
George Strand.
Renly knew very little about him. He had never asked about George's personal situation, nor had he ever learned about George's past deeds. He only knew that George was a producer who had created many brilliance, but later he felt that Frustrated, he chose to retire; George's persistence and focus on music were as hot and surging as a moth flying into a flame, and Lan Li resigned..
Renly admired George because in him, Renly saw the madness and passion that spent his whole life devoted to his dream career..
George is not a young man who has just stepped out of the society, relying only on his passion, eager to realize his self-worth, and eager to pursue the dream of freedom; he is over sixty years old, has experienced countless trials and vicissitudes, but still maintains an innocent heart. Completely burning his life and dedicating his whole life to the music career he loves.
Such craftsmen are awe-inspiring.
Even Renly dare not say that thirty years later, he can still maintain his passion for acting as he is now. A lifetime commitment is too far away and too heavy..
Renly had already felt George's sincerity when he decided to make this album. "It's all about music." This was George's promise. Put aside commercial considerations and market demands, and truly return to the music itself. , to produce a pure, simple and sincere album.
But when he actually heard Matthew say the terms of the contract, Renly's heart was still in turmoil. George almost handed over all the decision-making power in artistic creation to Renly; or in other words, he gave Renly enough rights. , to protect his own creation, which is equivalent to giving Renly the right to create an album based on his own ideas..
In the film field, this is completely impossible, because the producer is the supreme being of the entire crew and has the decisive veto power; however, in the music field, the singer is the soul of the entire album. This gives the singer the final say, but not everyone can have this right..
Even singers at the level of kings and queens like Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Bruno Mars have been in the industry for many years. After that, when you have a solid fan base and your artistic style is affirmed, the record company will be willing to delegate power. Otherwise, the record company will still have the final say..
Now, George has boldly handed over all the rights to the fledgling Renly. Such courage, determination, and determination are not only amazing, but even more admirable. Compared with the "crazy love" Drake-Do Remus, George's desperate move is even more powerful, it's hard not to be moved by it.
Renly recalled today's exchange. The two of them just had a simple conversation without discussing too much details. Who would have thought that hidden behind that understatement, there was such earth-shattering content..
Holding the lemonade in his hand, Renly was in a trance for a moment..
Matthew’s understanding of the entertainment industry is infinitely close to zero, but as a lawyer and an ordinary person, he also understands the significance of this contract. He couldn’t help but slightly twitching the corner of his mouth, and joked, “If I hadn’t known you, I would assume that you got this contract through unspoken rules, and that it was a Sugar-Daddy kind of thing..”
There was also a smile in Renly's eyes, and he replied calmly, "A sugar daddy can get such a contract, this deal is really a good deal..”
Matthew laughed dumbly and had to admit that what Renly said made sense, because this was not all of the contract..
“George also stated in black and white in the contract that the royalties you can receive through this album are 15%, and his income is 25% of the royalties you receive. In addition, the album The budget is US$150,000." Matthew put the contract on the table, with a hint of surprise in his eyes, "I don't know where this level is in the industry, but I know that if he is not your sweetheart Dad, then he is a madman.”
Renly didn't respond immediately. He picked up the lemonade, took a sip, and calmed down his turbulent mood. Then he said with a smile, "He is indeed a madman who lost everything for music.".”
Regarding the album's profit sharing model, Renly was not surprised. George had already talked with Andy Rogers before. Andy was a professional film agent and only had a superficial understanding of the music part. But before the negotiation, Andy still I had an in-depth understanding of the current market situation and then completed all negotiations..
Renly remembered that Andy's comment at the time was, "He is so honest that I feel embarrassed to keep raising the price. If every job was so easy, there would be no use for me, and you could do it all yourself." contract work.”
The process of making an album is, to a certain extent, the same as that of a movie.
In the first stage, the production company allocates a budget, sets up a project, hands it to a producer, and starts production.
In the second stage, the producer looks for directors, actors, screenwriters and the entire production team, takes the budget and starts shooting the work until it is completed..
In the third stage, the production company looks for a distribution company, signs a contract, the distribution company contacts the theaters, formulates a promotion and distribution strategy, and then the film is released.
In the fourth stage, the box office is released, and the revenue is divided among the four parties: production company, production team, distribution company, and theater chain..
In the fifth stage, the production company explores the surrounding value of the work.
Roughly speaking, the movie is produced in this way, and the album is also produced in the same way, except that the production company is changed to a record company. However, in the "second stage", the album and the movie are different..
After signing the contract and before producing the record, the record company will allocate a budget, but this budget is not for the producer, but for the artist..
This money is not a signing bonus. It is called an advance payment in jargon. In fact, it can be regarded as part of the signing bonus. This is the income that belongs entirely to the artist. The artist can freely spend this amount..
But in fact, the so-called "freedom" still has a prerequisite. Because this advance payment is not only the artist's living expenses before earning income from the album, but also the cost of producing the album. In other words, the entire team that produces the album They are all set up by the artists themselves and paid for out of their own pockets..
In the process of making an album, the artist first needs to find a suitable producer; then form a recording team, including recording engineers, orchestrators, arrangers, etc.; then rent a recording studio and engage in formal recording work; and finally Still need to complete mixing and post-production.
All costs for the entire process are covered by this advance payment. Of course, if it is a new singer, the record company will arrange for the entire production team, but the cost is still paid by the artist himself..
Generally speaking, it costs about 200,000 to 300,000 U.S. dollars to produce an ordinary pop album. This is just the most basic cost, and does not include the cost of hiring big-name singers to collaborate, or shooting music videos. Expenses, including insurance and unexpected costs.
The current music market is in a downturn, and record companies are no longer as generous as before when it comes to paying artists advances. For newcomers, it is usually less than 350,000 US dollars, and for intermediate artists, it is around 350,000 to 500,000 US dollars. , and only top superstars can get half a million.
In the current market environment, it is almost impossible for the cost of an album to be higher. But there are exceptions to everything. If a superstar like Beyoncé intends to produce an album that costs more than half a million yuan, the record price After careful consideration, the company chose to nod and agree, but they would not pay it all in one go, but chose to pay it in batches. After the first batch is used up, they will continue to allocate funds..
However, what should I do if the album production cost exceeds the advance payment amount agreed by the record company?？
Then, the record company will pay the second and even the third advance until the album is completed. The difference is that the first payment belongs entirely to the artist, which means that it does not need to be repaid in the future; but the subsequent payments are not. , after the album is released, the record company will deduct the corresponding amount from the artist's income.
Therefore, after many new singers sign their first record contract, they lavishly purchase luxury cars, or spend it all on drinking, taking drugs, or partying, and then they will soon fall into the dilemma of "debt".
Renly is now producing the album "Don Quixote", but the situation is slightly different. Due to the special nature of the album, George did not find a record company for Renly, so not only do they not have the support of the record company's connections, And there is no cost support for advance payment.
Instead, George invested all his own money into the production of this album..
But what is certain is that after the album is recorded, George will still find a suitable record company and distribution company. After all, as an independent individual, they have no packaging channels, distribution channels, and publicity channels, so the album will ultimately be locked on the computer. Here, there will never be a day to be made public.
At that time, if the record company agrees to sign the contract, they will pay an advance payment to Renly, which can be regarded as a signing fee or the cost of producing the album. Renly can pay this advance payment to George and repay the album. production costs.
But the problem is that this album has a unique style. The reason why I chose to break away from the record company and complete the production independently is because I was worried that the mainstream market would not appreciate it. If no record company is willing to sign it, then the album can only sit in the warehouse. In other words, George The investment was completely wasted..
Even if "Don Quixote" successfully signed with the record company, the risks George took were far more than that. The production cost of the album was only part of the cost before the third stage, and in addition, royalties were also involved, and The contract continues the same pattern, placing all risks on George alone.！
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