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How much did JW get paid for writing the score to RotS?


Josh500

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Just curious. How much did he get from George Lucas, and how much will he earn just from the CD sales? I can't even think of a ballpark figure, but I'm thinking he received a couple of millions from GL, and will earn a couple of more millions from the CD sales.

Anyone have any clue? :music:

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who owns the music to his scores?

Does John have any part ownership of his music?

Does he need to seek permission/authorization to play his music at concerts?

Does he get revenue from CD sales, or is does it go to the GL/studio(WBin Potters case),Spielberg etc?

When Silva, Sony, or some other label makes a best of, or there is a City of Prague or Cincinnati orchestra cd, does he get a cut?

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He gets a one-time fee from George Lucas for writing the score in the first place and considering the budget of the entire movie, that fee must be at least 5 mill., I guess. Also, since John Williams is the producer of the soundtrack albums, he gets royalties for every CD sold. Altogether, I figure he must make about 20 mill. on this one movie (but thats just a guess on the conservative side).

:)

P.S. And yes, he earned every penny.

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He gets a one-time fee from George Lucas for writing the score in the first place and considering the budget of the entire movie, that fee must be at least 5 mill., I guess.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

The whole soundtrack is presently budgeted between two and a half and three million dollars.

(from The Final Chapter eBook)

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He gets a one-time fee from George Lucas for writing the score in the first place and considering the budget of the entire movie, that fee must be at least 5 mill., I guess.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

The whole soundtrack is presently budgeted between two and a half and three million dollars.

(from The Final Chapter eBook)

I guess the key word here is PRESENTLY. I really think JW gets more . . . its a STAR WARS soundtrack, for Gods sake!!!

(sorry I lost my apostrophes) :)

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I have never heard of a composer getting more money then three million for a film:

Don davis - matrix 3 and Elfman - Hulk. I think John might only get 1.5 ish,but I am sure he gets a great back end deal with cd sales.

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I have never heard of a composer getting more money then three million for a film:

Don davis - matrix 3 and Elfman - Hulk.  I think John might only get 1.5 ish,but I am sure he gets a great back end deal with cd sales.

If thats true, then Natalie Portman gets more for her acting (and she must be)??? Why do Elfman and Davis get the same amount as JW??? I just cant believe that!!! But if it IS true, then I hope JW gets 20 million just from the CD sales!!!

(Considering George Lucas earned close to 200 million when TPM came out, its a shame JW gets "only" 3 million.)

:)

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Mr. Williams got two million for writing each of the prequel scores. Danny actually makes more money for writing a score than Williams per film, but as you can expect, Williams makes more money off CDs and things such as re-recordings, sheet music, etc. Being payed for writing the actual score is only a fraction of the process.

jwb

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Mr. Williams got two million for writing each of the prequel scores. Danny actually makes more money for writing a score than Williams per film, but as you can expect, Williams makes more money off CDs and things such as re-recordings, sheet music, etc. Being payed for writing the actual score is only a fraction of the process.  

jwb

JWB! What is your source, you mysterious single poster.

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My sources are those close to Williams.

You do torture us so. Imagine...if just the world of the arts is this confidential, how can we ever trust our own governments?!

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Danny actually makes more money for writing a score than Williams per film

It may depends on the schedules also. If it is a last minute replacement (Hulk) and dead line is friggin close it may be cost little more. Right?

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My sources are those close to Williams.  :)

Cluld you smuggle the complete AOTC, ROTS, IJToD & IJLC for us?

Yes, I think that will be sufficient to prove your credintials. And add TPM to that list also.

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He got zilch from FAMILY PLOT. I should know. Alma has tight rein over those purse strings. Great girl, my wife...one in a million. That harpsichord really drove the final nail into Williams' coffin for me. Go figure!

Hitch

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Why on earth does Elfman get paid more than Williams per film?

Ray Barnsbury

I suppose poor Daniel can churn them out faster than Johnny. He is the super-hero to the stars and to those unfortunate directors who make them. Right, Sam.

To quote Admiral Kirk "Young minds, fresh ideas. Be tolerant!"

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Mr. Williams got two million for writing each of the prequel scores. Danny actually makes more money for writing a score than Williams per film, but as you can expect, Williams makes more money off CDs and things such as re-recordings, sheet music, etc. Being payed for writing the actual score is only a fraction of the process.

jwb

Identify yourself, jwb. What does JWB stand for????

LOL LOL LOL

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I can see JW getting $2+ million for a score these days; I heard that he got $1 million for each of the "Indy" films. He also gets a percentage of CD sales (apparently James Horner got $20 Million just for the CD sales on Titanic).

I also heard that a composer's fee usually includes all costs for the orchestrators amd musicians; it's a package deal for the producer.

Why would anyone pay Danny Elfman more money than JW?

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Why on earth does Elfman get paid more than Williams per film?

The studios care about profits. Elfman happens to score more films that bring in huge profits. Especially lately. Hence - he costs more.

I can see JW getting $2+ million for a score these days; I heard that he got $1 million for each of the "Indy" films. He also gets a percentage of CD sales (apparently James Horner got $20 Million just for the CD sales on Titanic).

He hasn't done a film lately where he has got over 2 million for writing a score. But yes, he does get royalties for CD sales.

Mr. Horner got $1.20 for every CD sold. Not even Williams has got that kind of deal!

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Talk about getting peoples attention with a bit of "inside" knowledge. Some now ask the question "Who is this unknown individual?"

Certainly is one way to make an impression.

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Why on earth does Elfman get paid more than Williams per film?

The studios care about profits. Elfman happens to score more films that bring in huge profits. Especially lately. Hence - he costs more.

You can't be serious! Elfman has been recently associated with Spiderman -- that's it. JW has been associated lately with the HP franchise and the Star Wars series, as well as Jurassic Park ten years ago. So who scores more films that bring in huge profits???

Now you gave yourself away!!!

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Why on earth does Elfman get paid more than Williams per film?

The studios care about profits. Elfman happens to score more films that bring in huge profits. Especially lately. Hence - he costs more.

You can't be serious! Elfman has been recently associated with Spiderman -- that's it. JW has been associated lately with the HP franchise and the Star Wars series, as well as Jurassic Park ten years ago. So who scores more films that bring in huge profits???

Now you gave yourself away!!!

Williams only did two films in 2004 and zero in 2003. Elfman did two in 2004 and two in 2003. The combined profits of Elfman's projects brought in much more money than the films Williams scored.

The past is irrelevant to the studios. Its what they are doing now that determines how much they are paid.

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Why on earth does Elfman get paid more than Williams per film?

The studios care about profits. Elfman happens to score more films that bring in huge profits. Especially lately. Hence - he costs more.

You can't be serious! Elfman has been recently associated with Spiderman -- that's it. JW has been associated lately with the HP franchise and the Star Wars series, as well as Jurassic Park ten years ago. So who scores more films that bring in huge profits???

Now you gave yourself away!!!

Williams only did two films in 2004 and zero in 2003. Elfman did two in 2004 and two in 2003. The combined profits of Elfman's projects brought in much more money than the films Williams scored.

The past is irrelevant to the studios. Its what they are doing now that determines how much they are paid.

I gotta say (and I agree with Sturgis on this), I don't really believe ya. What about the four Williams did in 2002, then??? Are you saying just because Williams took a year off, he earns a couple of millions less now??? You can't be serious. Also, Williams has got 5 Oscars. Elfman has none. That's gotta have SOME impact in terms of payment!!! :)

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Lucasfilm doesn't operate like "the studios" when it comes to John Williams. I doubt Lucas researched the earnings of recent films to decide how to pay Johnny.

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Williams has scored more of the top grossing movies of all time than anybody. That has to count more than Elfman's teenie pop successes.

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He may still be associated with more money-makers than any person in any major category, actor, director or otherwise. That would give his agent a good selling point. But Hollywood has a notoriously short memory span so it wouldn't surprise me if his stock has gone down somewhat since a lot of those hits were from quite awhile ago.

- Adam

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Why on earth does Elfman get paid more than Williams per film?

The studios care about profits. Elfman happens to score more films that bring in huge profits. Especially lately. Hence - he costs more.

You can't be serious! Elfman has been recently associated with Spiderman -- that's it. JW has been associated lately with the HP franchise and the Star Wars series, as well as Jurassic Park ten years ago. So who scores more films that bring in huge profits???

Now you gave yourself away!!!

Williams only did two films in 2004 and zero in 2003. Elfman did two in 2004 and two in 2003. The combined profits of Elfman's projects brought in much more money than the films Williams scored.

The past is irrelevant to the studios. Its what they are doing now that determines how much they are paid.

so then by your arguement, then John becomes more valuable this year than elfman because John has potentially the two biggest summer hits. I still think your arguement is faulty.

I think the career is more important.

but to look at John's career vs Danny's career.

lets see here are some of John's B/O success'

The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws 2, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., ROTJ, Indiana Jones and the TOD, Indiana Jones and the LC, Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, The Phantom Menace, The Patriot, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Attack of the Clones, Minority Reports, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Catch Me If YOu Can, Harry Potter and the POA.

here are some of Danny's B/O success,

Beetle Juice, Batman, Dick Tracy, Batman Returns, Mission Impossible, Men in Black, Good Will Hunting, Spy Kids, Planet of the Apes, Spiderman, Hulk, Spiderman 2.

just a comparison, Danny maybe hot, and actually make more, but John is quality, and deserves more.

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I think the career is more important.

Like I said, its not how it works in reality - in the buisness.

This is how it works. I think the majority of you can't see this, because you are simply die-hard John Williams fans.

just a comparison, Danny maybe hot, and actually make more, but John is quality, and deserves more.

I'm not saying Mr. Williams is any less a composer as Elfman. They are both fantastic composers.

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:cry: Why is this guy here? Who the hell is he?

~Sturgis

Why are you getting angry? I'm just answering questions and sharing information that isn't normally shared.

What about the four Williams did in 2002, then??? Are you saying just because Williams took a year off, he earns a couple of millions less now??? You can't be serious.

Mr. Williams only scored three films in 2002, actually. You cannot count Chamber of Secrets. But lets look at 2002 for both composers:

Elfman's total 2002 films box office results:

Chicago - $170,687,518

Red Dragon - $93,149,898

Spider-Man - $403,706,375

Men in Black 2 - $190,418,803

Total: $857,962,594

Williams total 2002 films box office results:

Catch Me if you Can - $164,615,351

Minority Report - $132,072,926

Attack of the Clones - $310,676,740

Total: $607,365,017

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