In a radio interview this morning the producer of MY LEFT FOOT, Noel Pearson, revealed that Elmer did this score for free. Apparently, they were good friends.
In a radio interview this morning the producer of MY LEFT FOOT, Noel Pearson, revealed that Elmer did this score for free. Apparently, they were good friends.
It seems to be rare, but I've read about compsoers doing this before. The only name that leaps to mind of Graeme Revell, who said he's done it before to make connections, though it's apparently not worked since he seems to mainly get called to replace a composer and/or provide a synth-y score.
I also recall instances of a composer doing a score for a reduced fee simply because they loved a script or wanted to work with somebody.
And rare instances (I have no idea how often this has happened) where the budget isn't there simply 'cause it never was or was blown on another composer beforehand and the composer spending his own money to hire people and make the score better while getting no or next to no pay having spend it all on the aforementioned.
Danny Elfman has done this a couple of times. When he did the TV commercial for Budweiser in the early 80s (with Oingo Boingo), the band was apparently paid with a few crates of beer.
He's also done stuff like FREEWAY and the animated short FACE LIKE A FROG for practically nothing, since he knew the directors very well (and there was no budget).
Danny Elfman has done this a couple of times. When he did the TV commercial for Budweiser in the early 80s (with Oingo Boingo), the band was apparently paid with a few crates of beer.
I can see the ex-Oingo Boingo guys sitting and watching that advertisement and saying" "HEY DUDES, REMEMBER? THAT WAS A GREAT GIG!"
Elmer told this story quite a few times. He met Noel when he was a young ambitious student and was idolized by him. He told him if he ever got a project off the ground he would do it for free. Lo and behold My Left Foot was the first project that came to be. A high quality freebie indeed.
I heard somewhere that Rodriguez "scored" Kill Bill 2 for 1 usd... didnt also Poledouris do It's my Party for similar kind of fee?
"He did a great favor for me on IT’S MY PARTY and did the score for one dollar, recorded all on a piano. He was really showing me how much he cared about my project. He knew I didn’t have any money, so he did it as a favor." - Randall Kleiser
