tell me about it man. i run into those things all the time. i work as a freelance composer, and this is the sort of thing i have to always deal with, pretty much everyday. but luckily i do work as a engineer and editor as well in sound. so a few more doors are open for me. but still it is hard.

but yeah, this is the type of thing all composers, either being commercial or whatever, have to deal with.

the one other reason why this is like this is because of this 'declining economy' shenanigans. because in retrospect a composer would actually end up with not as much, but pretty much just as much as the other people doing work.

for a normal advert to be composed and then run on can earn a composer a few thousand, and then there are the publishing rights.

but yeah, it is very silly. sometimes i look at my work and think 'maybe i should do something completely different for work now, if i wont be taken/payed seriously in this field'.

even when jobs come up in searches with agencies. a lot of them say 'minimum wage', or 'royalties pay'.

it is insulting to many people who do have a big talent for what they do to stay alive in the world...

"Der Vertragspartner verpflichtet sich, während der Mischung unentgeltlich anwesend zu sein"

(it is the obligation of the contractor to be present during the mixing free of charge)

seen in a german film production contract for a sound designer in about 2001.

It is not thatinsulting that it is for free but the fact that all the others in that list get paid is the most insulting part.

With those rates, might as well not get paid. Lol. But I agree, composer may be the most valuable person on that list.