Composer needed for Wild West retro RPG video game (Paid $2,000 - $3,000)

[DapperDave]

EDIT: Deadline has passed. Applications will no longer be accepted.

EDIT: I will only be accepting new applications for the next 24 hours. We have received many applicants over the last few days. If we continue to accept many more applicants, I will not have the time to give each the careful consideration they deserve for applying, and that would not be fair to them. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/155773634/boot-hill-heroes-wild-west-retro-rpg-with-1-4-play), Experimental Gamer is looking for a composer to score their first game “Boot Hill Heroes.” http://www.experimentalgamer.com/boot-hill-heroes/

Game Summary: Boot Hill Heroes is a true retro RPG set in the American Wild West. You’ll find all the trappings of a spaghetti western – gunslingers, saloons, Indians, ranches, spittoons, Mexican standoffs, heroism, villainy, and everything in between. Boot Hill Heroes has adventure, drama, and a fair helping of humor. It’s just like the classic RPGs you remember from yesteryear but with an inventive new spin!

Needed: Approximately 30 music tracks with an average length of 2 minutes by October.

Style: Most of our temp tracks come from film composer Ennio Morricone and Luis Bacalov. We prefer this Italian, spaghetti western style over composers for American wild west films. Download our temporary soundtrack which contains music we are currently using in the game. This will give you an idea of what we are looking for: http://www.experimentalgamer.com/TempSoundtrack.zip

Instruments: Synthesized instruments that mimic the 16-bit SNES era are preferable. Your music should incorporate instruments and sounds similar to those used in the temp tracks (harmonicas, banjos, whistles, pianos, etc.).

Composition: Nobuo Uematsu’s music is often described as having a strong melodic core and we want the music of Boot Hill Heroes to have a strong melodic core as well. The melodies should be quickly and easily recognizable from the near instant they begin (short intros). We should be able to listen to the music for 30 seconds and hum the melody. Memorable melodies are most important.

Payment: Payment will be made for each completed track for the agreed upon price approximately each month. Payment can be made via mailed check or PayPal. Since payment is on a per-piece basis, you can quit or be let go at any time and still be paid for the work you completed.

How to apply: Email dave@experimentalgamer.com with the subject line “Composer Application.” The email should include the following items:

• Your name and email

• A single link to your online portfolio.

• Links to three tracks from your portfolio that you feel represent your best work and also emphasize a strong melodic core as described above in “Composition”

• A link or description of your background (your previous projects, experience, education, etc.). Do not worry too much if you do not have many projects under your belt, we value your portfolio much more than your professional experience.

• A quick exercise. Check out our trailer here

and another video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyWGqK5uOuM&feature=relmfu . Notice the music we set these videos to. We want you to choose a new music track for each video that best captures the scene. The music can come from anywhere – band, video game, film – but it cannot be music composed by Ennio Morricone or Luis Bacalov. Just link us to the music (preferably if it is on YouTube).

• A quote for what you would need to be paid per track. Keep in mind, some compositions may be longer and more complex while others will be shorter and simpler, but this payment would be consistent for each piece. Our budget is approximately $2000 - $3000.

[dannthr]

Why did your budget drop from the $4000 reported in your kickstarter monetary flow-chart?

[Liontamer]

Offhand, ilp0, fredrikd and Vurez sound like potentially great fits for this.

Why did your budget drop from the $4000 reported in your kickstarter monetary flow-chart?

It's not controversial, but I noticed that too before seeing the Q here, so might as well double the ask about that.

Also, would the composer retain ownership of their soundtrack (e.g. same situation as Super Meat Boy)? It's just one opinion, but I find composer's retaining rights encourages them to promote their work harder, since there's more incentive.

[Meteo Xavier]

Sending you an email, Dave.

[DapperDave]

Why did your budget drop from the $4000 reported in your kickstarter monetary flow-chart?

Fair question. It's $4,000 - kickstarter fees, amazon fees, taxes, and a little more for breathing room and margin for error (we may need more tracks than we realize, have to change composers, or any number of things could go wrong).

[DapperDave]

Also, would the composer retain ownership of their soundtrack (e.g. same situation as Super Meat Boy)? It's just one opinion, but I find composer's retaining rights encourages them to promote their work harder, since there's more incentive.

Thanks for the suggestion. We'll consider this.