I Wonder How To Secure My Position On A Project...

I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has experience in doing music for a stage production, and being sure it remains in the production. I was asked, a month ago, by a very dear and talented friend to participate in the creation of a stage play that would include songs as an important part of the production...not a "musical" in the normal sense, but rather a stage play that contains a fair group of mostly stand alone songs.

Initially, I understood that I'd be helping write the script at well, however, the backer (producer) did ask only my friend to create this project, and my friend decided to bring me in as a songwriter, and possible co-writer for the script. Since my friend lives across the country from me, I have already traveled to his place to work, spending several days getting some of the songs written (with him as a co writer) and we have more to write.

My friend's manager has reminded him that the producer initially asked only him to create this script, however my friend was more than willing to go out on a limb to include me in the process, and let his manager and the producer know that I was his sole choice as a songwriter for the project, based on his knowledge of my writing. However, since we are creating a group of stand alone songs for this project, rather than songs within a musical stage production, I'm aware that the songs COULD be removed at a later date, and dialog added to deliver their messages.

Is there any graceful way, with both my friend, and with the producer, to be sure that I don't spend this next year co-writing these songs, only to risk having them removed for the sake of the producer's wanting only my friend's well known name on the project? I'm in uncharted territory here!

Tags: Securing, Songs, a, production, stage, within

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Permalink Reply by MArc-Alan Barnette on February 23, 2010 at 12:01pm

Juni,

You might express your concerns in writing in an e-mail or letter before you start spending a lot of time on it. You just want to be able to use the songs on your own if they don't "make the project." or get tied up in a project that doesn't ultimately work.
I am reminded sometimes of movies I have seen, read about, or listened to director's commentary about how many writers sometimes are on one project. They have litereally dozens of scripts, treatments or changes before anything is decided.
A lot of times it is difficult to know what you are going to use until you get everything done, laid out all end to end and are able to provide some perspective on how it will all flow together. I am reminded on a guy who got a chance writing session with Garth Brooks. They wrote on something he had already started and Garth really liked. He was very excited about it, until Garth called a few months later and said "When we laid all the songs out together, our's just didn't fit."

That could really happen in a play or something where the songs are part of a bigger piece. Action, characters, tend to change and adapt. Some things get dropped completely.

So they might not be able to give you any guarantees but you can let them know of your concerns. I guess the biggest thing would be to write songs that are so undeniable they fit a variety of situations. That way they won't get dropped or at least will be able to go in another direction. You just always want to have options.

MAB

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Permalink Reply by Juni Fisher on February 23, 2010 at 12:56pm

Thanks Marc, and yes, the songs are "multi-use" types. We are still early in this process, and my friend may yet decide to include me in the script writing, which would make me a little more at ease with this time and effort.
Good to have assurance from a pal! Love ya !