Here is one definition of a hobby: "A hobby is a pastime or leisure activity conducted in your spare time for recreation or pleasure."
Here is another possible definition from webster: "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation"
Or perhaps this one: "what defines a hobby? A hobby is any activity that a person pursues because they enjoy it and with no intention of making a profit."
And from the anals of the IRS:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/heres-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-a-....So as a composer or musician, are you doing it as a hobby or a business? And if you are creating or performing music without any intent of making money (or a profit), is it a hobby or a business.
And to complicate things, let's add the word 'retirement'. If you retire from a primary profession which is not music and now you are film composer or musician - are you doing it as a hobby or business? Or perhaps your being 'retired' has no impact on your status as a hobbyist or businessman.
So you may ask, "Who cares what you call it". Here are perhaps at least two reasons:
1. Perhaps (maybe not), if a filmmaker is considering hiring you to score and learns that you score for free or significantly reduced cost, that you may not be serious about the composing profession. They may judge you as a hobbyist who is seriously less qualified than a composing professional who gets paid.
2. In the U.S. (and perhaps other countries), you need to declare your 'intent' with the taxing authorities - if it is a business, you will need to agree to and adhere to a set of operating rules (especially if you don't work alone).
I have scored 35 films and 'retired' from my previous profession (my doctoral work was in Technology - Artificial Intelligence back in the 1970s) in 2003. I have only been paid for one film. I consider myself a composing professional for the last 21 years (not retired, not a hobbyist) and I have filed my composing as a business on my tax returns each year.
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Making a change to increase Profit resonates with me. It is a fact in business to change products to increase Revenue and Profit.
When I worked at Lowe’s, there were always certain paint item changes made throughout the years. Some left the shelf, even well know products / brands.
An associate mentioned to me to think more ‘managing’ for my situation in Music. It has helped to think this way than as a creative performance musician. It helps to think this way in this creative space we are in.
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It's been the music business for me since I was 13. It's all I've ever done.
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Joel Irwin Would it be fair to say that if you do what you love and can get paid for it, it's a business and if you do what you love but don't get paid for it, it's a hobby? Regardless, if any musician even has the slightest inkling of potentially making money from their creations, they should seriously consider setting up a business entity for tax purposes.
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Hence the LLC I set up a few years ago! :~). www.kerrykennard.com - I have two gigs this weekend and had a friend / client pay for the percussion recording this week. First inquiry for Conga lessons came through the updated website this morning. No Hobby here!
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