How To Get Into Film Scoring?
SPlDEY
Vegas 3,375 Posts
Only fishing for some useful information.
Been doing a bit of research for a good friend of mine. As with all Film jobs it seems to be all about WHO YOU KNOW. So it's pretty difficult if you don't know anybody. Let's say hypothetically there is about 2,000 officially released films per year in the US. There's gotta be some sort of demand for new talent?
Does anybody know any working Film Composers? Or have any advice on how to approach the wide world of Film scoring.
Thnx in advanced.
- spider
Been doing a bit of research for a good friend of mine. As with all Film jobs it seems to be all about WHO YOU KNOW. So it's pretty difficult if you don't know anybody. Let's say hypothetically there is about 2,000 officially released films per year in the US. There's gotta be some sort of demand for new talent?
Does anybody know any working Film Composers? Or have any advice on how to approach the wide world of Film scoring.
Thnx in advanced.
- spider
Comments
1) Hans Zimmer
2) Danny Elfman
It's gotta be a tough one to get into. I have zero knowledge on how to do it, but here's my suggestion:
Your friend should try to score something as a demo. An old silent film or maybe re-score a known film. I do to know how you'd redo one, but basically just be like "here's what I would do." That might open some doors, but still you'd have to get someone to even check out that demo tape.
Also, find indie directors who can't afford to hire someone. Do some work just to build a resume.
Thes scored a movie.
2. Hope that one of the films breaks through on the festival circuit and picks up significant distribution
3. Go from there to try and get representation, i.e an agent and a publisher with a specific music-to-picture angle
Or, become a famous rock star and go straight to step 3
Yeah, this. It's really about making connections with directors and getting an agent once you have a project or two under your belt. Hook up with aspiring film school grads. Scoring for TV is also a common route to feature work, especially documentaries. Documentary makers never have any cash but it's good training.
If my friends in this line of work are typical then a chunk of the rent comes from commercials or uncredited arranging and/or notating parts for other people's scores. Not every director wants a striking new sonic landscape or even a real score - often they want incidental music that sounds a bit like another film score they've liked. The most successful people I know who do this can arrange and pastiche in pretty much any style.
I think a lot of music library services accept submissions, and I imagine they're always looking for new material. All the big cable channels have libraries they use and everyone always suffers to find the decent cues no one else has used yet. Some audio post houses, especially those that work on commercials, have in-house composers. Working for an established composer is another good way of getting into it - they'll learn the workflow and other aspects of the trade. I think going after composers and sound people is a better path than going after producers and directors. You can work your way up the professional ladder, starting off as an assistant to a composer or at an audio post house, or you can do the whole "I'll score your film for free" thing, which will most likely lead to frustration. But to get started your friend can certainly put up some fliers at a film school campus and score a few short films.
The main thing about getting into the film industry is that if you tell enough people you do something, someone will eventually believe you, so if your friend really wants to become a film composer they should start telling people that. Bear in mind too that producers are rarely looking for someone who makes fresh and original music, 90% of the time you just want someone who's versatile enough to copy something else and meet a deadline.
I always liked this bit ^^^
Platform games is a really interesting angle. There's scope for a whole range of original music from big symphonic themes to mood-driven pieces across all styles for different aspects of game play. Tom Salta's the only big name that springs to mind but there must be other people working in this area. Good call.
Re-scoring a known film, TV and Documentaries all sound like some things he would absolutely be into. Maybe put it on Vimeo, and use that as an introduction to filmmakers.
He actually is a somewhat famous rock star who is looking for an Agent / Representation. But he has no film scoring credits, and finding the independent directors seems to be the difficult part for him.
That's a very interesting question. I'll have to ask him.
Thanks,
- Diego
does he know any composers? Might be easier for him to partner up with someone more established in the field rather than going thru an agent. Either way, if people know his music already, he should just start putting it out there that he wants to make film scores and something will come his way.
I'm assuming he has a publisher then, he should enquire through them about hitting up any film composers on their roster and doing some meetings. If they have any of course
I'm a songwriter/producer- my sub-publisher in the U.S (i'm UK-based) publishes Hans Zimmer for example. The chances of him taking a meeting would be slim to none but these kinds of people are reachable in theory
Also, there are publishers that specialise in media-composers; in the UK there is one called Music Sales who represents (I think) people like Michael Nyman, Philip Glass etc so they know of all the gigs going... Your friend, even if he knows it or not, will have a mutual friend i'm sure who can arrange a meeting with these kinds of specialists
Ultimately though, unless some bigshot director is a huge fan of his band, it will be tough until he has a body of relevant work under his belt
A lot of great advice, but as someone who is being pitched to, here's what I would say:
- Yes, have your publisher do some of the leg work. If you're into this work, I want to know... It might not occur to me that you do this, but if you put yourself out there it makes everyone happier.
- Don't be all about the money at first- people who solicit me and then get all up in my grill about pitch fees is a total fucking turnoff. Bruh, you gotta be a dealer, and the first one or two are free. Get me hooked on your product and you'll get paid, but coming in hot asking for $5k on a pitch, and I will lose your number. Unless you're Hans Z or I sought you out, it is such a bummer.
- Making library stuff is a great piece of advice. We've given major theme projects to library composers over bigger names because we like the song better. It's a way to make your name. Like the publisher, though, make sure they're working for you and pushing your work and name.
XRay Dog seems to be everybodies hotness right now on the library front. They are good...
- We've cut & produced two documentaries, and used the same library both times because they wanted to get their name out there- now, they're doing a lot of work on major NFL projects. It is a stepping stone...
- He probably knows this, but he should get an understanding of the editorial process. Our go-to composer is THAT DUDE when it comes to working on a deadline and making changes constantly as we finesse the picture. He also does a lot of composing to picture... He should try to get into an edit room if he hasn't to get a feel for the post-side.
- Understand a lot of styles... Our go-to guy, who also does film and trailer scores, works in so many styles it's crazy. We've done traditional American folk stuff, heavy orchestral stuff, worked with existing pop songs, etc. Get a feel for all that stuff.
I'd be happy to talk to him, and frankly, to listen to anything. Shit, if anyone on here has anything they want to get on TV, we're always looking.
- Diego
A friend of mine worked under him for some time and this particular friend had a record that was #1 song in the early 2000's what I got from that is even with heavy credentials its hard to break into this industry. There are a lot of library companies out tehre you can score for, we use them often on most shows although usually its to create sound-a-likes.
It does seem to be one of those industries where you're talents can't be appreciated until the right people see them.