guest-posts

Guest Post: Controlling Your Own Luck

By Brian Ralston

I am of the opinion that one cannot control exactly how or where their “break” comes from. It could be a film that hits… being at the right place at the right time, etc… But once a “break” happens, one can control if they can sustain or even build a career from it. Talent is certainly needed to sustain a career from a break. (And I am not only talking about musical talent).

Things one can NOT control:

If you actually get hired on a project or not.
If a film is deemed a “financial success” at the box-office.
If a film you are on is marketed properly so the masses will be aware of it.
If a film you are on is released theatrically.
If a TV pilot you are on gets picked up for series.
If millions of people click on your YouTube web series.

Things one CAN control:

If the music you write is appropriate for the film.
If you create music unique to your abilities that everyone wants.
If your score themes are memorable.
If you have an easy to work with demeanor.
If you communicate effectively with your team.
If you handle promotion of yourself well.
If you are present in the industry and build a network of people.
If you have a likable personality.
If you treat people with respect.
If you have integrity.
If you deliver on time and on budget.
If you create drama or a sense of collective calm.
If you present yourself well online.
If you have an active social media presence.
If you understand the emotional essence of a project in front of you.
If you are amazing at creating MIDI recordings/demos.
If you are trustworthy.
If you take a meeting well.
If you know your music theory.
If you build relationships with musicians who can play for you in order to breathe life into your music.
If you are good at stretching a music budget.
If you decide to take risks or play your career path conservatively.
If you assist another composer.
If you go it on your own and just start scoring indie films.
If you take rejection well and define it as a good or bad thing.
If you have an ego.
If you are argumentative.
If you formally study composition or not.
If you continue to play and perform on your instrument or only compose.
If you run the day to day operations of your “business” well.
If you write every day to get better or not.
If you use a lawyer to protect yourself legally in your contracts.
If you send out multiple emails daily to potential projects.
If studio and network music executives even know who you are.
If you even recognize that a break has happened.
If you….

In the end… there are things one certainly cannot control in this biz. As I mentioned above and to reiterate on one… I cannot control whether the show I am on it going to be a hit show. I can only control the notes I write and if the score I produce is effective and musically doing what it needs to be doing for the project. But in general… it seems to me the list of things one CAN control in their careers is much longer than the list of things one CANNOT control. Many of those things can lead to a “break” or put you in a much better position to taking advantage of a break when it happens. And I would not necessarily call the items in the “Can do” list LUCK.

Brian Ralston Brian Ralston is a Los Angeles film/television composer whose credits include the 20th Century Fox lacrosse film Crooked Arrows (2012) starring Brandon Routh, the action thriller Awaken (2015) starring Daryl Hannah, Vinnie Jones, and Natalie Burn, the Magnolia Pictures bank heist film Graduation (2008), and additional music in season four of the WB Television production Angel (2004). Mr. Ralston is also a long-time co-host of the SCOREcast podcast, a popular industry-insider radio show for film and television composers and an instructor in UCLA Extension’s film scoring program.

Guest Post: How to do something scary: THE ONE HOUR RULE

By Miriam Mayer

Doing the media composer thing involves a lot of moving parts: composing, tech stuff, self-promotion, time-management, learning new things, patience, persistence, talking to other humans. If there’s someone who is a natural genius and willing to put in the hours on these things, they’re going to get far! For most of us, we excel at some of these things, and some are scary; they involve a skill we’re not good at.

Here’s how I deal with scary tasks: I commit to doing them for an hour. Going to a networking event? Commit to an hour…after that, I can go home, guilt-free. Of course, once I’m there, I usually have fun and stay until the end…it’s the getting there that’s scary. The one hour rule says, successful or embarrassed, I can leave after one hour.

Miriam is a composer for media and multi-instrumentalist, happily toiling in the studios, theaters, and concert halls of her native Los Angeles. Her compositions can be heard on every major network and cable channel. Miriam worked for John Williams for many years, proof-reading on films such as “Star Wars, The Phantom Menace”, “Jurassic Park, Lost World”, and “Saving Private Ryan”. She is a proud member of the Television Academy and is fluent in many different genres of music.

Guest Post: Falling In Love With The Temp. Marrying The Temp. Having Kids With The Temp.

By William Yeh

The Suspect: Me, a picture editor.

The Room: My editing suite.

The Weapon: Big fat temp cues.

Exhibit 1: The soundtrack to The Thin Red Line, by Hans Zimmer. Specifically, track number three, “Journey to the Line.” 

Once upon a time, I made liberal use of this cue. It’s gigantic and rich and lush and amplifies the emotion of any big dramatic scene.

Then a composer I worked with said, “We call that track ‘the cue killer.'” Easy to temp with, he told me, but nearly impossible for another composer to match in intensity.

Guilty as charged. Sorry about that.

Exhibit 2: Anything by the likes of John Williams or Ennio Morricone.

A director once told me he wanted “a real Morricone feel” to his movie. Hey, you know who does a really good Morricone? I thought. Ennio Morricone!

Whoops.

The director loved it. One of the producers, not so much. The eye rolls, sighs and “you can’t use that” lecture were daggers to my ego, but provided a valuable lesson.

There are risks with temping music. You can hamstring your composer by using too big a cue. You can take the audience out of the moment by using music that’s distracting. You can put your producers in a bind by using an unaffordable song.

A wise picture editor once told me, “When I first cut a scene, I cut it like I’ll never get to touch it again,” meaning that he made sure to cut temp sound effects and music. Or, if clichés are your thing: You only get one chance to make a first impression, so put your best foot forward.

But at what cost? Picture editors who cut temp music face the eternal dilemma of best versus affordable. With tightened post schedules and dwindling music budgets now the norm, editors must make quick, smart decisions while holding down the musical fort until the music editor and the music supervisor come onboard.

The toughest temp music decisions usually involve needle drops. Unless the director or script calls for a specific cue, you’re starting every scene with a musical blank slate — including the ever-popular choice of “silence,” which is quite often the best option.

When you decide a scene needs music, what’s the best song to use? Keep in mind best doesn’t necessarily mean well-known. A popular song in the wrong scene can be just as damaging as a crappy song.

Here’s a tip: If you need a background music cue (like something coming from a speaker), get thee to a music library and choose something unobtrusive.

However, sometimes you need a cue that resonates with your audience. At a focus group I recently attended, a young woman specified that the recognizable songs in our movie made it more enjoyable for her. A familiar song is like cinematic comfort food.

Exhibit 3: I’ve cut a few scenes that take place in a strip club (work in the industry long enough and you’ll work on a strip-club scene. Trust me). For one such scene I was considering “Brick House” by the Commodores.

“But it’s such a well-known song,” the responsible side of me said.

“But it’s awesome,” the other side said.

The other side won. I cut in “Brick House” and held my breath as we screened for the producer.

“I love it,” the producer said. “Let’s price it out and see if we can afford it.”

(High-fives the Commodores.)

Don’t hesitate to pick the brains of others. On Ride, the forthcoming feature that both Shie and I worked on, assistant editor Ben Baudhuin suggested “Om Nashi Me” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros for a key scene.

The director, Helen Hunt, loved the song — and that temp track made the final cut.

Limitations in the cutting room don’t have to be a liability. After all, most projects can’t afford that perfect Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin song. My experiences have taught me that putting your best foot forward sometimes means looking past obvious choices. Exercise discretion, then figure out which cues are worth taking a risk for, and you’ll hit the right temp balance.

William Yeh William Yeh has worked in cutting rooms for over 20 years, having edited studio and independent films across many genres, including action (Punisher: War Zone; the cult favorite Equilibrium), horror (Seconds Apart; Quarantine 2: Terminal) and drama (After the Dark). His latest film, the comedy Ride, opens May 1.

Guest Post: Breaking in – Do Do Do

By John Ottman

Countless times I get emails asking how to “break in” to the business and make connections, namely in the film-composing field. My selfish reason for writing this is that I end up emailing back the same advice every time – and man, do I loathe typing. So I hope this helps, even if in some small way.

Obviously there’s no magic answer on how to break into the business. It boils down to five things: Tenacity, excitement, luck, diplomacy… and talent. If you believe in your gut that you have a knack (and stomach) for writing film music – or any other intense high-profile creative job in the business – then by all means go for it. But go into this field because you love it. If your primary goal is to make big bucks and be “famous”, your work will succeed less in being anything more than hollow or soulless. Lack of zeal or creativity can be sniffed out. The reward for true passion is the fulfillment in having been able to express it. The fringe benefit that follows is notoriety, more work, and hopefully, some deserving compensation.

Since significant financial compensation doesn’t come until later, you must plan a way to “afford” to pursue this field. I worked a 9-5 job for six years after graduation, writing music and editing films after work and on the weekends. I didn’t even want to edit films – but it was part of the “do do do” rule. (Ironically the editing ended up leading to scoring work; and both unwittingly lead to my directing a movie.) The plan was that my day job allowed me to have a steady income and job-future should things not work out for me biz-wise; and it also afforded me to pursue writing music for the joy of it. Diminishing the survival element allowed my music to remain an untainted hobby. This is by no means an answer for all. Everyone has to find out for themselves what game plan will work. But because it’s a field that doesn’t pay in the beginning (or many times even when you’re established), part of that plan has to be how to afford to pursue it. Keep expenses low and it will free up your creativity. Better options than what I did may be to work for other composers or music related jobs. Many composers can thank the time, sometime years, they put in as a composer’s assistant/ghost writer by eventually branching out on their own as a result of earning opportunities from their work with other composers. You just have to be prepared to ask yourself where the assistant jobs may eventually lead and how happy you could be with them indefinitely. For instance, many editing assistants end up having careers as first or second assistant film editors, and making a very good living at it. As with any job in this business, the hours are unrelenting and brutal. You must be prepared to be at peace with this lifestyle and what toll it may take on your personal life.

After you’ve formulated this general plan, my over-riding advice, although seemingly trite, is to just “do do do with no attitude.”

INFILTRATE

Get yourself in proximity to film students. The best crop of budding filmmakers will be at film schools like USC, etc. But not everyone can make the expensive move to LA or New York, nor can everyone get into the top music programs. However, let’s be real. Your likelihood of building filmmaker connections is far brighter where there’s a higher concentration of filmmakers. And, that’s Los Angeles. This isn’t to say that there aren’t masterful future directors in Blodget, Oregon. But they’ll be far more difficult to find; and they, themselves, will find it even harder to get noticed not being in “Tinsel Town.”

If you’re attending a composing school, wherever that may be, that’s terrific – and depending on where you are in your life, it should be a goal; but remember, your future is the film-makers, not so much your fellow music peers. And, just as importantly, it’s also in practical experience – by doing. Your music friends can be good shoulders to cry on, (or perhaps future employers, ie being their orchestrator, arranger or conductor) but they’re fighting for the same scoring future as you are. Infiltrate the film school. Get to know these guys. Go to their parties. Talk their language. Even take a film-making course! Put up your ads on the film school bulletin boards, find out what projects are coming down the pike, and contact these directors. Some film schools have a production office posting planned projects. Also, find out what independent short or low budget films are in production in town via internet listings and publications. Contact these new filmmakers while they’re accessible. Put yourself out there by scoring any project you can. Even the lamest, most inane film is often the one, when you look back, that was responsible for where you are in some odd way. Someone’s uncle’s brother’s aunt’s nephew may know the dolly grip, who noticed your music – and this nephew may be a budding filmmaker, or son of an influential exec. Who knows?

Moreover, even though the project may suck, it’s an early project. The director may have better ones. The enthusiastic “can-do” composer will be the one who is pulled along in the future. And even if you feel this director is done-for and his project is the worst thing you’ve ever seen, find something in it that inspires you. Make it your personal mission to do what ever you can to improve the project via your music! Film music should not be self-serving. The joy of your challenge should be how to make a dog of a film at least have a whimper in the end. Your passion will pay off either from your reputation, or, at the very least, gaining your own personal satisfaction and experience on the project. The more challenges you face on problematic projects, the better your work will be. Again, do do do. I couldn’t wait to score my friend’s student film, The Burrito From Hell! I remember how much I learned just scoring that one project. There were so many musical timing issues; and that reason alone made it an invaluable exercise. Simply, the more you do, not only will your work get better and better, but with every gig, you exponentially increase your chances of making connections that will pay off later. You meet a lot of people in the course of working on a film, such as a film’s crew. In film school or even beginning filmmaking, it’s often not just the director who wants a career as a filmmaker. They’re all around you – and they’ll remember you if you make an impression.

DEMOS

Yes we need them. We also know that demos are largely ridiculous because all they prove is that someone can make cool-sounding synthesized mock-ups. That’s a value to be sure, and sadly, often the highest quality recording or mock-up can turn on a new filmmaker to hire you. What demos don’t show is how and if you can score a scene! That’s what the art of film scoring is all about. Heck, a dreary drone might be the inspired idea that saves a scene – but it’s not too interesting to hear on a demo. Nevertheless, the better the samples and synth renderings you can do, the better. This is especially important when the low budget film you’re scoring needs a synth score as the final product. The general rule is that a demo should not be more than 15 minutes. Rarely will anyone listen too much further. The most ideal demos are tailored specifically to the gig you’re looking to score. Even if you have nothing in your arsenal to put on the demo, write something for the director that’s along the lines of his film. This approach can follow you all the way into a professional career. There have been a couple films I’ve been hired on that hinged on a demo I wrote specifically for the film. For instance, on Gothika they gave me a reel of the movie and asked me to score one small scene. I got so inspired by the material, I ended up scoring the entire reel in just a couple days –because I was so excited to be in that world. Doing demos to get on a film can be a drag, but that’s where the “joy” of your craft must come into play. You have to want to and enjoy writing the demo, even if you may never get the gig. See it as an impetus to write more music of another genre, and you’ll have more experience and material for a reel if you don’t get hired.

STUDY?

Yes, it’s a must to know classic scores and classical music – namely from the Romantic and 20th Century eras. Deconstructing the orchestrational mysteries of your favorite scores can be fascinating and valuable, but also don’t get into the dangerous area of using what you’ve learned as a crutch. The best gift a composer can give him/herself is a unique sound and sensibility. The less imitation, the more creating new ideas on your own will pay off. Do what feels right. This comes with the confidence you gain as a film-maker/story-teller with every job. Pretty soon you’re not listening to other scores anymore. You’re just doing what you believe his best creatively and pragmatically for the film. And this is when you feel the most free – and gain the most personal satisfaction. Because the craft of film scoring is mostly about how you apply music to filmic scenarios, it’s far more valuable to go see movies and see how music is used in powerful ways. And power can be found in subtlety, going against the grain of a scene, intertwining with sound effects. Seek out the classics of all genres. Ask yourself – independent of musical thought – what scenes in your favorite films affected you the most on a visceral level. Which scenes send a shiver up your spine? Which ones choke you up? Which ones will you never ever forget? Then listen to how score was used in these moments. You may be surprised how the music is being approached. You may have never noticed. Maybe you’ll save yourself from scoring a scene in too obvious a way. When you tackle a film, you should create a game plan for your score – how it is going to develop and evolve. In other words, how are you going to tell the musical story? But this is another subject.

Music theory is also a wonderful thing to absorb, but you’ve got to find the power and delight in thinking outside the box. There are few rules you can’t break. This is film music. Don’t be afraid to break them. Sometimes you almost have to force yourself to ”unlearn what you have learned” to avoid getting too caught up in the musicality of what you’re creating. Try to think as a film-maker and story-teller as much, or more than, you are a composer. Film music is often an entirely different animal.

Get practical experience. There are so many unforeseen situations on every project that a class could never teach you. In all scenarios, you’ll learn that half of your talent must be in the field of diplomacy. The more you can eloquently communicate your ideas, yet be flexible and “can-do“, the more dramatic your chances will be. Be passionate, but always remember that there are many ways to skin a cat. Your advice will be sought. But you’re also there to serve and understand the needs of the filmmaker, suggest options and be a team member in making the film the best it can be.

 

John Ottman John Ottman holds dual distinctions as a leading film composer and an award winning film editor. Ottman has often completed both monumental tasks on the same films. Such remarkable double duties have included The Usual Suspects, X-Men 2, Superman Returns, Valkyrie, and Jack the Giant Killer. He has also held producer roles on several of these films, as well as directing, editing and scoring Urban Legends 2.

Guest Post: Reinventing Yourself

By Inon Zur

I started composing for video games in 1997. At the time nobody really knew what music for games is. Nor did they realize that there are actually real composers behind it. This area was very limited and unexplored.

It gave me a tremendous opportunity to do things that were never done before. For example for my first game I decided to record real orchestra and real choir, which was almost unheard of in those days. Lucky for me the game team was very open for these kinds of ideas and actually adjusted the game audio engine accordingly.

It taught me a very important lesson. Always try to think outside the box. There are always new areas that are unexplored and ready for you to discover.

As a composer I always try to find the balance between what I know will work and then some new and innovative experiments. I always try to find new ways even in fields that seems like there is nothing new to do that was not done in the past.

Reinventing yourself every day as a composer is probably one of the hardest tasks but I believe that this is almost the only way to keep being in demand.

 

Hollywood Music Award-winning and BAFTA nominated composer Inon Zur is internationally renowned for his emotionally dynamic orchestral music scores featured in film, television, trailers and interactive entertainment.

Guest Post: Talent Isn’t Enough

By Timothy Williams

Many up and coming composers feel that talent alone is what they need to be a composer in today’s film and TV industry. The TV show I am currently working on needs over 30 minutes of music written (or orchestrated) every week for 12-13 weeks straight! I have a few young interns, who are shocked by how much music needs to be written or orchestrated so quickly.

The reality is, the business is not just about talent. obviously talent is important as is a genuine love of the craft. But you also have to be able to deal with incredible demands with speed and efficiency.

When you get your big break you have to not only be talented but well equipped and proficient at your craft to handle the demands. One of the best pieces of advice I was given was practice practice practice!  Even if you have no work going on, grab some footage and score it. The process will help give you tools when the time crunch comes!

 

Timothy Williams Timothy Williams is a multi-award winning composer and orchestrator for film, television, video games and theater. His films have earned over 58 awards. Most recently Walking With The Enemy was named best film at the 2013 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival.

Guest Post: Academy Award Nominated Editor Tim Squyres Shares a Pair of Musical Anecdotes

By Tim Squyres

We made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on a very limited budget, so my staff was just me and my assistant sharing one Avid system. The action scenes were all shot almost entirely MOS, and we didn’t have the manpower to add sound for each grunt, footstep, and weapon hit, so in cutting those scenes I didn’t bother with sound effects and focused instead on making the music right. For the assembly I had used some fast, heavy Japanese taiko drumming for the first chase/fight scene that worked really well. For the assembly screening, the first time the director saw the film, we had a volume knob in the theater. I told my assistant, who was manning the knob, to start it pretty full and to keep creeping it up as the scene went on, so that by the end it was really, really loud. Everyone loved it, and we never considered a different musical approach to the scene. Music can be tremendously effective at setting the tome of a scene, and editors who ignore it often get surprised when a scene winds up doing something different than they had planned because they hadn’t paid enough attention to the music.

 

Tim Squyres Tim Squyres is an Academy Award nominated film editor and frequent collaborator with director Ang Lee. He is known for his work on such films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi and most recently Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken.

Guest Post: Scoring Fast With A Small Budget

By Chris Ridenhour

Scoring a 90min film in under 2-3 weeks is like running a marathon race. I like to be as prepared as possible. The first thing I do, if possible, is spot the film with the director. Then I work out the themes, motifs and create my template in Logic. I like to vary my template from film to film to give myself as much sonic variety as possible.

I usually score a reel at a time, each averages around 22+ minutes. I allot about five days to complete the first reel. The second and third reel usually go pretty fast since I’m in the ‘zone’ and have a good feel for the picture. By the last reel I’m pretty much running on adrenaline to get it done in time, which usually yields good results since I don’t have time to second guess my decisions. Once the last note is written, then I go back through the whole score and modify, refine the score and orchestrations. Then I do another pass on the mix and master.

If my budgets are limited I try to play as many live instruments as possible. In my case this is guitar, cello, vocals and custom samples. Occasionally I’ll hire a live player depending on the cue. I don’t like ‘all sample’ scores. The best recorded samples will never equal the feel of live player.

If the score deadlines are super tight, I’ll invite a composer friend to write additional music based on my themes and orchestral template.

As far as the business end of things, if the budgets are super small, I would recommend trying to keep the publishing or at least a percentage of it if at all possible. This is especially beneficial if the film has good distribution. Make sure a music lawyer looks over the contract before you sign anything. Also try and negotiate soundtrack rights.

Lastly, I recommend staying in shape. Sitting all day in a chair under constant stress is very bad for your health. Try to eat right, get up and walk around every hour. A standing setup is also a good idea.

Chris Ridenhour Chris Ridenhour is  a composer known for Hansel Vs. Gretel, Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus and #1 Cheerleader Camp. For more about Chris, click here for his IMDB page.