Composers Available for Hero Fest - USE COMPOSERS & NETWORK!!!

Give it time ... some film makers plan WAY in advance, others wait until the last minute. Such is life.

It would astound me if at least HALF the entries didn't seek out composers, which should be at least 30-40 films. If they didn't, they'd be wasting a TON of talent.

I can honestly state, our last film PANDORA would not have done as well had it not been for the score.
 
Yeah guys. Remember that it's hard for us to say what we want, and probably hard for you to composers to even come up with something, without having footage ready.

In due time, you will all be flooded with PLENTY to work on.
 
Just to re-assure those directors who might be worried about the level of direction required for composers.

Of course I guess we all work slightly differently, but I think I speak for a number of composers when I say:

We rarely need "musical" direction - just "emotional" direction. Don't worry about telling your composer what sounds, harmony, tempo etc. - your composer will work all that out provided he/she understands the "emotional" context for each cue.

Personally I'll do my own spotting (deciding where music starts and stops) so you don't even need to consider that.

I'll read a script and get an "emotional" interpretation of the plot and come up with a theme plan which I'll then discuss with the director.

Some scripts are so well written it is then easy to come up with some sample themes prior to production - but otherwise, that's it until the locked picture is available.

Once the locked picture is in - the composer does his/her work.

As the composer produces cues for comment, it is helpful if the director can again work at the "emotional" level, rather than the technical "musical" level.

e.g. "could you bring out more of the frustration of the character" OR "I know the character is smiling, but can you bring out his uncertainty."

This is so much more useful to a composer than "Could you make it more Elfman there"

Ok, I'm sure I don't speak for all composers - but I thought it might provide some level of re-assurance as to the sort of direction some (or even most) composers require.

Emotional portayal is the business of composers - all you need to do is talk in that emotional language and I'm sure it will all work out fine. Some composers will even determine the emotional plot correctly for themselves leaving the director very little to do other than say whether he/she likes it or not.

It must be quite intimidating having so many composers join on block - but I hope this post might have allayed some fear for some directors regarding the use of composers.

By in large - we're a helpful bunch, and pretty flexible too.

I hope some of you guys take the plunge. I've worked with several directors who thought they only wanted a few bars of music - until they saw the power that good under-scoring coul add to their film.

Good luck and good hunting

Steve
 
Well put steve.

ya, as long as the director doesn't tell me, 'I want blue here. and Green when she smiles." I'd be like.. WTFlick are you yacking about? I'm actually pretty dumb too when it comes to musical terms too but I do think 'emotional' terms are the best route to describe a scene. I like 'general ideas' and then have the director say.. "and... GO!" Its more of a challenge for me, and hopefully the director will like my 'direction'. as long as he/she doesn't have me try to do some urban hiphop cRap or disco.. *cringe*

/j
 
Edgen said:
Well put steve.

ya, as long as the director doesn't tell me, 'I want blue here. and Green when she smiles." I'd be like.. WTFlick are you yacking about? I'm actually pretty dumb too when it comes to musical terms too but I do think 'emotional' terms are the best route to describe a scene. I like 'general ideas' and then have the director say.. "and... GO!" Its more of a challenge for me, and hopefully the director will like my 'direction'. as long as he/she doesn't have me try to do some urban hiphop cRap or disco.. *cringe*

/j
Click to expand...

Aww, what's wrong with Urban/Hip-hop, or disco? =P It all has it's place.

Anyway, good information, Steve. I wish I could get music going like asap, but thinking about it-- it would only make sense to have visuals to get the composer going.

Good luck, everyone!
 
PS

...and another thing...

Some composers can work extremely quickly provided they have a locked picture and solid emotional interpretation of the work.

This is very useful when working to a deadline and production or editing over-runs the schedule because they are almost at the end of the line.

BUT IN ORDER TO BENEFIT FROM A QUICK PANIC TURN AROUND BY THE COMPOSER YOU SHOULD:

1. Secure your composer as early as possible
2. Provide your composer with as much plot, production and schedule information as possible and keep him/her up to date regarding any revisions
3. Check out your IT and comms compatiblity with your composer AHEAD OF TIME - you don't want to be worrying about how to transfer large files when trying to meet a tight deadline
4. Foster a strong working relationship between your composer and sound man - if these two get on, between them they can solve so many of your problems. If they don't understand each other you can have a problem.

Often I have been involved in productions that have kept to their filming schedules but completely over-shot post production leaving me to do my job in literally a few days. This would have been impossible had I not been involved as part of the team since pre-production.

It is not unusual for me to be appointed as score composer during pre-production, even before casting.

My advice is:

a). Choose your composer ahead of time, before post-production - whilst you have time to work out if this is the person you want to work with. You might find you are all chasing the same composers - if so you need time to sort out your second choices.
b). Choose them as much for how well you will think they will work with the team as well as their compositional skills
c). Take an interest in their awareness of the drama - if they have a strong feel for what you are trying to achieve (at the emotional level) then you may still get quality results even if time pressures require a rush job
d). Find out ahead of time whether they are using PC or Mac. It doesn't matter provided you know. There can be some format problems if you are swapping disks and don't realise you are working on different computers.

Hope this is of some help - you guys are so talented it would be a shame if you wanted to use a composer but didn't know where to start.

[Larry - thank you for your comments, glad to have been of some help]

Steve
 
Steve's reasons a-c were exactly what we did. We secured our composer before we even had half our cast filled ... we felt it was THAT important ... again, for many of the same reasons listed above, as well as a few others we've got.
 
Edgen said:
Well put steve.

...to do some urban hiphop cRap or disco.. *cringe*

/j
Click to expand...

LOL - Justin.

I've just accepted the underscoring of a SCOTTISH TATTOO documentary.

I thought it would be Bagpipes, Military Bands, Scottish Dancing, etc. Great! Lots of orchestral celtic sounds.

Like Hell! When I played it tonight it was BODY ART. I've been writing HEAVY ROCK all night.

I've got a headache now!

All the best to you mate

Steve

>> By the way guys - Justin is the EPIC-est composer I know, you might want to think about that over the next few weeks.
 
Not that cRap is bad... but it's just not my type of work. I think a director's got to connect with his music guy and if that's the type of music.. A hip hop producer is the guy he needs to seek out. Or.. better yet find someone like p-diddy and remix someone else's work and take all the credit.

I'm willing to stretch my bounds yes. but all I'm saying is that in the end it may not turn out as you would have liked. I've tried and failed many times before. Heck.. I'm not even a fan of temp tracks simply because the director gets 'hitched' to them and when i come along, I put out something completely different or trying to compare your synth/midi with a full 80 piece orchestral with thousands in the budget for a final mix. I lose... yet... failing again :) So, we all learn from our mistakes and we move on.

however; Some composers may like temp tracks as a basis to the score. I'd suggest finding that out before laying down temp music. Communication is key.

(epic? I can be intimate too)

/j
 
TEMP TRACKS! Don't get me going on temp tracks!

It is a personal choice: but give me a script, a director, a sound man and a locked picture - AND NO TEMP TRACK!

The music I hear, with all its subtleties and distinctions, when I read a script, talk to a director or watch a locked picture is hard enough to hear and get down before it evapourates - WITHOUT SOME TEMP TRACK GETTING IN THE WAY.

Only a personal view

Steve
 
SteveDunster said:
Just to re-assure those directors who might be worried about the level of direction required for composers.

Of course I guess we all work slightly differently, but I think I speak for a number of composers when I say:

We rarely need "musical" direction - just "emotional" direction. Don't worry about telling your composer what sounds, harmony, tempo etc. - your composer will work all that out provided he/she understands the "emotional" context for each cue.

Personally I'll do my own spotting (deciding where music starts and stops) so you don't even need to consider that.

I'll read a script and get an "emotional" interpretation of the plot and come up with a theme plan which I'll then discuss with the director.

Some scripts are so well written it is then easy to come up with some sample themes prior to production - but otherwise, that's it until the locked picture is available.

Once the locked picture is in - the composer does his/her work.

As the composer produces cues for comment, it is helpful if the director can again work at the "emotional" level, rather than the technical "musical" level.

e.g. "could you bring out more of the frustration of the character" OR "I know the character is smiling, but can you bring out his uncertainty."

This is so much more useful to a composer than "Could you make it more Elfman there"

Ok, I'm sure I don't speak for all composers - but I thought it might provide some level of re-assurance as to the sort of direction some (or even most) composers require.

Emotional portayal is the business of composers - all you need to do is talk in that emotional language and I'm sure it will all work out fine. Some composers will even determine the emotional plot correctly for themselves leaving the director very little to do other than say whether he/she likes it or not.

It must be quite intimidating having so many composers join on block - but I hope this post might have allayed some fear for some directors regarding the use of composers.

By in large - we're a helpful bunch, and pretty flexible too.

I hope some of you guys take the plunge. I've worked with several directors who thought they only wanted a few bars of music - until they saw the power that good under-scoring coul add to their film.

Good luck and good hunting

Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve!
I couldn't have said it any better!! :)
Steph
 
us composers are all different

i'm not too demanding when it comes to projects

i actually don't mind being contacted in the post pro stage .. this is fairly normal too ..

so consequently am very used to working very quickly and within a tight schedule


the only thing i'd ask is good communication on what you want ..

technically and artistically ..


other than that don't worry .. you got it :D


i reckon most of us are well versed in the different styles out there as we've all done tv, film , game, corporate video, and theatre work


so get in touch if you want music .. one thing we all have in common is that we all love writing and producing it


http://www.fitchsounds.com
 
Lots of very good advise from Steve and others. Also, another thing to consider when securing composer for your film is to realize that composers have schedules too, and often work on multiple projects at the same time. So please don't wait until everything else is finished and expect someone to send you a full score by tomorrow!
 
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