New Film Scorer Needs Help

C

chex

New member
Hello, I'm new here as well as new to film composing or pretty much anything that has to do with creating movies. However I have a passion to learn. I have been messing around with composing (not for films) for a little over a year now. But I would really like to get into it. Where would be the best place to start? Should I offer my "services" out for free. Is it plausible for me to ask people to let me score their films for free even if they do not use my music?

p.s. I have knowledge of music and theory. I have been playing instruments for over 10 years now, so I am not completely clueless.
 
Hello and welcome. The first thing I would do, is put together a sampling of what you are capable of creating. There are always some sort of user film fests here, and people are always looking for music. This is a good way to get both practical experience as well as exposure.
 
Hey thanks for the response.

Do you think people would let me compose something for their movie even though they might not be using it?
 
It doesn't seem likely, but people are flakey. It isn't like there is a crowd of composers begging to give away free work, but there are a few that offer. So it is either choose to accept a composer, or go with stock canned music, which sounds like stock canned music.
 
Thanks for the replies!
I just don't have that much experience so I wouldn't want to ruin someone's movie for a fest. If you get what I'm saying.
 
chex.. for some of these films, your music can only help. Not necessarily hurt. :)

You've gota have some confidence in your abilities and push yourself to make it the best score you possibly can with the tools you have. You learn from your mistakes and hopefully the next score will be that much better.

/j
 
As stated before, post some samples of your music, and let people in need decide if free music is worth the risk or not. I certainly wouldn't take an offer for even a free score without at least a listen to the composer first.
 
Even if you wrote some of the music for a film, perhaps along with another composer, it would be something. I just watched The Birds, classic Hitchcock-- and guess what? No music or even ambient effects/drones whatsoever in that film. So just thinking maybe you could help a filmmaker by composing parts of the soundtrack for a short film. And as others have said, create some samples of your composing abilities, that is crucial.
 
Another avenue is film schools. Find contacts with schools like NYU, Purchase, Columbia, etc and offer to colaborate. There are hundreds of projects out there that are just as clueless as you are. And I'm saying that in a adjunct professorly way....LOL. Give it a shot. But you really do need examples of your work. Different genres, moods, themes, etc.
 
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You can go to the Prelinger Archives where there are thousands of public domain film clips. Delete the original sound from them and compose your own score for practice. Write a few different styles for each clip. Have others pick the clips, it's more of a challenge that way.
 
Thanks guys. Even though this is not a composers forum you guys are a lot more helpful than an actual "composers" forum where I get persecuted for not being accomplished.
 
chex said:
Thanks guys. Even though this is not a composers forum you guys are a lot more helpful than an actual "composers" forum where I get persecuted for not being accomplished.
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Yeah, it's completely different here, and we usually don't harass folks for not being accomplished, as that is a goal you take time and effort to achieve. Instead, we'll rag on you for piss poor spelling and pointless posts :)
 
What makes you think that was unintended? It may be just a ruse, it may even be intended, to write like Dr. Seuss... :)
 
chex said:
Thanks guys. Even though this is not a composers forum you guys are a lot more helpful than an actual "composers" forum where I get persecuted for not being accomplished.
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I've been fortunate in having accomplished audio post professionals here and on other forums give me advice (like using Prelinger clips) from the day I started my sound design career through now. It would be ungrateful of me not to offer advice if I have the knowledge/experience to do so.

I freelanced on a network cartoon at a noted audio post facility in Manhattan. I was in one of the edit rooms when they were having trouble with another project and I said "why don't you..." and the supervising sound editor said "holy s**t, why didn't I think of that!" The same thing happened to me when an intern made one of those types of suggestions to me on a project on which I was working.

The mark of a true professional is knowing that there is always more to learn, and knowledge, new ideas and inspiration can come from unexpected sources, especially newbs who "don't know any better".
 
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