THE CHALLENGES OF MAINTAINING A LONG-TERM CAREER.

I am frequently approach by composers whose careers have lost steam, stalled or plummeted over the long haul.

With a handful of very specific and quite amazing and rewarding exceptions, I almost always elect not to take on working with others, usually for many of the following reasons:

1. MAYBE THEY ARE BITTER.
Whether their bitterness is for valid reasons or not, I don’t like being around toxic energy. And neither do the buyers.

People hire composers to be uplifted and inspired, not to listen to them gripe.

2. PERHAPS THEY FEEL ENTITLED.
“After all I have done…”. “I shouldn’t have to…”. “Don’t they know…” are the opening salvos launched by composers who somehow feel entitled to opportunities.

Those words are like voodoo curses guaranteed to lead to ruin.

3. MAYBE THEY LIVE IN THE PAST.
A healthy regard for history is lovely. But what usually matters is what is going on NOW!

Old stories are fine once in a while. A steady stream of bitter war stories are like leprosy.

There is an extremely limited demand for those stuck in the past.

4. MAYBE THEY LACK SELF-AWARENESS.
While many of those composers can rattle off a litany of others to blame, they posses very little skill at looking in the mirror and seeing their own roles that have contributed to their situation.

You can’t change anything if you don’t see your part in it.

5. MAYBE THEY ARE STALE.
Their music is stale. Their relationships in the industry are stale. Their resourcefulness is stale. And their energy is stale.

We’ve all encounter stale restaurants, businesses and people. Not very attractive nor compelling to be around.

Long term composers need oodles of renewable refreshment of their music, relationships, approaches and energy.

6. MAYBE THEIR MUSIC ISN’T THAT SPECIAL.
Perhaps they were able to have some early success where they squeaked by on being average and lucky.

But eventually, during the running of a career marathon it was discovered they were fairly run-of-the-mill and opportunities started to dry up.

Our industry has been fairly kind to our handful of geniuses. Everyone else better have more up their sleeves than being just another composer in the crowd.

7. PERHAPS THEY ARE UN-COACHABLE KNOW-IT-ALLS.
While they are experts on how to stumble in their own careers, they refuse to follow the guidance of those who challenge their approaches.

They don’t trust. They don’t really want to change. All they want is a better career without trying to do everything to bring that into fruition.

As a coach, who wants to spend their days endlessly arguing with their own clients?

8. PERHAPS THEY ARE JERKS.
Short term reveals a little. Long term exposes a lot.

An insufferable composer may get away with it at the beginning, but over the long haul, the truth comes out.

Those who treat people poorly better pray they stay at the top of the heap, because if not, people wronged by them can’t wait to kick them down the hill or simply ignore them.

Karma’s a bitch.

9. PERHAPS THEY AREN’T GROWING (AS ARTISTS AND/OR AS PEOPLE.)

Jerry Goldsmith reinvented his own musical style every few years because he was restless and always yearning to push himself. Danny Elfman is similar. Elmer Bermstein was the most curious man I ever met, and he always stayed relevant, especially around young people, as a result.

I have also been blessed to know people whose lives are endless fountains of evolution and inspiration. They become kinder and more generous over time.

10. PERHAPS THEY STOPPED SWIMMING
There are those who don’t realize that in our industry, if you aren’t constantly swimming, you are drowning.

11. THEIR OLD RELATIONSHIPS DRIED UP.
They banked their career on their relationship with a few key filmmakers or producers.

Then time took its toll.

Those key collaborators may have had their own careers stall or plummet. They may have retired. Or died.

So long term composers keep investing into new relationships.

Otherwise, the disconnect between who is making movies now and who a composer has strong relationships can become almost insurmountable.

12. MAYBE THEY LACK GRACE AND GRATITUDE.
Any success is a blessing. Having a career in the thing you love is a gift. An attitude of gratitude is the grease that keeps the gears running over many years.

And it is so easy to spot.

People filled with genuine grace and gratitude have it pouring out of every pore.

13. PERHAPS THEY BURNED TOO MANY BRIDGES.
There are too many talented composers, new and seasoned, to choose from who haven’t left a massive trail of fall-outs, messes, irresponsibilities and other forms of ruin.

I have successfully worked with composers in fixing old problems, however it takes A LOT to repair those disasters, and the factors listed above are the antithesis of what is required in building new bridges.

In summary:

YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS.
But that better be one extraordinary old mutt.