The desire to keep one’s head low and dodging engagement as a means to avoid looking foolish is completely understandable.
And completely counterproductive t...
Every single person on this Forum has their own unique Perspective.
Share it.
MY CHALLENGE TO YOU
Stop sitting on the sidelines here (and probably in o...
Realizing that so many of my favorite films are comedies.
And that many of those comedies are scored by my favorite composers.
For examples, see the comme...
Very few of us will ever take out a formal advertisement about ourselves or our work, but we are all constantly engaged in publicly presenting our brand whether...
Most media composers are looking to gain access to a long-term career filled with financial stability, artistic expression, satisfying collaborations and reward...
There are certain types of deals, such as scoring short films, where the variables of financial considerations between the “good” ones and the “bad” ones are so...
Many words have many different meanings. And different people have differing associations to those words and their definitions.
Today the word “Hustle” was u...
In a different thread an interesting conversation started about people’s attitudes towards the word “hustle”.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the notion ...
Someone turning 50 asked how hard it would be to launch a new career as a composer at that juncture of life.
The answer:
IT WOULD BE DAMN HARD
But not ...
34 years ago Danny Elfman was only a lad recording his first orchestral score, PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE.
Last night he joined Sandy Cameron on stage for his f...
For a while, in cities around the world, silent movies created a wealth of new opportunities for local composers, arrangers and musicians to create and perform ...
For all of you who is having a hard time with anything in your life today, I hope what I’m about to tell you gives you a bit of hope and determination to move f...
Since the 1890’s the music industry was either through monetizing live performance or through. selling phonographs.
Record sales triggered mechanical royalti...
Prior to the 1890’s all composers’ works were created exclusively for live performance.
The “music industry” consisted of commissions and patronage for churc...
When I read the quote, “Disruption. It's already happened, so let's now figure out how to prosper from it,” from top entertainment lawyer Tom Ara, I was taken b...
In a different post someone asked if they should be happy to see their income reduced because of how things were set up in the past, changes in the industry and...
Producer Kevin McCullum who won Tony Awards for Best Musical for RENT, AVENUE Q and IN THE HEIGHTS just gave this amazing advice which is both beautifully simpl...
After posting my observations of Haute Coulter and Ready-to-Wear clothing I started to search for an industry even more similar to media music. I wanted to find...
I was pondering the nature of custom music and library music when I stepped into my closet and realized I was surrounded by marvelous, historical models of cust...
Forum member Kenny Wood made an excellent suggestion based on Nadia Wheaton’s post to create guidelines for Composers’ Assistants.
Wood suggested:
“To get a...
I find it interesting how different people put different values on investments in their careers.
Some are comfortable in paying for education, but not in out...
“Offered a chance to audition musical ideas for “Captain Marvel,” Pinar Toprak pulled out all the stops,” says an article in Variety. “She composed about seven ...
Thought it might be interesting to look at the perspective of someone on the directing/producing side of things on how he feels about working with teams.
Whe...
In my opinion, competition between scores/songs that were created to service their separate and individual films are kind of pointless and meaningless.
Each ...
I often care deeply about trying to accomplish something I really desire and then devote 100% of my energy trying to do everything I can muster to make it happe...
Hypothetical is not reality. There is an overwhelming chasm between prepping for a journey and having actually traveled it.
For media composers EXPERIENCE is...
RANK YOUR EIGHT PRIORITIES OF WHAT YOU CARE MOST ABOUT IN SCORING YOUR FIRST FEW FEATURE FILMS FROM THIS LIST OF EIGHT:
- EXPERIENCE
- RELATIONSHIPS
- ...
One of the things that attracted me to the world of media music is how many of my heroes come from humble beginnings.
The career origin stories of so many gr...
EVERYONE is uniquely experiencing their own life
And that includes those who are experiencing inexperience.
I look forward to reading insights from newbie...
When this Facebook Forum was created I was hoping it would really live up to its full potential of being a vibrant virtual gathering place sizzling with a livel...
Would be interested in various opinions regarding composer commissions to their representatives.
To start, here is my understanding of some “typical” commiss...
Hello from Nashville.
We wanted to let you all know about an incredible scoring incentives being offered by the State of Tennessee, After years of working on...
25 YEARS AGO I WROTE A SHORT STORY about a man who travels to the other side of the world to track down a girl he loved briefly years earlier only to discover h...
Composers are frequently frustrated that their music alone isn’t the battering ram to knock down employment doors.
Here are some possible reasons for that:
...
I often read comments on this Forum from folks who express disgust or jadedness about their perceived annoyances towards aspects of working in the industry.
...
In a different thread Mikey Lewis points out there are far more agents for actors than for composers.
WHY IS THAT?
A glance at IMDB provides a clue.
Ac...
Of all the skills needed to make it in our industry (and in life in general) knowing how to read a situation may be one of the most crucial.
It is critical t...
More successful
Better connected
More gifted
Better compensated
More privileged
Having it easier
With more money
With more opportunities
With better luc...
1. DO THINGS OUT OF PASSION
If you love something, be passionate about it. That energy is infectious.
2. ACT LIKE YOU ARE IN SHOW BUSINESS.
Put on a big an...
Rare trove of Disneyland memorabilia going up for auction — here's your sneak peek – Yahoo
With “Disneybounding,” the Princess Style Trend Goes to Fantas...
From Pinar’s Facebook page:
“I’m so thrilled to finally announce that I will be scoring the upcoming CAPTAIN MARVEL!
It’s an incredible honor to be a part o...
Exposure is the spotlight that shines on an artist to help their career blossom and grow.
In guiding artist’s careers the concept of “Exposure” can mean a gr...
It’s not enough to rely on being naturally gifted or having access to special resources or being connected with the right folks: it’s the daily application of a...
1. TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION.
It is pretty much assumed you figured out how to compose music. The specifics are pretty boring to others.
Unless y...
About a year or two ago there was starting to be an increased awareness surrounding female media composers (in large part via efforts of the Alliance of Women C...
What dreams do you have?
How hard are you willing to push to pursue them?
Who are you going to enlist to help you along the way?
What sacrifices are yo...
Richard Kraft is the co-owner of Kraft-Engel Management, one of the world’s leading agencies specializing in representing film, theatre, television and video game composers, songwriters and music supervisors.
