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...
Never would this fanboy ever have imaged working as an agent with so many of his composing heroes yet alone combing that with directing giant productions of my ...
Firefighters run towards the flames.
Surfers seek out crushing waves
Marathoners pound through 26.2 Miles
Mothers power through screaming children.
...
Four years ago the AFM announced, with great fanfare, a new Video Game Agreement that was intended to bring more union game recording to its members since their...
The question isn’t “do you want to be a composer?”
But rather, “Do you want do you really want to run off and join the show?”
Do you relish the media musi...
Once in a while a composer becomes so well-known for one thing that once that popularity and acclaim passes, he/she become endlessly and narrowly associated wit...
With all the talk about hot dog vendors on another thread on this Forum, I decided to watch a feature documentary tonight about the founder of NATHAN’S FAMOUS.
...
WHAT IS “EXPOSURE” FOR A MEDIA COMPOSER?
Among the ways a media composer can have “exposure” are:
Drawing attention to your work
Creating an associatio...
WHO DO YOU ASPIRE TO BE?
JIM HENSON or STATLER & WALDORF
Personally, I aspire to be a dreamer and a doer like Henson or Walt Disney. I admire those who ...
After decades of coaching composers in drafting pitch letters, here is an example of what I believe would be effective in getting my foot in the door if I were ...
I love all the members of the team at our agency that leads to such a great week in the Top 10 for our clients.
Will forever be grateful for Laura Engel, Sar...
After reading the post and comments on a recent thread featuring some examples of A.I. composed music, I decided to listen to that A.I. music and compare it to ...
“Am I going to make it?”
This question haunts many. Countless nights are devoted to tossing in bed fretting about the future.
And that is understandable.
...
A forum member Noah Smith, asked some great questions about “going pro” on another thread. Here they are with my responses:
— 1. “How do I ever start establi...
“WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN SALES IS FIND AN OBJECTION AND SOLVE THE OBJECTION”- Marcus Lemonis, The Profit
How many ways can that quote pertain to being a profe...
The climb up any particular career mountain is steep. It takes a lot of energy, commitment, sacrifice, failure and focus to make that climb.
Since my early 2...
For many, it is a bit of human nature to be passive. That instinct can really get in the way of building a media scoring career.
So much of succeeding in thi...
23 of the 32 films Michael Giacchino has score during his extraordinary career over the last 14 years have been through just 8 relationships: John Lasseter, Mat...
26 of the 35 films John Williams has scored over the last 25 years are from just three relationships: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Chris Columbus.
In 2...
Sometimes I check out the websites of members of this Forum to get a better sense of who is out there.
Websites are an important opportunity to make a great ...
While it seems like a modern phenomenon , there has always been a murky “bottom” in the low-end of the media music industry. Scoring bargain-basement media proj...
The often-quoted, but seldom-understood phrase “race to the bottom” refers to the cost between nearly identical goods or services. Lowering the price becomes th...
As a kid I went to the local camera shop with my dad, who was a school teacher, for him to get some photos developed for a school project.
They said it would...
1. CREATE A GREATER DEMAND FOR YOUR SERVICES
Overwhelming the most effective way to generate more income is to acquire a larger, more devoted, more diverse, ...
MANY TIMES YOU CAN HAVE ALL THREE. (AND TRANSFORM THE WORLD IN THE PROCESS).
For a number of reasons I loath when people pull out the shopworn cliché about t...
At some point overthinking stuff can become a HUGE self-inflicted handicap.
If you become so excessively careful and caught up your own “logic” that you find y...
Following her Annie Award-winning music to COCO, Germaine Franco has composed the original score to the multi-sensory KUNG FU PANDA: THE EMPEROR’S QUEST attract...
I’m in Tokyo directed Alan Menken’s one man show where he sings and shares incredible stories behind his legendary music.
There is a whole new world of audie...
So thrilled to be able to finally announce that Pinar Toprak is scoring the upcoming David Goyer series, KRYPTON.
This follows her providing additional music...
So, you have elected to turn your passion for composing into a profession. By doing so, you have also chosen to set up and run a business.
You can embrace th...
THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX was just announced during the Super Bowl and aired on Netflix immediately after.
J.J. Abrams is always several steps ahead of others....
Recently, one of my favorite Forum members, Kubilay Uner, threw down several great commandments on how to get work as a media composer.
They deserve their ow...
Composers want real world advice on how to acquire scoring jobs, especially early in their careers.
If you were teaching a course on this subject, what would...
We are not alone.
Though it often feels like we live in isolation, that is a false belief.
We are so much bigger than that. We are all parts of a series o...
MATCHING FUNDS OFFERED TO THIS FACEBOOK GROUP.
I frequently post here that receiving+giving=living just as inhaling+exhaling=breathing.
Towards that end, ...
I remember Jerry Goldsmith telling me how he viewed himself and his role as a film composer...
I’m not an artist. I’m a craftsman.
It’s like designing boo...
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.
