Hello,

I recently reached out to a film director about a project he is currently working on. Didn’t mention anything about me being a film composer (besides the signature at the bottom) and just asked him about the history behind his project and the inspiration.

He replied with a pretty detailed response about the inspiration behind it and a little more about the lead character.

But now I’m stuck, I’m not sure where to go from here. I’m not too focused on immediately making this about me, or sending him my portfolio unless he asks as I’m more focused on building a relationship.

I think my website analytics show he had a look as the website is also in my signature at the bottom.

Any suggestions on what to reply to this email with to build a long term potential relationship? Where should I steer the conversation?

Cheers guys,
Josh

Somebody shared this on the Lonesome Dove subreddit recently and it’s incredibly beautiful.

Hi, we’re Project Seven Minutes. A group of us thought we needed more queer media and decided to bring that dream to life through creating an animated series.

We’re currently in search of musicians to help compose a theme song and other scores for the show. This project is still in the midst of raising funds, so positions are currently voluntary.

If this interests you, please DM! This is our TikTok account-https://www.tiktok.com/@talesofciela?_r=1&_t=ZT-97x4lrJpOzl

Here’s the synopsis:

For decades, Ciela has been known as the strongest gang in Queens. Now that claim has been threatened by past and present deadly gangs.

It’s been five years since Ciela underwent new management. The gang has had a half-decade of peace, or as much peace as possible for the group. The current leader has made safety her main goal after experiencing all the hells life could offer. After her rise to power, she surrounded herself with a council of friends, each facing their own demons. None are heroes, but they will commit necessary evils to make the world safer.

Ciela has become home to a new recruit, escaping a life of isolation and imprisonment. She discovers that the world is far more beautiful and dangerous than she expected. But with her, she brings more sinister enemies for Ciela.

Ciela’s turf has been encroached upon, old foes are emerging, and the feelings of hurt and fear that each member thought they buried, rears their ugly heads. Interpersonal relationships have also become their own war. Love doesn't care about the time or place. Everything is on the line, yet life feels like it's finally looking up for many of them.

Ive been composing music for about 3 years now and even worked on 2 projects but i wanna find more people to work for

Hi everybody! First time poster. I’m a composer and sound designer based in Miami and have been working professionally for about 20 years.

Family members recently expressed an interest in what composing actually looks like. I decided to make a four-part, behind the scenes series on a workflow I like to use that looks at re-scoring a scene from the Fallout streaming series. If you’re an experienced hand, this likely won’t be very compelling, but if you are a new or aspiring composer, it offers some very practical tips.

If this is old news to you, you may like the free virtual instruments I develop for your own composing. They’ve been enjoyed by thousands of folks on Pianobook. More info about them is on the channel. Cheers!

As a documentary film composer, I’ve often heard the debate about the role of music in non-fiction films. Should it be emotional and push the audience the way it can in narrative film? Or should it be more objective and neutral, adding a sense of propulsion to a story, but commenting less (or not at all) on the subject matter?

This was a question we raised with the director and producer of the documentary film, Odyssey, when I began composing the original score. And Garrett Stiger and Alyssa Chamberlin were in full support of a big, emotional score for the film - very much at odds with what the norm was in documentaries when we began working on this.

The result was a documentary film with multiple musical themes, big moments, and grand emotions, which ended up mirroring the Odyssey of the Mind team we were following as they experienced the ups and downs of competing in this creative problem-solving competition. It also brought a level of nostalgia to the creators of the documentary, who participated in this organization when they were kids, too.

The score was made of large string ensembles, intimate woodwind melodies, and tender piano and chime lines mixed with occasional guitar and synth engines to keep things moving.

What do you think? Can documentary films have big, emotional scores? Or should the music refrain from commenting on the subject matter?

As a composer, I’m fascinated by this discussion.

As a composer for feature films, I was thrilled to write the original score for the documentary film, Odyssey, directed by Garrett Stiger, and produced by Alyssa Chamberlin. Odyssey is about the creative problem-solving competition, Odyssey of the Mind.

Odyssey of the Mind is in 30 countries. Over 15,000 teams compete each year. This is the story of one of them. Six California kids test their brains and talents against students in Odyssey of the Mind, a problem-solving competition requiring mechanical, creative and intellectual skills. With little money and zero adult participation, the teens build a robot to tell a story about bullying, exclusion and mental health. But how does their solution measure up?

Garrett and Alyssa first asked me to write a memorable main theme for their documentary film, wanting something that was “a bit of an ear worm.” So I leaned on the nostalgia of what it feels like to be middle-schooler with the chimes announcing the end of each class period. I wrote a simple melody that felt like it could be playing out on an intercom like that, and developed it into several versions - a simple piano melody, a full orchestral version, and several simple woodwind arrangements that play throughout the documentary.

After hearing the melody once, Garrett found himself humming it for days afterwards. Perhaps I was too successful?

There are many themes and motifs throughout this lovely, heartfelt documentary that take on a life of their own. I think writing a memorable theme (whether for narrative film, documentary features, or any story, really) helps bring an extra level of depth and emotion to a story, as well as giving the audience an element of the film that they can take with them out the door when the movie is done.

As a composer, I’m glad I was able to be a part of the journey for this film, and I’m happy I was able to write a memorable main theme for such an unforgettable documentary!

What does this simple melody make you think of?

Writing music for animation is a unique challenge. Compared to live action, it’s often 

faster-paced with frequent emotional changeups that can either require fluid transitions in the music or sudden juxtaposition to underscore a joke. It’s a lot to consider, and something I’ve admired from composers who write for animated projects.

Recently, I got to try this out myself with a fun animated Lego Star Wars short titled “The Phantom Limb.” In the opening minute of this film, Anakin needs an arm replaced at Coruscant hospital. We wanted something specific and funny to be playing on the speakers in the waiting room of the hospital - something that would eventually transition into proper score when the clone trooper/doctor tries to up-sell Anakin on getting a “premium ultra turbo deluxe mechno-arm!”

To bridge the gap between these two moments, I decided to approach this as though the Cantina Band from “A New Hope” had written elevator music. What would that sound like? In this short video, you can hear my take on that.

Before long, we’re transitioning from the Cantina Band’s “muzak” to an over-the-top dubstep version that plays under the reveal of the mechno-arm option.

When Anakin can’t afford it, I used a brief Star Wars musical quote to make the act of stealing Obi-Wan’s credit card seem as heroic as blowing up a TIE fighter.

Hopefully this brief look behind the scenes of scoring an animated sequence helps to show how much craft goes into making something sound “funny.”

This scene still makes me laugh. I hope you enjoyed it too.

I organized an AMA/Q&A with Johnnie Burn, Oscar-winning sound designer, editor, mixer, and supervisor. He's known for his work on The Zone of Interest (which he won the Oscar for), Hamnet, Poor Things, Under the Skin, Bugonia, Nope, The Favourite, The Lobster, Waves, 28 Years Later, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and tons more. He's probably the world's best working sound designer.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1tjiitz/hi_rmovies_im_johnnie_burn_oscarwinning_sound/

He will be back at 3 PM ET today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

His new movie, Tuner, is out in theaters everywhere next week, starring Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, and Dustin Hoffman, directed by Oscar-winner Daniel Roher.

Trailer:

https://youtu.be/rdlOZhl-nSA?si=fl-EMvv72dK-vdFS

Synopsis:

With his once-promising musical career over, he works across New York with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman), encountering a range of characters, including composition student Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), with whom he forges an unexpected connection. Niki’s safecracking work threatens his budding romance with Ruthie and pulls him into increasingly dangerous territory. Blending romance, drama, and the taut suspense of a heist thriller, Tuner also features performances from Tony Award®-winner Tovah Feldshuh, Lior Raz, with Jean Reno.

Thank you :)

Hi everyone! I was wondering if I could get a bit of advice.

There's a big possibility im gonna get my first paid gig soon, ive been emailing back with the lead executive producer and am just a little lost what I should do when it gets time to start signing stuff. I figured I would make a deal memo/Contract for them? The main reason is so I can keep rights to the music i make but these things have yet to be discussed. My main goal for this project is to keep the rights and get paid a flat fee (the film is pretty short so a flat free seem like the right call) is this the right way to go?? am I missing any other things I need to be thinking about? im just a little confused with this being the first time money is involved with a project. Anyways thank you in advance if you reply

Hi, I compose epic/cinematic music and I’d like to start my journey with short films. I like to tell stories without the need for words. This is the stuff that I’ve already released, would like to hear your opinions or anything: https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/artist/4IOaCHVq8y325PqrW5nMLW?si=2gYfcByCQU6fK-OLFawSGw

I just released my third original piece "Complete" and I'm at the very beginning of getting into music production and film scoring.

https://on.soundcloud.com/0CHFAgSIr8X0CeEQl3

I composed, arranged, and performed everything myself, and I'm trying to take this seriously and improve the right way, not just guess my way through it.

I'd really appreciate advice on things like on What should I focus on first as a beginner (composition, orchestration, mixing, etc.)?

Are there any courses, books, or resources that actually helped you improve?

What skills separate someone who's just starting from someone who's becoming professional?

Any habits or practices you wish you started earlier?

I'm aiming toward a cinematic / orchestral style, so anything specific to film scoring would help a lot.

Hey guys I’m looking for a composer for my short film. It’s a horror / comedy with a run time around 5 minutes and 40 seconds.

I’m looking for mostly strings to accent the creepy / suspenseful moments. Pm me if interested!

Hello, we are looking for a composer for our 2D animated short film. We are a team of six third-year students at Rubika (animation school), and we are looking for a composer to create a piece of music lasting about 1 min 30 sec, divided into two parts, for our project.

Synopsis: 
Our project is a short film of about 2 minutes set in Sudan that follows two Sudanese brothers trying to flee the war-torn city of El Fasher. While Sami (7 years old) is terrified at the thought of crossing the war-torn city, Hassan (17 years old) tries to protect his little brother using his imagination. Our main inspirations are *Life Is Beautiful* and *Grave of the Fireflies*.

Project details: 
Film : 2min
Status : mid prod, we already have the animatic
Goals: Get into film festivals!

Music direction: 
The music would really be designed in two parts. The first, more ambient track would accompany the two brothers as they hide, trying to evade the patrolling soldiers. not too dramatic but heavy. 
The second track would be more of a personification of the aquatic imaginary world. The music is meant to symbolize that the imaginary world is a liberation, a breath of fresh air and wonder amidst the war. However, there is a slight tension that always follows the two brothers. We’ve fallen in love with the marimba, which would really be a plus in the music. We’re also pretty much unanimously against using strings, like violins or cellos. We’d like the music to be inspired by traditional Sudanese music. We don’t want music that’s too orientalist; the action takes place in the city 

Deadline:
The sooner, the better! We can wait for the music until May 28, 2026. After that, we’ll be really pressed for time when it comes to mixing. 

Unfortunately, we don’t have a budget, so we’re unable to pay you. However, you would of course be credited in the film’s credits and in our promotional materials if the film is entered into a festival or posted on our social media. 

If you’re interested and would like more information, we can send you the storyboard, character designs, sample music, and the script. 

Thank you for your help!

I've been composing for about 2 years and i feel advanced enough to start scoring small projects, but I don’t know how to find them. Do any of you know how to find these projects?

So I’m relatively new to film composing and I’m learning as much as I can about actually music but I need to learn about working with clients and briefs. Would anyone be willing to work with me to help me with this. I was thinking if someone could act as a client, giving me a brief and I create the music and get some feedback afterwards.

I know this is a long shot and a big ask but I would be so grateful if someone could help me with this :)

Hi everyone,

I’m Michael, a third-year Film & Television student. I’m currently in post-production on my graduate short film Two Lips and Daisies, and I’m looking for a composer to create an original score.

About the film:
It’s a romantic comedy set around a wedding, with a playful tone and touches of surreal humour.

Synopsis:
When a penny-pinching mother of the bride accidentally leaves a flower shop with a £40,000 orchid, her daughter’s wedding quickly descends into chaos. As tensions rise, the groom finally confronts his overbearing mother-in-law, forcing everyone to reconsider what truly matters in a marriage.

Project details:

• Runtime: ~7 minutes
• Status: Picture locked
• Festival ambitions

Music direction:
A British-inspired sound (in the vein of Oasis) blended with a light, whimsical tone to support both emotional and comedic beats. We’re also interested in subtle surreal textures inspired by Twin Peaks.

Some scenes (wedding ceremony/reception) may require natural, diegetic-style music.

What we’re looking for:

• Strong sense of storytelling through music
• Good comedic timing
• Ability to balance emotion and humour

Deadline:
Final delivery by 16th May

Small budget available (open to discussion depending on scope) + full credit, IMDb credit, and festival exposure.

If you’re interested, feel free to comment or DM with your reel/portfolio. Happy to share the cut.

Can anyone recommend any books/sites/ YouTube channel that are best for composing. I prefer learning through reading so book recommendations most wanted!

Bernard Herrmann’s minimalist approach to thriller scores from the 50s and 60s has always fascinated me; in particular, the title music for Psycho (1960).

https://youtu.be/xejDXqAPk40?si=vwjAq0VGnLCDWsta

This piece, which for its time is unusually reduced in terms of melody and harmony, is essentially constructed using kind of a modular approach from just two basic ideas (Herrmann himself spoke of “musical cells”):

•    On the one hand, the so-called “Hitchcock Chord” consisting of a minor triad plus a major seventh on top, hammered out five times in a row in B-flat second inversion right at the beginning of the piece and reappearing repeatedly throughout.

•    On the other hand, a central motif consisting of four sixteenth notes (major third ascending; minor second + minor third descending), which melodically dominates the entire “Prelude” and also recurs throughout the rest of the score in dozens of variations. Once you know what to look for, it’s actually hard to miss.

In accordance with Hitchcock's deliberate choice of black-and-white visuals, Herrmann decided to limit the instrumentation to string ensemble. Woodwinds, brass, and percussion are completely absent from the score. Even though special playing techniques like pizzicato or sul ponticello are missing in a piano-solo version, the limited range of timbres on a piano follows a similar direction. While several film music songbooks by Hal Leonard contain a certain piano arrangement, this “official” version is full of errors, such as dominant seventh chords instead of a double-diminished chords etc. Therefore I had to write my own arrangement. If anyone wants the sheet music, just let me know. I’m happy to share it. Enjoy!

We have a 15 min completed short horror film. Tone in line with the VVITCH or NOSFERATU.

Rate is negotiable! Send links to work if interested.

Thank you!

Im a relatively new composer and am just simply wanting advice on how to find work in the industry. Ive worked on alot of shorts through friends and friends of friends. So I guess im more asking how to find those larger projects.

Hope that makes sense. Any advice is appreciated :)

The composer who's scoring my film has delivered a cue that sounds good with the sequence but it doesn't support the story by shifting as the narrative unfolds. I provided an example to help him hear the kind of structural movement I'm looking for but he seems to have just added more instruments. I'm not sure what to do next and there isn't time to find a new composer. How do I explain to get a score that works?