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 Posted:   Aug 18, 2019 - 11:32 AM   
 By:   Munejonas   (Member)

Hey, I’m 16. I’m very passionate about film scores and really want to make them in the future. I’ve started making music this summer and was hoping to get some feedback from film score experts and enthusiasts! What are your thoughts? I’d really appreciate it! smile

https://youtu.be/wyUJ4aRBtIo

 
 Posted:   Aug 18, 2019 - 1:20 PM   
 By:   Paul MacLean   (Member)

Hey, I’m 16. I’m very passionate about film scores and really want to make them in the future. I’ve started making music this summer and was hoping to get some feedback from film score experts and enthusiasts! What are your thoughts? I’d really appreciate it! smile


The most important thing when you are starting out is relationships. Get to know aspiring / budding filmmakers. Many composers were successful because they established relationships with filmmakers early in their careers.

Basil Poledouris scored student films for John Milius and Randall Klesier when they were all in college together. Poledouris went on to score many of their later feature films.

Michael Kamen worked with low-budget producer David Panzer in the 1970s, which led to him scoring Highlander for Panzer (and working with Queen) in the 1980s.

James Horner struck-up a friendship with a production designer named James Cameron when they were working on cheapie exploitation movies at New World Pictures in their 20s. Horner would go on to score Aliens, Titanic and Avatar for Cameron.

If you can't already, learn to read and write music. Yes, Hans Zimmer cannot read music, but he is an exception. The merciless schedules imposed by scoring a film will often require you to take on assistants -- like orchestrators, conductors, etc. And most of your scores will have to be performed by session musicians. It is much easier to work with these people if you speak their language.

Learn to be articulate in as many different styles of music as possible. To be a good -- and constantly employable -- film composer, one has to be adept in films of many different genres, and the musical requirements they will inevitably bring. Even Hans Zimmer and Vangelis -- though they can't read or write music -- are still familiar with many different musical styles. Besides enabling you to find the "voice" for a particular film, knowledge of different kinds of music will also enrich your own.

Be patient, and enjoy the journey. Angelo Badalamenti was working mostly as an arranger or writing commercial jingles (having only scored two forgettable bombs in the 1970s) until he got the chance to score Blue Velvet -- when he was in his 50s. That assignment catapulted him to A-list status, but only after decades of less glamorous work.

 
 
 Posted:   Aug 18, 2019 - 1:22 PM   
 By:   OnyaBirri   (Member)

Angelo Badalamenti was working mostly as an arranger or writing commercial jingles (having only scored two forgettable bombs in the 1070s) until he got the chance to score Blue Velvet -- when he was in his 50s. That assignment catapulted him to A-list status, but only after decades of less glamorous work.

His blaxploitation film score, which was made in the 1970s rather than the 1070s, is actually very good.

 
 Posted:   Aug 18, 2019 - 1:24 PM   
 By:   Paul MacLean   (Member)


His blaxploitation film score, which was made in the 1970s rather than the 1070s...


I thought it was the 1070s.

That's why I said be patient! big grin

 
 Posted:   Aug 18, 2019 - 10:59 PM   
 By:   Adm Naismith   (Member)

Also, study drama; literature; psychology; storytelling.

Understand what is going on on-screen on as deep a level as possible to get past mickey-mousing surface action and tell us the deeper emotional story.

 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 6:10 AM   
 By:   No Respectable Gentleman   (Member)

If you can write a stirring melody (something in grievously short supply these days) you'll be discovered soon enough.

 
 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 9:49 AM   
 By:   robertolopes   (Member)

Hi there and welcome aboard!

I guess the most important thing right now is music education. You should seek the best education you can get. Consider majoring in Composition and musical theory. It’s actually hard work, but if you can pull that off, you’ll get the necessary tools to compose.

By the way, do you play the piano (or any other instrument, fot that matter)?

 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 2:09 PM   
 By:   Sirusjr   (Member)

Some great comments, but it seems not so much input on the track that was shared. You've really nailed sound design and got a solid melody coming through. I could see this being in a modern film. I could easily see this piece of music if expanded into a larger album idea working fantastic as music to put on while reading. It is quite centering and meditative.

 
 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 2:25 PM   
 By:   haineshisway   (Member)

Some great comments, but it seems not so much input on the track that was shared. You've really nailed sound design and got a solid melody coming through. I could see this being in a modern film. I could easily see this piece of music if expanded into a larger album idea working fantastic as music to put on while reading. It is quite centering and meditative.

Exactly - he asked for feedback presumably on the music he posted and until the post above this, he got everything but that.

 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 4:58 PM   
 By:   Justin Boggan   (Member)

Just sounds like gimmick-y new age-y stuff. If that was your intent, however, mission completely accomplished. Though well done -- can't fault it for that.

 
 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 5:05 PM   
 By:   robertolopes   (Member)

I just realised you included a video on your original post! Sorry about that.

Well, it sounds to me sort of like a Philip Glass piece, I guess. Not really my cup of tea (I'm a Goldsmith maniac), but I guess it fits the visuals. Isn't that what film music's supposed to do after all? ;-)

Keep swimming! Keep swimming!

Best,
Bob.

 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 5:17 PM   
 By:   Lukas Kendall   (Member)

Just sounds like gimmick-y new age-y stuff. If that was your intent, however, mission completely accomplished. Though well done -- can't fault it for that.

Could we please not make dick comments to 16-year-old composers asking for feedback? I think that is a pretty low bar, yet still, I am embarrassed to see the above on this board.

I thought the sample was very well done and a lot better than most entry-level compositions.

I recommend this Facebook page for aspiring (and established) media composers:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/556877397821248/

Lukas

 
 Posted:   Aug 19, 2019 - 5:22 PM   
 By:   Justin Boggan   (Member)

I wasn't. That's what I thought the music sounded like but left it open for that may have been what he wanted to create.

 
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