Composing for the Screen

This book is a collection of essays written by and interviews with working composers for film and television, and video games, exploring the business side of composing, addressing the lack of understanding about career development and business responsibilities as they relate to composers. Over 30 industry professionals, composers, directors, educators and business agents at all levels dispel myths about the industry and provide practical advice on topics such as how to break into the field; how to develop, nurture, and navigate business relationships; and how to do creative work under pressure. Readers will also learn about the entrepreneurial expectations in relation to marketing, strategies for contending with the emotional highs and lows of composing, and money management whilst pursuing a career in composing. Written for undergraduates and graduates studying composing, sound production, and filmmaking, as well as aspiring composers for film, TV, and games, this book provides readers with a wealth of first-hand information that will help them create their own opportunities and pursue a career in film and television.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED PRODUCTIVE NETWORKING Cultivating Strong And Healthy Professional Relationships By Trinity Velez-Justo THE DAY-TO-DAY LIFE OF A NEW COMPOSER Dreams, Reality, And Training A Q&A with Green Seo A LOOK BACK AT AN EARLY CAREER START Making The Most Of Every Opportunity, Then And Now A Q&A with Sean Beeson WORKFLOW – AND WHY IT MATTERS TO COMPOSERS Understanding Where You Fit in The Big Picture By Ian Anderson, Tim Fritz, and Scott Hallgren HOW TO WORK WITH THE PICTURE EDITOR The Relationship and Process Of Editing A Q&A with Tracy Nichole Cring CHAPTER 2: STICKING IT OUT YOU CAN WORK FROM ANYWHERE Doing Indie Game Music Work - From Chicago A Q&A with Megan Carnes YOUR FIRST MAJOR PROJECT Finishing Your First Feature and Beyond A Q&A with Carlos Garcia SELF PROMOTION FOR COMPOSERS A PR Professional Tells You How To Put Your Best YOU Forward By Thomas Mikusz THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC (FOR PICTURE) Educating Yourself About The Value Of Your Work A Q&A with Anna Kelberg-Kim, Msq FINDING YOUR HAPPY PLACE Telling Musical Stories Through Any Medium A Q&A with Claire Batchelor CHAPTER 3: FINDING SUCCESS A DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE Why We Love Original Music So Much A Q&A with Rick Page THE VALUE OF MENTORSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS A Busy TV Composer Talks About Her Journey AQ&A with Rebecca Kneubuhl WHY TO JOIN A PERFORMANCE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION An Important Move For Sustaining Your Career By Erin Collins OTHER ROLES FOR THE MODERN COMPOSER Advertising Work, Engineering, and Insights on Success A Q&A with Jake Fader EVERYONE SHOULD BE HEARD Additional Composing and The Composer Diversity Collective A Q&A with Sandro Morales Santoro CHAPTER 4: GETTING AHEAD FINDING YOUR OWN WAY From Theme Parks To Theaters A Q&A with Rob Pottorf A CAREER IN GAME MUSIC An Industry Veteran Becomes A Leader A Q&A with Will Roget WHAT DOES A MUSIC EDITOR DO? The Music Editor As Composer As Music Editor A Q&A with Shie Rozow THE REALITY OF REALITY TV The Challenges And Rewards at the Top A Q&A with Mark T. Williams WHAT AN AGENT IS LOOKING FOR Beating The Composer Catch-22 A Q&A with Ari Wise CHAPTER 5: STARTING AGAIN OTHER ROLES ON THE SOUND TRACK Ways A Composer Can Sonically Expand In The Industry A Q&A with Duncan Watt TEACHING – A POWERFUL WAY TO BRANCH OUT Success in Multiple Arenas Helps Students and You A Q&A with Hummie Mann STAGES (OF A CAREER) Success Can Be Many Things Over Time By Mark Watters EDUCATION, REVOLUTION, AND THE MEANING OF A MODERN MUSICAL FORMATION How Music Traditions, Educational Reality, And The Internet Are Colliding By Mark Nowakowski MOVING INTO PRODUCING AND DIRECTING How A Composer in Iran Makes This Work A Q&A with H.R. Nikoofar

Scott W. Hallgren has an extensive list of works as a composer and musician for film, television, and games, including multiple Emmy-nominated, Telly, Golden CINE, and film festival award winners. He currently is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media Production at Kent State University.