Thought leadership on selecting a composer for your next film
A Precursor To A New SVA Course On How To Listen to Music And Select Film Composers
Matthew Vaughn said “Music is half the film.” So why are music budgets at 5% or less? And why are scores written after a film is shot? They never used to be. Would you ask a composer to write music for a play after it is staged and ready to open? Never. So why films?
Film composers these days are selected the way that loan officers approved subprime home mortgages. Decisions without review of true underlying value. Now in film, substandard film scores permeate the marketplace. Composers are chosen based upon criteria such as how many credits, who do they know and are represented by, if they have a nifty library of samples for fake instruments, or have written music that “sounds like s0-and-so,” can we all get along, etc.
But what does this have to do with the most essential factor – what is the level of compositional capability?
I always heard that the smartest person in the room is the one that says “I don’t know, but would like to learn!” And learning in this instance is about tools for non-musicians to determine compositional capability. How can you tell the difference between one composer and another in a hands on manner? DIY – do it yourself. Make better decisions.