Caught your eye, didn't I? I wanna know how to score, or at least get into the business of scoring. No, not that kind of scoring: I'm talking about movie\video game scoring. My music's been described as very soundtrack-like and I'd love to do this kind of work. Any idea of where I should start or who I should be talking to? Thanks.
S-graph
Scoring: How to?
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- KVRist
- 105 posts since 12 Mar, 2003 from Your Town
I Agree to these terms and am over or exactly 13 years of age
http://www.spirographonline.com
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/spirographmusic.htm
http://www.spirographonline.com
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/spirographmusic.htm
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- KVRAF
- 7886 posts since 24 Feb, 2003 from Earth, USA
You SURE you want the abuse? 
If you're not thick skinned to begin with, you either need to get there, or stop. It's a rough world otherwise. That's step 1.
But you want to get started? Start volunteering to work for free a lot, and start practicing with whatever you can get your hands on to prove that you can. Hard to get hired without a demo reel/proven track record.
Next, take any animations or video work you can get your hands on, strip out the audio, and add your own. Writing to spec is a lot harder than simply writing a toon. Start getting used to being able to hit queues perfectly. Like you have a 25 second segment, it needs to hit a queue at 14 and 21 seconds, for example, now make it fit and sound 'right'.
If you want to do video game work, expect that you'll probably take on sound effect work as well. Granted, some projects actually have a composer or two and a sound effects guy or two. Count on the fact you'll probably be both, the voice over director, fixing all the audio problems, and have to track hundreds, if not thousands upon thousands of sound effects. Count on the fact that you'll have to make your own, and count on the fact that you're going to have to be REALLY creative when you find sound clips that don't 'quite' work, and how to massage them to GET them to work. Owning a sound effects library to start will CERTAINLY help. Watch Sound Ideas every month for good sales for example to help save hundreds of dollars.
I could go on, but I'll stop for now.
Yes, I've done this work. YES, it's a pain in the butt sometimes. Yes, it *IS* work. But yes, it's enjoyable work, but it's not all fun and games though.
Devon
If you're not thick skinned to begin with, you either need to get there, or stop. It's a rough world otherwise. That's step 1.But you want to get started? Start volunteering to work for free a lot, and start practicing with whatever you can get your hands on to prove that you can. Hard to get hired without a demo reel/proven track record.
Next, take any animations or video work you can get your hands on, strip out the audio, and add your own. Writing to spec is a lot harder than simply writing a toon. Start getting used to being able to hit queues perfectly. Like you have a 25 second segment, it needs to hit a queue at 14 and 21 seconds, for example, now make it fit and sound 'right'.
If you want to do video game work, expect that you'll probably take on sound effect work as well. Granted, some projects actually have a composer or two and a sound effects guy or two. Count on the fact you'll probably be both, the voice over director, fixing all the audio problems, and have to track hundreds, if not thousands upon thousands of sound effects. Count on the fact that you'll have to make your own, and count on the fact that you're going to have to be REALLY creative when you find sound clips that don't 'quite' work, and how to massage them to GET them to work. Owning a sound effects library to start will CERTAINLY help. Watch Sound Ideas every month for good sales for example to help save hundreds of dollars.
I could go on, but I'll stop for now.
Yes, I've done this work. YES, it's a pain in the butt sometimes. Yes, it *IS* work. But yes, it's enjoyable work, but it's not all fun and games though.
Devon
Simple music philosophy - Those who can, make music. Those who can't, make excuses.
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 105 posts since 12 Mar, 2003 from Your Town
Abuse, eh? I'd like to avoid as much abuse as possible (wouldn't we all?). What hardships have you run up against? I'm sure it's a lot of demands placed on you and it's always your fault since it didn't sync up properly (when sometimes it's just impossible). Also, it sounds like you got your foot in the door but now it's out. Bigger and better things or not your cup of tea? Thanks for the input so far.
S-graph
S-graph
I Agree to these terms and am over or exactly 13 years of age
http://www.spirographonline.com
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/spirographmusic.htm
http://www.spirographonline.com
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/spirographmusic.htm
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- KVRAF
- 2401 posts since 29 Dec, 2002 from In the dark
This topic has been debated many times at many places.
There is a discussion getting hot at the GPO forum about it.
http://northernsounds.com/forum/showthr ... post198579
Film scoring is a very competitive and profesional specialised field. Those who are in the business will fight to retain their jobs and try to keep you out.
Develop a thick skin. Without it you will not survive. Make sure you can do it by practicing a lot as Devon suggested. After that, get a thicker skin and go for it man!
There is a discussion getting hot at the GPO forum about it.
http://northernsounds.com/forum/showthr ... post198579
Film scoring is a very competitive and profesional specialised field. Those who are in the business will fight to retain their jobs and try to keep you out.
Develop a thick skin. Without it you will not survive. Make sure you can do it by practicing a lot as Devon suggested. After that, get a thicker skin and go for it man!
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- KVRAF
- 6519 posts since 13 Mar, 2002 from UK
You could always cheat.
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- KVRAF
- 7886 posts since 24 Feb, 2003 from Earth, USA
What kind of abuse? Director not liking your work. Having to do it over again, even from scratch. Spending HOURS on a clip for it to be thrown out in the end. Beating YOURSELF up over the clip not being good enough. Your best ideas rejected, and your worst ideas being used. Long hours, and even longer hours if you don't get it right. Deadlines, sometimes VERY tight deadline.
Not syncing up right? No, that IS your fault. If you didn't check after the fact your work, no one else to blame but yourself. Saying it's impossible is not a good attitude in this biz, because someone else will find it possible.
And my foots been in the door and still in. It's just a lot of hard work and requires a LOT of dedication. Also realize this isn't steady work either. This business is VERY finicky... but I'm sick and twisted and still think its fun work!
Devon
Not syncing up right? No, that IS your fault. If you didn't check after the fact your work, no one else to blame but yourself. Saying it's impossible is not a good attitude in this biz, because someone else will find it possible.
And my foots been in the door and still in. It's just a lot of hard work and requires a LOT of dedication. Also realize this isn't steady work either. This business is VERY finicky... but I'm sick and twisted and still think its fun work!
Devon
Simple music philosophy - Those who can, make music. Those who can't, make excuses.
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
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- KVRAF
- 3588 posts since 13 May, 2004 from montreal
I sort of fell into soundtrack work by accident - was already working in the film industry in a different capacity, which helped.
Generally, people I know who have been doing soundtrack work longer than me (I've scored a short film and I'm about to do my first feature) seem to have had the same experience I did. A coworker of mine had written a screenplay, wanting to direct it himself. Being already on the inside, it was a (relatively! i.e. only took two years) project to find financing for. He asked me to do the soundtrack before the project was completely finalized, I made a few rough demos based on his screenplay, he liked it, and off we went.
Fortunately the director and I are on the same wavelength sound-wise - similar tastes in music and cinema - which totally helps. Working with people you don't know is probably another thing entirely though.
As far as getting in goes, a lot of this comes down to who you know, unfortunately. But there have been people who have been hired to do soundtracks based on the music they've released generally. Just keep getting your music out there, I guess.
Generally, people I know who have been doing soundtrack work longer than me (I've scored a short film and I'm about to do my first feature) seem to have had the same experience I did. A coworker of mine had written a screenplay, wanting to direct it himself. Being already on the inside, it was a (relatively! i.e. only took two years) project to find financing for. He asked me to do the soundtrack before the project was completely finalized, I made a few rough demos based on his screenplay, he liked it, and off we went.
Fortunately the director and I are on the same wavelength sound-wise - similar tastes in music and cinema - which totally helps. Working with people you don't know is probably another thing entirely though.
As far as getting in goes, a lot of this comes down to who you know, unfortunately. But there have been people who have been hired to do soundtracks based on the music they've released generally. Just keep getting your music out there, I guess.