Free Resources for Film Composers (updated)
There are a ton of free resources out there for film composers (besides this website). Here’s a list of some of my favorites – everything from books to a fully sampled orchestra!
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It’s Mermaid Time: DIY Short Film Scoring, Part 4: Voicing
This is the fourth part in a series following my process of composing music for a short film. I’ll take you along on the creative journey with a specific real-world example, from conception through festival premiere. At the end of the series, see the finished product and listen to the full score!
This fourth installment will focus on finding the core instrumentation for the score, what I call “voicing.”
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It’s Mermaid Time: DIY Short Film Scoring, Part 3: Attack Plan
This is the third part in a series following my process of composing music for a short film. I’ll take you along on the creative journey with a specific real-world example, from conception through festival premiere. At the end of the series, see the finished product and listen to the full score!
This third part will go through the initial script breakdown, and we’ll build an initial attack plan for the cues needed.
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Mark Mothersbaugh: Film Composer Profile
Aside from a select few, most film composers are not household names. You probably know their music, but not their names or the other films they’ve worked on. In this post we’ll look at one composer in particular, Mark Mothersbaugh. He has had a long and varied career, and has written a lot of fun, beloved film scores.
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Female Film Composers
When you think of famous film composers, how many women are in your list? Probably not many, maybe none. That’s a shame, because there are a lot of great female film composers (both past and present). In a male-dominated industry, it’s important to call out some of the women who deserve some of the spotlight.
(more…)Who knows? Maybe your favorite film was scored by a woman and you didn’t even realize it.
Know The Lingo: 17 Film Composing Terms Explained
Depending on your background, film composing terms can seem like a foreign language. Even if you have a strong musical background, you’ll encounter unfamiliar jargon that is unique to scoring a picture. Learn these 17 common terms so you can talk the talk on your next project.
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The Collaborative Film Composer – Working with a Director
Creative Composer Collaboration
The film composer / film director collaboration can make or break a project. It can also make or break your future success with a career in composing. Know what to expect and have ways to approach the creative process. You can put these tips into action right away for a better composing experience, and ultimately a better soundtrack.
The key is to think of the director as a creative ally, not an obstruction.
In the end, you are both working towards the same goal: to make the best film possible.
How Much Does Studio Gear Cost To Start Composing Film Music?
Build Your Studio On Any Budget
If you’re just starting out as a film composer, you may be intimidated by the sheer number of options available for setting up your studio workstation, and the price tag involved. Studio gear costs can seem like a huge hurdle to composers who are just starting out.
However, you can build out your studio rig with professional gear no matter your budget – even if that budget is $0!
Read on for options available to you at different DIY price points.
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The Composers Behind “Stranger Things” (Video)
Stranger Things Composers
Check out this video posted by Vanity Fair where they interviewed the composers for “Stranger Things” on Netflix. There are some really interesting tidbits in here, and the way they fell into being film composers just goes to show that if you do what you love, anything can happen.
Follow the link below!
The Efficient Film Composing Workflow
What Efficiency Means to a Film Composer
How does a concept like efficiency tie in to composing music for a film? Writing music is a creative pursuit, and for most composers, the more time they can spend in that creative zone, the better the final product will be.
Being efficient in this context means maximizing your time in the creative stages of the project, and minimizing your time on things like logistics and technical issues. Having a well-designed music composing workflow is the key.