Composing

Thanks a lot Pamela Jaye Smith !

I love this question, Kevin Kancel! Creative flow can be such a slippery thing to grab onto, especially when you’re diving into emotionally or sonically intense work like dark ambient and orchestral music.

For me, especially as a writer, I’ve found that having a transition ritual helps me enter the zone. I light a candle and listen to one of my writing playlists or a favorite score, something about that combination really helps signal to my brain that it’s time to focus and tap into the creative zone. It creates a kind of emotional doorway that helps me leave the day behind and get into the heart of the work.

Do you use any visuals or story cues when you compose, or is it more about emotional instinct for you?

Ashley Renee Smith Thank you for your reply ! The candles seem to be an effective help. For me, it's more about emotional instinct. I close my eyes, take slow and deep breaths, block out every other aspect of life except music, and convince my brain that I'll come up with something great after the composing session. From now on, I'll combine that with some of the tips in these responses !

I try to make sure that my workspace is free from clutter and remove any potential distractions (mute phone). These simple steps help prepare/remind me to relax and focus on the project at hand.

Thank you Allen Lynch for your reply !

That's awesome Maurice Vaughan! I love that. Being excited about your work is THE best place to be.

Hi Kat, I’m currently working on TAROT, a performance in which each piece is inspired by a Major Arcana card.

Emotionally, I’d say I’m fueled by a mix of reverence and mystery, seeking that space between the sacred and the subconscious.

Hey Kat, cool question. I'm excited about finalizing the score for a horror feature.

That sounds very intriguing Monobjo Valerio Silvestri

Allen Lynch Awesome! I wish I could watch it. But I don't do scary hahahaha

This is such a thoughtful reflection, and a valuable reminder that silence can be just as powerful, if not more so, than music in the right moment. It’s all about emotional space.

It immediately brought to mind two Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes that had a strong impact on me when I was younger: “The Body”, which features almost no score at all, letting the silence carry the weight of grief; and “Hush”, where nearly the entire episode is void of spoken dialogue. Both episodes made me realize how sound, or the lack of it, can heighten the emotional impact of a story.

Two great points, Joel. Silence can be just as powerful as a musical cue. And there's nothing better than being on the same page as the decision makers.

Mark Deuce We should get it back to that :)

That is for sure Kat Spencer

Classical radio station KUSC.org often features music from the movies, and now even games as well. All still in the vein of classical.

Yes, music has such an impact on the final effect of a film! I also understand budget often plays a role in song selection, since well known tracks have significantly higher licensing costs than others.

Ayanna Anene very true! which means, it should be easier for us little guys to get placed. hahahaha

Just one example of many apps in this market. I posted the following to social media on April 20th -

This is the leading article on a weekly music newsfeed I get:

Deezer Says 20,000 AI-Generated Songs Are Uploaded Onto Its Platform Daily — Roughly 18% of All Tracks

Global streaming platform Deezer has reported that over 20,000 entirely AI-generated tracks — or around 18% of all tracks — are uploaded to its platform daily. That’s an increase from the previously reported 10% in January, when Deezer launched its cutting-edge AI music detection tool. The company’s AI music detection tool sets an industry standard — but the onslaught of AI-generated music is unrelenting.

DIGITAL MUSIC NEWS 4/16/2025 | MUSIC BUSINESS WORDWIDE 4/16/2025

I haven't seen Sinners yet, Ashley Renee Smith, but I've heard people raving about the music on social media.

I saw Sinners last week on an IMAX screen. Like I wrote on my Insta story: “Blind watch… full impact!”

I wanted to see the film because of all the buzz around its business model. I had absolutely no idea what the story was about.

I usually avoid trailers. I like going in blind and discovering the film with fresh eyes, and this one turned out to be a real gem!

As for the music, the blues, absolutely mesmerizing. It draws you in and doesn’t let go. Just perfect. It stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

Definitely one of the main characters of the movie!

Hi Ashley Renee Smith I haven´t seen it. However, as far as I know, the composer was Ludwing Goransson (The composer of Oppenheimer). In addition, I think that the soundtrack has tons of features like a combination between Blues and Orchestral music. One of the characters, Hailee Steinfeld was part of one the songs from the soundtrack. She has a fenomenal voice. I will watch Sinners next week!

Check as many 'boxes' as possible.

What do you mean with boxes?

Each skill or talent (theory, technology, administrative, contacts, etc) is a 'box'. The more skills the composer's is able to master (check the box), the easier it is to get hired.

Exactly! I didn´t know that definition. Thanks for your comment!

We are professionals and as you have eloquently stated, we often have significant experiences in writing cues that support or move on scenes. So when it comes to writing a cue for an emotional scene after awhile, we are pretty good at creating that music. So this begs two questions:

1. What if the music we write is not seen the same way by our stakeholders.

2. If there is an emotional scene, when and how do we decide that the scene is better off without music.

In my last project, for example there were two very emotional scenes - one where an elderly mother with dementia is getting increasingly frustrated (a dialog scene) and the subsequent scene where the daughter goes into the bathroom and cries (about 60 seconds of non-dialog). I wrote two cues that I judged as perfect music support. I really thought I nailed it. The stakeholder decided the performances were themselves sufficiently powerful and did not require any music.

As composers, we are service providers to our stakeholders and as such, no music was used in any of those scenes. This experience highlighted what I failed to recognize/overlooked. Filmmakers and other stakeholders have opinions that stretch to both ends of the 'spectrum'. Some are comfortable with music to support emotional and stressful sections of the film, others use scores sparingly while others prefer there be no music. As a great current example, for those of you who have watched the very popular HBO/MAX series "The Pitt" - 16 episodes and no music.

Yes - music well crafted can really support emotional scenes but those cues need to be congruent with your stakeholder's style and with their buy in, preferably up front in a spotting session.

Hannah Woolmer, I love the way you describe music as “sonic brushstrokes”! For me, John Williams and Thomas Newman scores always really stand out and stick with me. Williams has such a gift for weaving emotion and foreshadowing into his melodies without it ever feeling heavy-handed. And Newman’s scores, especially for films like Road to Perdition or Finding Nemo, use texture and subtle shifts so beautifully to communicate what’s brewing under the surface. It’s such a powerful tool when it’s done right.

What a beautiful explanation of this artistic passion! Thanks for sharing, Hannah Woolmer

Your passion and insight come across beautifully in this post Hannah. For me, the success of a score rests in part in what Joel writes; the skill of knowing when not to score a section of a movie. This takes courage and also a director with foresight.

In my humble opinion, the other element is this enigmatic word 'language'. All too often it seems composers draw on clichés to evoke an emotional response or allude to something in the movie. Where interest and imagination truly take hold, perhaps, is in the use of each composer's language or voice that completes the movie and stamps their musical signature on the film. Isn't this what we're all quietly aspiring to achieve?

Joel Irwin That's a really insightful and important point you raise. You've hit on the core tension that exists in film scoring – the delicate balance between our creative vision as composers and the needs and preferences of the filmmakers and other stakeholders. Your experience with "The Pitt" is a powerful example of how impactful a conscious decision to forgo music can be.

I absolutely agree that we are service providers, and ultimately, the director's vision and the overall tone they're aiming for take precedence. Our "perfect" cue, as you rightly pointed out, only truly works if it aligns with that vision.

having a dedicated spot where I feel creative and undistracted

Kat Spencer, I love this question! When I’m writing in the evening, I always light a few candles and use warm lamps instead of overhead lighting. It helps me feel more grounded and immersed in the world I’m creating. I also have to have music playing. I often build playlists for each project based on tone, mood, or even specific scenes. It helps me slip into the right emotional headspace and gives the writing a rhythm. I wish I could write in silence, but it makes me feel totally disconnected. Music and cozy lighting are my non-negotiables!