Anyone doing music for Commercials or Film???

[kid-surf]

I'm trying to figure out how the people that do Commercials get hired? How the hell do you break in, or even get a job? It's as if the music is just brought in by a fairy or something? The connections I do have are so high up that it's not really that helpful for a new guy, they are in the film world and have no idea how the commercial world works [and neither do I]?

I know everyone's story is probably different, but any information would be great! Also, how are you composers finding work? I know for the big dogs it's kind'a tough going right now because of the strike. Is it the same in the indie world or does this not matter on that level...

Any of you guys/gals know of a good way to find indie projects in L.A.? I just don't know where to go to find people (young directors etc.)?

BTW.... I do kind of darker music so don't worry we probably wouldn't be going for the same jobs anyway. But if that's you too, give me some tips anyway!!!!




I just thought of something else...

Are there any legit "Smaller Agencies" around town that deal with "New" composers?



KID-

[terrydrums]

I'm in NYC and I'm trying to find out the same thing! Everybody I ask always gives me this vague crap like "Oh, you have to know the right people and it takes a little luck and blah blah blah...." Nobody ever gives me a straight answer or an ounce of help. It's like this secret society that you have to be BORN into or something. If anybody has any clues or real concrete tips, please respond!!!

T.

P.S. I'm also sick of reading interviews with composers that "just kind of fell into it" and end up scoring major films or working for HBO or the Sci-Fi channel. They never tell you how they actually got there!!!

[Gaffer]

Not really, go to your local film organizations and talk to people. In NY, go talk to NYU students. Allot of the future film makers are sitting in school. Think small to build a demo reel and then shop it around to ad agencies. Getting into scoring is not going to fall into your lap. Score every low budget piece of junk you can. And from there word of mouth is a powerful thing.


Good luck

Gaffer

[jason levy]

It's not crap. Doing business is all about making connections. If you meet 100 people you'll likely get work from at least one of them.. and that's all it takes.

Usually we tend to work for the same clients over and over. Then that one person recomends you to someone else and you have 2 good clients... etc.

So call people up, meet them. Think of any friends you have in the business... even someone who only knows someone and have lunch with them. ask them if they know of any work opportunities.. ask them if they know of anyone you could talk to.

You walk in to a production company and say "i'm just getting started and I wonder if you've got any work for me'". maybe one out of ten times you will meet a sympathetic person who will take a liking to you and that's all it takes. It's even better if you can say "I met your friend joe blow and he said you might not mind if I came in to talk to you...

If your not working you're networking. If you're like me you don't really like that aspect of the business but it's not as hard as it looks once you get started...

hope that helps in some way... good luck!

jason

[terrydrums]

Yeah, but see....I've done all that and it's gotten me NOWHERE. I know tons of peope, even those who do the very thing I'm talking about, and it's gotten me NOWHERE. I've sent tons of demos out...no response. Nobody wants to know anything unless you're already successful. Of course, you can't BE successful unless you get some opportunities first. It's a huge Catch-22.

I have the tools, I have the desire, and, excuse the horn-blowing, I have the talent. All I need is the work. That's where I've hit the wall. And nobody's got a step ladder.

T. [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[lotus1]

Well to start with , you already made some connections on this very site....the best thing to do is find people who are doing that stuff and get in with them as collaborators....find out with your ole computer all the independent film producers and email them a professional how do you do if I can be of service to you please let me know email, this works and Ive got a couple independent films Im working on right now because of that kind of networking....dont send em demos unless they ask for it and feel them out on what kind of stuff they like....another way is to seek out a publisher....this is easier if you have some product like a released band CD or something like that....hook up with sonwriters, there are tons of organizations...just do a search on that....verstility...is key....what you like for music is not important...learning to read a clients wants is, or understand what the person asking you to write something is saying...there are all kinds of parameters for writing this kind of stuff....Its not all get a great sound and here ya go..there are fine little things you need to learn to write this stuff....the way you learn is by working and networking with people...
Do you have any product? Got some demo stuff? Email me and we will talk...
Joey
[email protected]

[Chico]

And just for grins and giggles, here's someting else you might try.

The two largest production houses for radio and TV commercial music are in Dallas...TM Century and FirstCom Music. Sorry, I don't have the addresses or phone numbers handy, but they do have web sites, and from what I understand, use a lot of material from composers on contract.

May be something...maybe not, but I think it would be worth a try.

[Slim Shady]

I have a lot of friends who work in the film scoring or orchestrating biz, and they all got their start by doing grunt work for a working composer. This meant doing everything from booking flights to setting up day care for the kids, but it also meant the occasional opportunity to orchestrate something, or work on a minor project. Eventually, those opportunites opened up as they worked longer for the composer(s) and eventually they were handling the majority of the minor composing/orchestrating and they hired someone else to be the gopher.

Basically what it comes down to, is if you're really interested in that industry, find any way you can to be around where it's happening. Don't expect it to come find you - go get a job as a receptionist at a post house, or find an indie composer who needs an assistant (they all do). The pay won't be great, but you'll start meeting people in the industry and seeing how the work gets done, and where the work is coming from. How do you find someone who needs an assistant? Start asking around, if you're here in LA, then it won't take too long to find someone - try the union, they have a good database of people there, and it's inexpensive to join.

If you really want to try for some indie projects of your own, you can try the film dept. at USC. The thing is though, they have a great filmscoring department there too, so most of their film student's scores are done by other USC students. Can't hurt to look though.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR> Are there any legit "Smaller Agencies" around town that deal with "New" composers? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, there aren't any. There aren't any for big composers either, so don't bother. They're just not used on the production side of the business, work comes from who you know and your previous reputation. Now if you're an artist, that's a different story, but producers/composers/engineers etc... there's no agency for that kind of thing.

[kid-surf]

Thanks for the great responses!

lotus1-

I will definitely e-mail you in the next few days. I want to finish a mix first so you might be able to check it out if you'd like? I feel it's one of my best works. I do have other stuff though, and have gotten a few small jobs.... Thank you, Joey!


Slim Shady-

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>No, there aren't any. There aren't any for big composers either, so don't bother.
They're just not used on the production side of the business, work comes from who you know and your previous reputation. Now if you're an artist, that's a different story, but
producers/composers/engineers etc... there's no agency for that kind of thing.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


This is simply not true! actually my wife happens to be an Agent at one of the "top three" {scratch out the smaller two and that's where she's at}... Her colleague is a
"Composing Agent" at this agency and handles a lot of different composers, most of which you have definitely heard of (I don't really want to drop names). I just spoke with this person
yesterday in regards to this subject.

I just want to set the record straight: Composers definitely "DO" have Agents/representation....

[Slim Shady]

That surprises me, but I'm not afraid to admit I'm wrong. I happen to know a lot of composers too, and none of them need an agent to find them work, and most would be too greedy to use one anyway. They do love their lawyers though!

Oh oops, i finally just saw that you were talking more about commecials than film music. I believe most commercial music is done by jingle houses, which are usually a few staff writers who colloborate (or don't) to put together demos of tunes to submit to ad agencies. At least that's what I was told back in my school days by a teacher who worked in a jingle house and did music for coke (meaning the cola people) for a few years. Things could have changed by now, but I doubt it. If you want to find out how to get into it, i would contact some of the ad agencies in town and find out who they use for their music - that should give you a good foothold into where things go down in LA.