Blog
Social Media Marketing, A Revolution
Posted on April 26, 2011
A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a seminar in Hollywood called “The Real Deal” presented by the Hollywood Music In Media Awards. Among many of the aspects covered, and one of the best for me was from 440 Artist Alignment Headed by Amy Houck. 440’s primary business is to help musicians manage and support their exposure on the internet, including social media.
World Recession - What's It All Mean?
Posted on April 13, 2011
Why the word “depression” isn’t used is beyond me because as far as I can tell the economy and all of us who have to live in it sure are depressed on all fronts. I say that and I’m one of the few fortunate. I’ve heard stories of people who took huge risks during the depression. For instance someone who spent his last few dollars on a Rolls and a driver. When the head of the studio where he worked ran out to get in his own car it had a flat. In that moment with his last dollars spent, his life changed when the studio head offered him the job as a producer. I don’t know how or why those things happen, but they do. And just like in the original depression there are still wealthy people and they are still making movies, and even more so T.V. So, what does it all mean for the people who can’t seem to get the work?
Welcome To Hollywood
Posted on June 22, 2010
In most business settings there are guides to how you go about building your business. If you want to open a retail spot you advertise on your building, in local print, direct mailing, fliers, stuff like that. If you want to sell a product there are trade shows, distributors, retailers, and sales reps that you can find to expose that product. If you want to be a composer you… well what do you do? I guess you start writing for films. But where do you find the films? And if you do find films, how do you find the ones that have budgets and will be seen by the people who can help you progress? If I had a magic answer for that I would either be a very successful composer or author of the “How To Become A Composer For Dummy’s” books.
Where Did All The Music Go?
Posted on April 12, 2010
In my quest to becoming an every day working film composer I have made a few substantial connections that would normally reap the benefits of networking. In other words, getting work. Although it is not for the lack of trying on either party, it sure seems like the end of 09 and beginning of 2010 has felt the pinch of the faucet turning off.
Avatar The New Film Experience
Posted on January 18, 2010
As a student of films I am generally skeptical about any hype and critics acclaim, billion dollars or not. After spending at least $280 million dollars to create a future world of fantasy, most people might think that’s a little excessive… but then again it was spent by James Cameron. Which brings me to another area of skepticism, a one time success assuming a later success. In other words, just because Mr. Cameron had a passion and focus on Titanic, doesn’t automatically mean that will prove true in his next big project.
The Wild West of Broadcast Media
Posted on December 10, 2009
NBC… Who’s NBC? Well NBC, currently NBC Universal has been a giant in media in some form for as long as there’s been broadcast media. It is amazing to me how short of a period it has taken to come from black and white tube T.V.’s to fully digital flat screens that hang on your wall. Along with all that technology has come massive changes in how the media gets to your screen.
Find The Balance
Posted on May 28, 2009
It has been said that music is 60% of a film. Whether or not that figure is accurate, there is no question that music has always been a huge piece of the film puzzle, and appears to be an ever-changing landscape. There is a part of me that feels like true film composers are a dying art. With apple loops and powerful software at times musicianship has become mechanized, a series of key strokes and quantizing plug ins. Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm supporter of technology, and to be perfectly honest wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the help of that support.
What Is Music To Film?
Posted on May 10, 2009
What is music to film? What is the point and the significance? Where does silence fall into the affect on film, the absence of music? There are large discussions about the anatomy of film and a film score. Music was in film before sound was in film. Before dialog was in film. Music has always been an integral part of the film process and more importantly the result of the director’s vision. It is my mission statement to “service the film”. What do I mean exactly? I mean through the process of your spotting session with a director, it is not only vital to determine where he is headed with the overall feeling of the film but with each cue. Throughout history filmmakers have used music to direct the audience either exactly where the scene is headed, accentuating the feeling of sadness or delight, or steering the audience in the exact opposite direction of what is happening on screen. Often music directs the audience to what’s happening inside the mind of a character, which may be different from what they are physically doing on screen. Many times, one of the more challenging scenes to write for are the ones where a characters emotions change on a dime. For example when the direction of the film appears to being headed in overwhelming delight only to be redirected by ones long lost love being hit by a truck… or whatever, you get the idea.
