During my studies in film scoring at Berklee College of Music, I was under the impression that finding work as a film composer after graduation would be a breeze. Boy, was I wrong!
The industry seemed much smaller a decade ago, and now it’s just booming! With so many new TV shows and films popping up thanks to the rise of streaming services, there’s a wealth of opportunities for budding and unknown composers to make their mark.
On the flip side, it’s quite unfortunate that the recorded music industry and major labels, as we once knew them, have definitely downsized. Earning a decent wage from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music has become a bit of a challenge.
Initially, the ultimate goal was to get your music into the hands of a Music Supervisor for placement in films and shows – that was the new equivalent of getting signed. These days, it seems like everyone is also aiming to become a composer.
It’s also become a very attractive career path for those who aren’t necessarily into touring or perhaps individuals who want to start a family and need the balance of a decent income and a somewhat normal family life.
With that in mind, I’ve delved into several strategies in my own career that have helped me navigate this area of the business.
Table of Contents
6 Ways to Get Work As a Film Composer – Tried and True Methods!
Work Under a Successful Composer (Apprenticeship)
Starting a career as a film composer might feel like a big task, but a great way to dive in is to work under a seasoned film composer. Think about it, even famous composers like Hans Zimmer have mentored budding talents who’ve gone on to have brilliant careers!
And hey, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big shot you’re learning from.
Now, there’s a flip side to this approach. Getting a chance to work for a top-tier composer can be tough.
Plus, you might end up becoming just one among many in a large team, making it easy to get lost in the crowd. And here’s something to ponder – many composers eager for work end up ghostwriting within these teams.
This could mean you’re composing and producing a significant portion of the music, yet receiving no credit. Even worse, some have to sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements), preventing them from ever claiming they wrote the music.
So, the real question here is – do you want to be part of a composition team, get paid, and receive credit for your work? Opportunities for this exist, but you’ll need to be pretty skilled at scoring to snag those gigs.
Here’s a thought – why not consider working under a mid-level composer? You could help fill out the score, orchestrate, produce orchestral mockups, and even receive credit for writing additional music.
Doing this could help you start building your credits and secure a spot on IMDb. After all, that’s where a lot of directors and producers go to check if you’ve got the experience they’re looking for.
Become a Successful Artist or Producer
A fantastic way to fast-track your journey to becoming a film composer is by already having some success in another part of the industry. This has been the path for many electronic artists and producers who’ve already made a name for themselves and then decided to dip their toes in the world of film.
Think of folks like Junkie XL, also known as Tom Holkenborg, Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, and Photek.
This path is a great one because once you’ve had some success, you become a less risky option for film studios and directors. The thing is, film composition can be a tough field to break into for newcomers.
That’s because there’s a lot of money riding on the success of these films, and studios are not too keen on taking risks with newbies who might not deliver or even delay the project. They’d rather have the option to bring in someone more experienced if things aren’t working out.
This kind of thing happens quite a bit in film composition – sometimes even famous film composers are replaced by successful recording artists, and sometimes it’s the other way around.
And let’s not forget the appeal of having a popular artist who has a big fan base on Spotify and Apple Music and plays at major festivals like Coachella and the Electric Daisy Carnival score your film. It adds a certain cache and pedigree to the project.
And if the artist is as respected as someone like Trent Reznor, it can also be a major plus for the marketing campaign.
Remember the buzz when Trent Reznor was announced as the composer for David Fincher’s The Social Network? That was a big deal! A lot of people were excited to see the film just because Reznor was attached as the composer.
The same thing happened when Junkie XL teamed up with Hans Zimmer for Man of Steel. The DJ and dance community were like “Wow, this is going to be epic.” And it was!
Another reason why artists, especially producers, are a valuable addition to a film composition team is that they help modernize the sound of movies. Like when Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt worked on Barbie, they didn’t just write the songs, they also did the score.
The score has a more modern pop approach, different from the typical orchestral score. That’s a major advantage and one more reason why you could be highly valued as a film composer.
Get Hired As a Songwriter
Becoming a songwriter for original film songs is a fascinating way to delve into the film industry. Even if a renowned film composer has already been hired for the score, there’s still room for collaboration between songwriters and composers, often leading to great success.
Imagine starting as a songwriter, weaving your original melodies into the score, and ending up being credited as a co-writer of the score. Pretty neat, right?
Not only does this enrich your experience, but it also boosts your royalties when the film starts airing. This is one of the fantastic parts of Film and TV: the residuals that songwriters and composers earn through performance royalties.
This income is often affectionately referred to as ‘mailbox money’ because, without lifting a finger, you’ll find checks randomly appearing in your mailbox, sometimes for surprisingly large amounts.
It’s a great way to sustain yourself, especially considering how little streaming platforms like Spotify pay per stream.
Collaboration also has another benefit: you and the composer might hit it off and become a team, scoring numerous other projects together. This is exactly what happened with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL.
Score Low Budget and Indie Films
You know, earlier we were chatting about how tricky it can be to break into the world of film composing. The stakes are sky-high – you’re part of a multimillion-dollar project and, understandably, folks are hesitant to gamble on an untested composer.
This isn’t like the recorded music industry where the worst-case scenario is a lack of sales. In film, a score can make or break the success at the box office.
These days, it’s less common to see a film where the music detracts from the experience, but I’ve certainly encountered a few where the score felt a bit cheesy or overdone. Typically, these are the composers’ first ventures into film.
So, how do you reduce this resistance and score your first film? Aim for something with lower stakes.
Low-budget films can be a fantastic opportunity. The great thing is, just because a film’s budget is small doesn’t mean its quality is low.
Many small films end up being runaway successes, and as the composer, you get to ride that wave of success onto bigger and more prominent projects.
Plus, some of these budget films become classics – think “Little Miss Sunshine” or “Juno”. They surprise everyone by scooping up Oscars, and there’s a certain cool factor associated with working on indie films.
Many A-list composers dream of scoring a film that wins at the Sundance Film Festival.
So, if your musical style leans more towards minimalist, emotional pieces (think Sufjan Stevens or the Icelandic band Sigur Ros), this could be your perfect starting point.
It’s also a fantastic opportunity for those who experiment with ambient music. This is the epitome of cool film music.
Compose for Trailers and Music Libraries
Did you know that one of the hottest areas in film scoring lately is trailer music? Yup, those 2:30-minute sneak peeks you see before the main movie starts in the theater.
I used to think writing for trailers was a bit generic, but lately, I’ve heard some Hans Zimmer-level scores that are super cool. And guess what? They were made specifically for a DC Superhero trailer!
So, why are trailers a great way to dip your toes in the water of film scoring? Well, you’re essentially composing for an epic full orchestra, but in a shorter, highly edited format.
Plus, trailers rake in a heap of royalties from YouTube streams. I mean, a major trailer can generate over $50k US dollars within a year. There are even some composers who make a living just from trailer music. Crazy, right?
If you’re looking to get into this kind of scoring, music libraries are a great place to start. They usually sign you up as a composer and then let you know which projects and trailers need music.
They’re sort of a mix between a publisher and an agency, but they specialize in instrumental and mostly cinematic music. So, whenever a music supervisor or director needs a dramatic piece of score music ready to go, they turn to music libraries.
In many ways, working with a music library is a solid strategy to make some money while you’re waiting to land that first paid film-scoring gig. Plus, you’re getting your music out there which is always a win-win!
Get an Agent
Lastly, there are agents who can help you find work. From my experience, even the most well-connected agents may not be able to secure you a lot of projects if you’re a newcomer.
This happens because while an agent can arrange meetings and present your work to important people, if those individuals perceive you as a risk, they may not want to use you for their films.
You might find yourself in a bit of a ‘chicken and egg’ situation when you’re on the hunt for agents. Most agents tend to come on board only when your schedule is so packed that you’re in dire need of an agent.
Funny enough, it’s often when things are a bit slow that you feel the need for an agent the most! It can be a bit of a head-scratcher, right?
Also, remember that top-tier agents are in the business of earning commissions. They might not be interested in investing a lot of time or years to nurture your career.
You face the challenge of deciding whether to work with a less well-known agent who may not have many connections but could be excited to work with you, or take a risk by joining a larger agency where you might not get the attention you need.
It’s a tricky situation, but my advice is to try and get some experience in films or projects with another composer. Having this experience before even approaching an agent will increase your chances of success.
Final Thoughts
Breaking into the world of film music can feel like a bit of a mystery, right? Whether you’re crossing your fingers for a sync placement in shows like Grey’s Anatomy or dreaming of composing the next Marvel blockbuster’s epic soundtrack, it’s certainly not an easy path.
But hey, welcome to the exciting world of showbiz! Over the years, I’ve had many conversations with eager composers, fresh out of school, wondering where to put their energy in this industry.
Truth be told, it feels like acting in many ways – a show or movie can have a bunch of actors, but usually, there’s just one composer. You audition, you need credits, and you sometimes have to work for free with insane hours. So yes, it’s super competitive.
But here’s a little nugget of wisdom from the incredible Steve Martin and author Cal Newport that’s always guided me: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
What does this mean for you? Simply this – craft and present music that’ll absolutely wow the people you want to impress. Grab every opportunity, no matter how small, and give it absolutely everything you’ve got, every single time.
Remember, if you can create amazing music that truly enhances a project, people will come looking for you. You’ve got this!
