Understanding that we are in an ever changing marketplace where music is being devalued both by the likes of AI and simply the number of composers out there compared to 20 years ago, the ease of producing a decent sounding tracks thanks to music software companies capitalising on the massive desire for customers to ‘be a composer for TV’ - they are continuing to improve with automation, much less need for music theory understand or even playing ability. it’s understandable - all things evolve with time. But it’s challenging.
Whilst I have many syncs via library tracks, I have always found it hard getting my music to/accepted/liked/used by TV projects. The few times I’ve come close to being the composer on a big project I’m either rejected due to lack of credits or the project folds or just doesn’t have the $$ anymore to run.
Does anyone have any success stories where they have made a connection with a TV production company (either locally or internationally) and been able to write direct to picture? I think it’s important to be realistic, but it’s also great for the soul to have a higher ambition.
It’s important to make connections with producers and such, but there are other ways of getting there than sync licensing or directly reaching out. Keep trying those avenues, of course, but don’t focus solely or narrowly on that. I too was entirely focused on production music/sync licensing, but you need to write a lot to get pretty successful at that. I mean a lot
I had an instructor tell me about 52 tracks a year (finish 1 per week). Well, I don’t have the time for that, since I’m not a full-time composer. I changed my focus a bit; Keep putting stuff out to music libraries, if I write something that might be good for that; otherwise take any project if you have the opportunity, no matter how small or even if you don’t get paid, as that helps build credits and connections.
I often attend some anime/game conventions as there are always artists and indie game developers and I simply ask if I can write some music for them, to go with their art–no charge–it’s just fun for me, but it also helps build connections/credits and I get the experience of writing certain styles to fit the artwork.
The big thing for me now is actually just writing whole albums of music in certain styles, or for certain genres (dark fantasy, action, sci-fi, romance, ambient, etc.) that I like, but instead of putting them out for libraries, I’m just looking to upload them to YouTube. I’ve known other composers who have done this and they’ve gotten video producers come across their channel and contact the composer to use their music in their productions (history documentaries like History Time, Voices of the Past and the like). So there’s an opportunity,
This approach suits my time and creative style a little more. It gives me more focus and a more specific goal, rather than writing any random something to try and cater to a production music library. Haven’t got there yet, but I find it much more fun. Take as many options as you can
