With your studies complete, it's now time to begin the process of finding work. Although a daunting task for most, there are ways and means of making this a task something to be excited about, not dreaded and despised. Often a solid plan for where to focus your efforts can help lighten this load, alongside finding solutions to the challenges that come with monetising a creative career path.
In this article we give our thoughts on the best places to look for finding your first paid roles in music, and share some tried-and-tested methods that may assist in your first steps into a professional composition career.
This is part 2 in our ‘tips for graduates’ blog series. If you haven't read Part 1 yet, you can read it here.
Finding your first role
In this section we will talk about some of the best places to begin looking for your first job. It is important to be willing to work your way up to working full time as a professional composer/producer - it takes time to build success - so many of these roles are good to do on the side whilst you build your composition/production business up. We will be avoiding 9-5 “normal” jobs that are unrelated to music/film, as we believe they will hinder your ability to build a composing career in the long run as salaried positions breed comfort and consume time that could otherwise be spent networking and developing your portfolio.
Studio - Working in a traditional recording studio is a valuable place to learn transferable skills that can enhance your skills. Roles such as sound engineering or engineers assistant can develop your expertise in areas other composers may lack. That is not to say that working as runners or receptionists in these establishments doesn't have its benefits - by surrounding yourself in a creative environment such as this you will find fantastic opportunities to network and, although not directly creating the records, you may learn how they are made and some useful tricks to put into your own portfolio! Unfortunately, although this is fantastic for building experience and networks, these jobs are often low pay (particularly when starting from the bottom) and it is often hard to progress through the ranks without your own clients. This is certainly a useful job when first graduating, but it may not be as applicable as a long-term position for aspiring composers.
Working in a traditional recording studio can provide many benefits to composers such as developing your technical expertise and networking opportunities.
Assisting another composer - This is the “classic” model for aspiring composers. By assisting an established composer you can learn about how to build a successful network and career for yourself. Often this is a fantastic opportunity to have a window to the inner workings of higher level projects whilst expanding your own knowledge as a composer, learning from a more experienced individual. However, these positions can often be acquired through word-of-mouth and are few and far between. Additionally, the experience you receive is heavily dictated by the personality of the composer you are assisting. Opportunities such as working with directors and having cues that you have written credited all depend on if the composer allows it - if they have a big ego or are simply not a nice person then this may colour your experience in a negative light. That being said, this is likely one of the best ways to get close to the industry whilst you are setting up as a composer. You will not be an assistant forever, but it can give you the valuable experience to become successful in the future.
Social media content - Social media is a very useful tool that professionals often do not have the time or experience to utilise effectively. As a young composer, working for Studios, Composers, Producers, Sample Library Companies, Creative Startups, ect. can be the ideal first job to fit in alongside developing your own compositional development. This can involve developing efficient social media strategies, engaging and interesting posts that increase outreach whilst retaining current followers, and the general day-to-day management of social media accounts. This skill is applicable to many areas of the music industry so if you are well-inclined by social media and have a knack for this then this may be the best option for your first paid role.
Music venue / conservatoire - In our opinion this is the “most balanced” of all of the options here. Often rooted in customer service and hospitality experience, venues have a larger pool of employees, allowing you to avoid the intense competition for the position of a composer’s assistant. Positions such as stewarding, ushering, box office and concert managing are all fundamental to the success of such venues, with the potential for additional experience in technical aspects that may be applicable to your own work such as live sound, lighting and AV. In our opinion working in a conservatoire is superior to a venue as it gives many of the same benefits whilst also being the single best pace for networking and building your musical contacts. Conservatoires are also the home of orchestras in our society, as no other setting sees orchestras getting together to rehearse or perform more frequently than conservatoires. Additionally, they are also the home of the next generation of professional musicians - a valuable facet to your expanding network. This offers unparalleled opportunities for learning and getting involved with orchestral projects.
This is the path taken by the founder and director of the Northern Film Orchestra, Jack. When he first began as a concert hall usher he had no classical or orchestral background and couldn’t read music notation, however, the exposure to orchestral performance allowed him to submerge himself in this world, eventually feeling confident enough with his orchestral knowledge to start an orchestra - the Northern Film Orchestra. It is worth noting that exposure to orchestras is one of the most important things an aspiring composer can endeavour to do - it is essential for the understanding of why things are written as they are, orchestration, the relationship between the instruments and generally how to get the most out of each instrument involved.
Working in a music venue or conservatoire is the best option for composers who have recently graduated and are looking to build a freelance career.
How to start freelancing
So you have successfully secured a relevant and useful job to pay the rent - what next? This section is all about freelancing alongside your ‘day job’. Although it is essential to have an income, remember that composition is the final aim - it is often all too easy to get swept up by the day job and to lose sight of your own personal goals.
The best place to start is by asking yourself the question ‘what skills do I have that people need?’. This might be composing, sound design, mixing, mastering, orchestration, score prep etc. It is best to write this down, almost as if you are writing a biography for your website. Once you have an umbrella term, specify what it is you particularly excel at? For example, rather than ‘Composing music’ it is much better to refine this to something like ‘composing neoclassical music for drama films’. Avoid trying to cover all musical bases - different genres are surprisingly difficult as they each require diverse skills to produce quality music. Stick to your strengths! If you're best at writing moody music then don't go for comedies or romances.
Now you need to assess who your target client will be. These can include filmmakers, game designers, production companies, etc. - anyone who has a need for original music and audio. Other potential clients could be other composers themselves. For example, selling mixing/mastering or orchestration services to them.
Once you know who you aim to work with, you need to find them. As you start out it is best to remain within your local area, build a better reputation over a smaller area (and community), and stronger relationships as you can frequently be in touch and collaborate, unlike that when working with people globally. Once you have a strong foundation of clients and have developed an effective local network, you can spread your wings and explore the possibilities of clients further afield.
Working as a freelancer is often the chosen path for many composers, as salaried position are few and far between.
When you have secured your first projects, do them to the best of your ability, really focusing on creating an amazing experience for the client. This is crucial in order to develop the ‘projects’ page on your website and portfolio alongside positive testimonials from clients that can help to land more projects in the future. Positive relations with clients is essential, if they are pleased then they may recommend you to someone else, allowing you to not only add to your network, but tap into your client’s network as well. It is also important to keep your IMDB page up-to-date, whilst remaining diligent when maintaining your list of credits. Additionally, do not forget the value of social media! As we mentioned, you may be able to use your skills as a ‘day job’, but do not forget to use those skills to promote yourself! The early years are all about establishing yourself as someone who is a reliable, quality composer who delivers.
6 Bonus tips on finding work as a film composer from Cheka Navarro
Cheska Navarro is a composer from San Diego who has produced some handy tips on finding work as a film composer. Here are her 6 tips;
Be social with your social media (don't hide behind your content).
Make connecting w/ filmmakers a part of your social life.
Use crowdfunding sites around spring/summer to find projects.
Use YouTube to discover filmmakers who are documenting their journey OR channels that curate films.
Seal the deal w/ your website (it shows that you're serious).
Focus on building REAL relationships, not getting the gig.
For the full video, see here - Finding Work with No Experience as a Film Composer | Cheska Navarro
Have a long term plan
In the beginning it is easy to get blinkered into the current tasks of establishing yourself as a composer, however, it is often much easier to move forward when there is a sense of direction rather than stumbling around blindly. It is important to know what your long-term goals and ideal future looks like so you can put things into place to maximise your chances of getting there. As these goals are long-term it is good to be flexible as a lot can change over the years, and rigid goals may prove more of a hindrance than an asset. Sometimes it's good to ride the wave of where life is taking us.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself to begin to develop a long-term plan and sense of general direction;
What does success look like for you? What are you aiming for - to be an Oscar winning composer who works 70 hour weeks? Or to have a less intense work/life balance as a middle income composer with a family?
Self employed vs working for a company? It is important to think carefully about this and be honest to yourself. Some people are more suited towards working for someone else as this usually entails less stress, risk and provides more stability, whereas some prefer and thrive when working for themselves or even starting their own operation and having people work for them. Identifying this early can save many years of pain, but it can often be difficult to figure this out quickly, so take the time to fathom this out for yourself.
Having a long term plan will help you to keep moving in the right direction. Dedicate some time each week to sit and think about the next 5 years and what you want your future career to look like.
Don't be afraid to think a little bigger
There are a plethora of different options open to you… Not everyone has to be the next Hans Zimmer, and not every route involves being a composer either. Stay true to yourself, your dreams and your aspirations; even if they are completely different to your peers, you will have far more success following your own path than trying to stumble down someone else’s!
Here are a few non-composer options that may be worth considering, these are only a few suggestions - it pays to get creative!
Starting a business - There are many important companies that work adjacent to the world of film music. These can include things like a sample company, plugins or audio tools, specialist research, ect. Companies such as these are just as vital to the industry as the composers themselves, and often provide more stability than the freelance world of film composition.
Start an ensemble - Creating an ensemble requires an organised mind and a knowledge of the inner workings of the practical side of the orchestra - experience you may gain from one of the ‘day jobs’ that we mentioned earlier. There are a variety of different ensembles that may be of interest - you may even feel bold enough to even start an orchestra!
Starting an organisation or program - If you feel you may want to empower an under-represented group or provide programs to certain groups of people, this may be the option for you. Such existing organisations in the film industry are the Association of Women Film Composers (AWFC), who empower women film composers to transcend the barriers of the industry.
Whilst your goal may be to work as a professional film composer, there are many exciting avenues that can be explored, so keep an open mind if an alternate path presents itself.
Conclusion
Post-graduation is a difficult time for everyone but attempting to enter into this illusive industry may, at first, appear to be an even more daunting task, but by keeping every aspect of your post-graduate career relevant to your longer-term goals and aspirations, you can continuously develop your skills until you achieve your dream. Keep yourself open to any opportunity that may pass your way - dependability, responsibility, quality and flexibility alongside being genuine and friendly are all key traits that will elevate your career in these early days.
Alongside this, don’t forget to have fun! Although difficult, every composer is in this industry because it is their passion, so try not to lose sight of your own passion for composing. There are a plethora of ways to enter into the film music industry, be this as a composer or one of the adjacent facets that keep the cogs of the industry turning; we hope some of the guidance in this article will be of some use. As my mother always tells me - the world is your oyster!
Contact - jack@northernfilmorchestra.com
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/nforchestra
Twitter - https://twitter.com/NFOrchestra
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