|
“How do you like to work?” A regularly asked question with no shortage of tired and once witty replies. The answer is that generally I fit in with your methods, however, that’s not a very helpful response. Most commonly, I’ll get a call from the producer prior to filming to discuss post production, script, general feel and the tacky, vulgar subject of money.  Zoo Babies It may be that at the start of editing some demos are required for montages, etc. So, whilst you are off shooting, I can prepare tracks ready for hacking about in the off-line. When the first assembly is ready or some sequences cut, I will usually meet up with the director, producer and editor to discuss either what I’ve done in the way of demos thus far or what is needed from here. It is then a process of honing. I may do more work to assist the edit or to incorporate comments. If everything is fine, I am most likely to wait for the locked (or nearly locked!) off-line with which to score to picture. It is in these final stages that any recording of musicians takes place. Also, if possible it’s good to have a gap of at least a day between on-line and sound dub. This allows for any final tweaks to picture. For example, graphics may have been added during the on-line. For the sound dub these days, the most common form of delivery is over the net via my website. WAV, AIFF and MP3 can all be downloaded whatever part of the globe you’re in! If this is for a documentary, for example, then the entire music track is spaced as per the programme in order that synchronisation is a simple matter of lining up a “sync plop”. Of course, more conventional means such as CD, DAT (time coded) and possibly even reel to reel (!), are also available. As I say, this is a common process, but there are others, particularly if you are producing a graphic title sequence, or radio commercial. In these circumstances, I’ll produce a near finished track in advance; getting it back after your edit in to make any required changes, add spot effects, etc. “How long do you need?” Not long really - its nice to have anything up to a week to produce demos, but if you want it tomorrow, then it can be done. I’ll stick my neck out and boast that I can write music quickly… but as much notice as possible is always best! “Well, what do you want?!”  Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra I don’t think it’s necessarily your job to know what style of music you want and where it should go. Fine if you’ve got set ideas, but still the most common brief is “I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know it when I hear it.” And that’s OK with me. Personally, I think the onus is on the composer to ask questions in order to discover what mood, style or rhythm will work. Once I’ve produced a demo it’s much easier for all concerned to comment - until then, you can discuss music ’til you’re blue in the face! If I’ve got the brief right, then all well and good. But, if its not quite there (or, perish the thought… completely wrong!) then the way you react to it tells me what I should do in order to make it work for the programme. “HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?” Oh please… you don’t expect me to print that here! But if you call, I can give you a good idea. I can tell you that I base it on the complexity of the job, not the length of music required. In general, I think I get work because I’m competitively priced and flexible. Once we agree a figure, that’s it… I not going to come back and ask for more - you need to be able to budget! |