Tips For Starting A Career As A Music Composer For Television And Film

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For many composers, working on television series or feature films is a huge career goal. Composing music for television or film is one way to ensure that your original creations are heard by millions. While becoming a TV or film music composer is not impossible, it does require talent, along with drive, ambition, and the willingness to work very hard. Building a career as a TV or film music composer doesn't just happen — you need to know what steps to take to help make your dream a reality. If you are a music composer, use the following tips to help you break into the television or film industry:

Prepare a Portfolio and Resume

In some ways, landing a job as a music composer for television or film is much like getting any other type of job. When a company is looking to hire a music composer, they will want to know a person's background and experience while also being able to hear samples of his or her original music. Before you begin applying for music composer jobs, it is important to have an online portfolio that features several samples of your best original work. There are various websites that allow composers to upload their music, but make sure that you choose one that offers the best sound quality. When preparing your resume, it is good to tweak it for each job that you apply for to make it more personalized.

Network

While you will find job postings for television music composers, there are many times when these types of jobs are not listed for the public. If you want to increase your chances of landing a coveted position as a music composer, one of the best things that you can do is network as much as possible. Attend events hosted by professional music organizations, and consider getting involved with organizations associated with television and film production. Building relationships and securing contacts in the industry can help you hear about job openings that are not advertised, and in some cases, a contact may be able to recommend you for a job.

Become Business Savvy

Music composers are typically highly creative people. However, if you want to succeed as a music composer for television and film, it is important to be business savvy as well. It is a good idea to learn as much as you can about the television and film industry and also develop an understanding of how music is used, produced, and edited. Learning about the pay scale for music composers and understanding typical contracts can also be very helpful as you build your career. 

Get in touch with a composer at a company like Pat Irwin Music to learn more.

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16 January 2020

creating a music playlist that's non-offensive

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