My Work and Creative Alliances: with Randy Edelman, Doug Frank and Steve Schnur
Posted by: Mendi Kogosowski on Jun 23, 2010
Today was the last day of the TALA Music Track, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. We've gotten to know each other quite well over the past 5 days! Our morning treat was a 3-hour informal session with Randy, Steve and Doug (who also served as moderator), who continued sharing their knowledge and experience with us.
Doug kicked off the session by saying how much he has been enjoying his time in Israel. "We've learned a lot from interacting with you, it's marvelous to have so many wonderful musicians here", he said. "We all didn't come over on the same ship, but we're on the same boat". He then posed the million-dollar question: how can I get more work?
Randy said the name of the game is networking and making the right connections. Picking up on an audience member's question, Steve added that there's no need to relocate. "There's no such thing as a ‘local' video game. But you need to find game producers and developers, and you do that by creating a resume, going to conferences, getting on people's radar and marketing yourself so that they'll remember you. You need to go on the road and meet these independent video game developers, tell them you're a composer and have them listen to your scores. There's a lot of face-to-face time. Eventually, some of these meetings will turn into professional collaborations".
Touching on what it actually means to be a film composer, Randy said: "each film has a history, with certain ideas being in development for years. The musician is the last to join that group of writers, producers and directors, and at first feels a bit like an outsider. Then, if he's lucky, he composes something that makes a connection with the core of the film, and makes him part of the family".
Discussing the work process, Randy told us "it's the images of the film and its tone that inspire me to score. I don't think of things other than the mood of the story and how to move it forward through music. I just immerse myself in it". He then added: "there are several issues that come to mind when I am about to compose. Money is never one of them. I think the same is true for most working composers". Doug contributed to this point by advising us to never let money get in the way. "If you have a great movie for my client to score and are worried you can't pay enough - let me know anyway. Things might work out".
Doug offered additional good advice: "Think of what it is that makes you unique, what differentiates you from others in the group. You don't want to be a chorus boy, what you want is to stand out in the crowd".
Randy's parting words, before leaving to catch his plane back to LA (we still have the pleasure of Doug's and Steve's company tomorrow), were: "stay true to your love and passion of music, and it will serve you well". Then, in the foyer, we raised champagne glasses and toasted the three masters.