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FAQs Money Q: I'm a great undiscovered composer who'd like to submit a demo to IFC for consideration--what do I do? A: E-mail us first at indifilm@earthlink.net (preferable) or call us at the number listed under "Contact". If you appear to be an interesting candidate, we'll ask you to submit a demo. Q: What are you looking for? A: Excellence. Almost any musical styling or genre can be useful in indie film, but artistic excellence and an individuated compositional voice mounted in a professional production is key. Q: What's the number one thing that sinks a demo right out of the box? A: Cheesy synth sounds. That tinny, phony timbre was okay for 1978, but if a composer in 1999 can't figure out how to achieve realistic, warm, organic tones out of modern equipment, what's the point? Of course, I'm talking about midi production for either acoustic recreations or in their own right. Retro analog synths have their place, mind you. Just not the way they're commonly used to fake orchestras, etc. in amateurish demos. Q: And the number two deal killer? A: Bad music. Poorly conceived melodies badly performed and orchestrated, sloppily produced and utterly lacking in emotional appeal. Q: What element can you never get enough of in a demo? A: Instant score. I can see the scene appear before my eyes as the first cue plays. The music is beautifully written, arranged and performed to support the emotion of a motion picture scene. You'd be surprised, given how obvious that requirement would seem be for a film score demo, how seldom that happens. Q: Are you prejudiced towards a demo with a lot of live orchestra cues in it? A: Yes and no. Young composers don't get a chance to have a lot of work performed by live ensembles so it's important to not be swayed by that. On the other hand, if work comes in that is successful in the orchestral realm, it says a lot about the composer's skill and provides a marketing advantage. Of course, a lot of indie films can't afford orchestras or even want them, so ultimately, the music must be wonderful in whatever format it's presented. Q: If a composer doesn't live in a hotbed of production like LA, Sydney, NY or London, can they still land a job in the field? A: Good question. A qualified yes. Indie films are made all over, that's good. But they generally can't afford to fly you, the ideal composer for their project, all around the world for the spotting sessions and the music production. That's bad. IFC believes that by applying the latest digital technology and internet strategies a lot of what was impractical is now not just doable, but desirable. That's because the indie filmmaker was always constrained by the same factor of location. Their composer choices were sadly limited by geography and budget limitation. IFC strives to make those traditional dilemmas go away via creative exploitation of technology, a win for both sides. Q: Is there one "sound" indie filmmakers will always hate in a demo? A: Sure. The sound of derivative, commercial crap. Also TV scores. Jingles. Complicated, egoistic fusion-eque wanks. Bad intonation. Dated material. Music that doesn't sound anything like what they hear for their film. I guess there's lots of things they'll always hate. Q: How does IFC decide what material to present to a filmmaker for their consideration? A: Very carefully. Our job is to provide magic for that individual from the first note. We analyze the script and psychoanalyze the filmmaker to find a composer's sound that is so right for that production that only a self-defeating misanthrope would resist the destiny of that breathless moment. Q: Have you ever encountered such a filmmaker? A: No comment. Randy Newman has said directors are "BFM", Bad For Music. I would say that's a comment from a guy who hasn't worked in indie film for a long time. That's a cry of pain from the "Temp Score" world of Major Motion Pictures. For the most part, indie filmmakers are very supportive of a composer's vision for their film. But if the match is wrong from the beginning, all bets are off. IFC is dedicated to never letting that happen. Ever. |