Category Archives: Film Scoring

Why John Williams Prefers Not To Read Scripts

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Ryan Leach

There’s a great interview with John Williams from all the way back in 1978. He was already insanely successful, having done Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, and Star Wars, but who knew how many more decades of amazing music he would continue to compose!

The whole interview is long but worth reading, but what stood out to me was his comments about reading scripts before seeing a film.

Will you work from a script initially, or do you prefer some kind of visual stimulus?

My own preference is not to read scripts. It’s like when you read a noveL; you envisage the locales, you cast the players in your mind. That’s the reason, I think, why people are so often disappointed by film versions of novels they have read — they don’t conform to their preconceptions. So I’d rather not read a script, and I tell producer thatl I’d rather go into a projection room and react to the people and places and events — and particularly the rhythm — of the film itself.

I have often struggled with this issue because although it is fun to get involved in a film early, there is very little a script can tell you about the music. So much of the music is based on how the film feels, not just what the story is about. The timing of the performances and editing, the hues of the color scheme, and so many other visual factors have such a demanding effect on scoring that reading the script for me is merely a way to become a part of the conversation when a cut of the film may not yet be available.

And now with the authority of JW I feel like I am justified in not always being so eager to read scripts!

Brand New Video Showreel Now Online

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Ryan Leach

I just completed a video highlights showreel with an original composition. The video is a two-minute montage of short clips from many of the great projects I have been fortunate enough to work on over the past few years.

What James Horner’s Score to Braveheart Teaches Us

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Ryan Leach

My newest and currently favorite article for ComposerFocus.com has been published online: What James Horner’s Score to Braveheart Teaches Us About Modulation

It features an analysis of this awesome scene:

Composer Focus is a new site dedicated to providing informative and interesting articles for composers, particularly those working in film and media. If you have a chance to check out the article please leave a comment with your feedback!

A Film Composer’s Advice On Breaking Into the Industry

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Ryan Leach

I am often asked by young film composers and students of film music some variation of this question:
“How can I break into the Entertainment industry?”

Just Give Me The Secret Password

It’s kind of a funny idea, and an interesting concept. There seems to be a certain belief in our culture that there is some sort of metaphorical gate surrounding Hollywood, and once you find the right way “in” your film scoring career will be all set.

I think one reason I get asked about this a lot is because I appear to have started to “break in”. People are hoping that I can tell them what secret way I found to get on the inside, and that all they are missing is that one elusive piece of information that will bring them to success.

Well I have good news and bad news. Actually it’s the same news, but you can choose to look at it from a pessimistic or optimistic point of view! Keep reading…

Tip from The Hunger Games Score: Forward Momentum

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Ryan Leach

While listening to James Newton Howard’s score to Hunger Games, my ear caught a short section in the track Katniss Afoot that reminded me of a simple but useful technique.

At about 1:19 the violins play a repeating ostinato pattern that rests on beats 1 and 3. By starting the pattern on the “and” of beats 1 and 3, the rhythm gives a sense of constantly pushing forward.

A simple technique, but worth remember if your rhythm doesn’t seem to have enough forward drive.

Film Scoring 101: Cue Numbering

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Ryan Leach

Welcome to the first post in a sporadic series on Film Scoring Basics, in which I will help get filmmakers and upcoming composers new to the scoring process up to speed on general introductory topics.

Today I’m going to discuss how we come up with cue numbers. Keep reading…

Art vs. Entertainment

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Ryan Leach

Stieler, Joseph Karl: Beethoven mit der Missa solemnis Ölgemälde, 1819

I had a conversation with a friend recently who was complaining about Hollywood’s lack of imagination and the constant rehashing of old ideas, sequels, remakes, and the like. Not too long ago I might have been in a similar state of mind, but maybe I’m becoming old and grizzled because I realize that I don’t feel quite so strongly about that anymore.

Perhaps because the medium is the same, I think we have confused art and entertainment. I don’t mean to say that a piece of entertainment can’t be a work of art, but does every piece of entertainment necessarily have to be “art” to be worthwhile? Isn’t there value in entertainment for its own sake? Keep reading…

Write Music that Directs Not Reflects

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Ryan Leach

I’m currently scoring a short film that has been an enlightening experience. I imagine this is part of every film composer’s development, and something I’ve usually subconsciously been doing for quite a while now, but this is the first time I’ve really formulated the idea into words.

To loosely summarize the scene in question: the main character has just received some surprising bad news and a woman is trying to make him feel like it’s not so bad. My approach to the score was “this is sad, but it’s going to be OK.” For the most part, I was focusing on the woman’s reassuring tone and outlook.

What I failed to pay attention to was the main character’s feelings. He was just hit hard with some bad news and as far as he’s concerned, everything is very much not OK! The director pointed out to me that the music really needs to be about what he’s going through, that he doesn’t really believe her reassurance, that he thinks what she is saying is empty. Keep reading…

Deane Ogden: What Directors Want from Their Composers

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Ryan Leach

Composer Deane Ogden has written two remarkable posts that I thought were too good not to share. He asked two groups of studio and independent directors a series of multiple choice questions about their preferences, feelings and thoughts regarding hiring and working with composers. Keep reading…

Why a Film Composer Should Study Screenwriting

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Ryan Leach

Lately I’ve been reading a lot about screenwriting. I’m not currently writing a screenplay (although I’d like to someday); I’m reading from the perspective of a storyteller.

One of the most valuable things a composer can do is aid the development and form of a film’s story arc. But in order to do that effectively, you have to have a thorough understanding of how a story is structured. By learning screenwriting, you can learn how to better identify a character’s motives, needs, and growth. You can also help define the larger pieces of the film’s form to aid the audience in taking it in. Keep reading…

Using Constraints to Foster Creativity

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Ryan Leach

It seems counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to loosen up your creativity is by forcing constraints upon yourself. By limiting certain elements of a project, you actually free up mental resources to be more creative and imaginative.

The blank page or canvas (or screen) is a classic symbol of writer’s block. It haunts writers, composers and artists of all kinds. One of the primary reasons for the panic and terror creating by a blank page is the absolutely infinite number of possibilities ahead of you. When you can literally create anything, you can become paralyzed into creating nothing! Keep reading…

When To Use Library Music

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Ryan Leach

There is a consistently growing trend in film and TV music, which is a shift towards more library music. This means previously written tracks that are selected and licensed, as opposed to music written specifically to picture. Although many composers think that library music is evil, plain and simple, I am not one of them. I think there are many advantages to library music, it just has to be used in the proper way.

Library music is appropriate when the music is just there for the sake of being music. If you need “wallpaper” because it helps fill out the ambience of the room, a library track is a perfectly suitable option. If you have a bunch of talking heads and no real emotional arc to a scene, a library track might be all you need. Keep reading…

How Hans Zimmer Keeps Getting Attention

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Ryan Leach

Without question, Hans Zimmer is one of the most successful film composers of our era, if not the most. There are hundreds of valuable lessons young composers can learn by studying his work and career, and one I’d like to discuss now is how his scores keep getting media and fan attention.

During awards season this year I began to notice something interesting. Hans was being interviewed on the red carpet at the major events. Now if you know anything about film composers, one of the main things you know is that the general public has no idea who they are. They want to see Robert Downey Jr. and Reese Witherspoon, not some film composer. But here Hans was, being interviewed and treated like a rock star. Keep reading…

Keep Them On the Edge of Their Seats

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Ryan Leach

Composer Michael Giacchino’s method for scoring Lost was largely based on the idea of not giving too much away with the music. He would receive a copy of an episode ready to score, without having read the script or seeing it before. He would then just start scoring right from the beginning.

He would watch “just a scene at a time”. Watch a little ahead, score that part, a little further ahead, score that part.

The reason for doing this is that the kept himself in the audience’s frame of mind. He didn’t know the answers to the big mysteries or anything about the surprise cliffhanger coming after the commercial break. By going just a little at a time he made sure that he never spoiled the tension.
Keep reading…

Using Music to Develop a Film’s Brand

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Ryan Leach

Music serves a wide range of purposes in a film. Among many benefits, it help’s with the pacing of the story. It adds emotional depth to the characters. And often overlooked, a great score can be a major factor in developing a film’s brand.

Many times I have been sitting in a movie theater watching the previews when the following occurs: A trailer will begin with dark clouds, and perhaps an ominous rumble. There will be some ambiguous text along the lines of “the adventure continues” or “in 2011 the next chapter arrives.” No one in the theater knows what to expect or what this preview is for. Then all of a sudden you hear an instantly recognizable theme and people in the seats around you gasp or exclaim with excitement: it’s the Harry Potter theme and everyone immediately knows it. An entire franchise has been successfully packaged into just seven notes.
Keep reading…

Lessons for a Composer’s Assistant

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Ryan Leach

For several years I worked as an assistant at one of the most notoriously grueling studios in LA. It was an incredibly rewarding experience and I grew on many levels as a musician and businessman. If you are a young composer looking for a way to develop your chops and learn about the business of film scoring, I cannot recommend becoming an assistant more highly.

I’ve compiled just a handful of advice for anyone out there that is seeking or beginning work as an assistant to a composer.

1. Your job is to make the composer’s life easier

The whole point of having an assistant is so the composer can focus on the important work. For them, this means writing music. Burning CDs, renaming files, installing software, and a thousand other tasks that aren’t writing music are not worth the composer’s time.
Keep reading…