Film and Media Composer

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I once composed music for an orchestra (Ereprijs). The audience would have loved to hear it again, but unfortunately there was no time. In the end people were humming my music. When I showed the music to some friends, they couldn't believe that I was able to create this music. Puts a mile on my face when I think about it.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I just finished a theatre play and I am now working on minimal piano music for a library album.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Not yet, I have to look around.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. I just grew up with it.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I create authentic music that works, adds an extra layer to their project and makes the client satisfied.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Seeing the audience enjoy the final product knowing that my music is part of it. I also just like making music in general.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: "Could you make the music more/less 'insert random emotion/feeling/association'?" "Of course."

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: I am neither a sound designer nor a foley artist. I compose music, not "sound".

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Two main things: What do they have in mind, what are they looking for? I need to know if I am the right person for their project and if I can offer them material they will like. What is their budget? What are the possibilities in creating music. A bigger budget could mean better music quality (depending on the genre). Am I able to hire musicians? etc.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Listen to the music a composer creates. There is always a style of music that he/she can do best. Go for the musician who is the most experienced in the kind of music you want. I've had many times that customers expected me to create music that I'm totally not comfortable with making. Although I really like a challenge, it takes precious time and can be very exhausting.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: 1. A Piano (don't ask me how). 2. A laptop with as many of my digital software on it as possible. 3. A noise cancelling headphone. 4. An audio interface (including cables). 5. A Neumann TLM 103.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: In high school I started to play the piano. I noticed that I often listened to film music rather than piano music. I started to compose, but I noticed that I came up with ideas easier when I saw a film. That's why started to study film music. I started my study in 2015 in Bonn, Germany. After that I was accepted at ArtEZ university of the arts. Now I'm here. During the time, I have worked for directors from all over the world and I have also been to Los Angeles for certain projects.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Cinematic orchestral scores combined with synthesizers and influenced by pop music and folk music.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I would love to work with John Williams on orchestral scores. The man's creations are as near to perfection. I'm experienced in his style of music and I'm very curious what will happen when our ideas are combined. In the electronic music area, I would like to work with Adam Young. His synthesizer songs create another musical dimension and he has a very distinctive sound. He's also inspired by the same film composers as I am, so I think we would get along.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't make your music too big and too loud. You can not hear all the details when it's so loud. I'm against the loudness war. Less is more. I mix my music on a bearable volume.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Cinematic orchestral music. Synthesizer based scores.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Creating memorable music and melodies arranged for orchestra.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: My clients have said that I can compose catchy melodies and that I'm able to create an emotional connection. My goal is to give the story of the film an extra layer that triggers the viewer in a part of their experience the film itself can not reach.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: It all starts with the idea of the producers and/or director. It's my task to make that dream reality. In a film project they often provide a temp track. When I receive the ideas of the producer/director, I try to come up with music that meets their expectations and also serves the story/picture very well. I start to create suites and themes based on the topics they find important. After we've found a sound we all like, the scoring process begins. I score individual scenes/cues and send my work regularly to my clients. It can take several versions until the client is completely happy. I consider this a normal process, because the client has to be 100% satisfied with the music I provide. When all the cues are composed and accepted, I'll start my final mixing. My goal is to deliver a high quality music mix in stereo and in 5.1 surround (if applicable).

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My main DAW is Pro Tools, but I can work in Logic and Cubase as well. I produce mostly with my digital instruments which contain the brands of Spitfire Audio, Orchestral Tools, Cinesamples, Heavyocity, Xfer Records and many more. I have acces to a studio with Pro Tools HD and a full 5.1 surround system. I'm able to record individual instrumentalist with professional microphones. I have a big network of many people who play a large variation of different instruments. When I mix, I mainly use the products of Fabfilter and Soundtoys.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Adam Young (Owl City) - synth-pop composer Ben Folds - Pop music composer and pianist Ólafur Arnalds - minimal autonomous music and film music composer James Newton Howard - film composer John Williams - film composer Hans Zimmer - film composer

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Often I get the task to provide fully composed and produced music for film and theatre projects. This can be in any genre or style, but I'm most specialized in orchestral music and synthesizer based scores. I compose and mix my music myself. In the case of a film (depending on the size of the project), there is sometimes a final audio mixer (often chosen by the director and/or film producer) who is in charge of mixing the stems and the general film audio.