Your first TV/Film/Media/Game gig

This is simply me being nosy, and I know what answers I am going to get from some people, but...

How many of you have tried to get a gig (paid or unpaid) to score a film, docu, media, game, etc... without having a lot of examples of your work? I mean, no showreel, not a great amount of portfolio stuff and so on.

And in addition, how many of you contacted companies and ask them to give you an audition, say score 2-mins scene of film and/or game footage as a way to show what you can do, because you didn't have much to show?

Just wondering...

I have tried many times to get scoring gigs but so far I have one movie to my name sort of....

My University's composition program requires that all composition majors score the feture length film produced by the film school every year. Though I am in the credits of the two of my school's movies, I have only contributed music to one of them. We do everything that Hollywood film composer do and use the same software which is fun and very useful for the real world. Whats not fun though is dealing with some directors and sound editors who edit your music out of the film at the last second or cover it up with artificial sound effects (But hey its not my film and Im usually just glad I got to be a part of it).

As far as trying to get work, I usually contact the director of the film or they contact me. They haven't really asked to see my work, they mainly ask if I have scoring experience, which now I can say I have. I haven't gotten a job like that mainly because the director is courting several composers at the same time and picks someone else or his/her film goes bust and the project is put to an end. I know several of my peers in my composition studio have gotten to score several movies and a few video games through networking with the students at our film school who graduate, (but most of them where here way longer then me).

geez I feel like a thread killer

geez I feel like a thread killer

No. Your post is valuable. Maybe others will see it and be jealous or won't share their experience. Or maybe not that many takers!

Sometimes I notice that to get 1 reply, there are 30-40 views!

My very first film gig all those years ago was a crappy little Star Wars fan film that never got finished. I really liked the music I wrote for it too...

My very first film gig all those years ago was a crappy little Star Wars fan film that never got finished. I really liked the music I wrote for it too...

And how did you get that, or did you already have past dealings with the director/producer/other?

I just stumbled upon a fan film forum somewhere on the internet and just posted a thread saying that I'd love to score someone's film. I only had one little crappy demo track at the time. From there I got a few more fan film gigs, then started moving up into bigger and better projects. Soon enough I started getting a few gigs based on recommendation. After I built up enough of a reel I started shopping it around to anyone and everyone I could find.

I just stumbled upon a fan film forum somewhere on the internet and just posted a thread saying that I'd love to score someone's film. I only had one little crappy demo track at the time. From there I got a few more fan film gigs, then started moving up into bigger and better projects. Soon enough I started getting a few gigs based on recommendation. After I built up enough of a reel I started shopping it around to anyone and everyone I could find.

Sent you a PM.

I've scored a few student films at multiple schools. My first university had it's own little film festival. They allow students to enter self-made films and there are various prizes for the winner judged by students and teachers. My first year, I watched some of the films, and approached the winner (he enters every year). So I scored his film for the next year. The year after that, I actually scored 3 folks' going against each other. At the local community college (i had been taking a few classes after I left the other school, cause it was expensive )..a friend of mine was in a film class, and wanted me to score his films, which he enters in festivals often, and sometimes wins minor recognitions.) He wound up not filming anything, and thus, not submitting anything, but he referred me to a friend of his who did make a short film (no festival submission). So now, just going through students, I have 4 short films under my belt. 2 of them paid me decently. The other 2 gave me gift cards and lunch. The padded resume is worth the most, I'd say.

Thanks OMWBWAY.

This is simply me being nosy, and I know what answers I am going to get from some people, but...

How many of you have tried to get a gig (paid or unpaid) to score a film, docu, media, game, etc... without having a lot of examples of your work? I mean, no showreel, not a great amount of portfolio stuff and so on.

My first full time gig as a composer-sound designer for FUNimation was with a demo reel of 12 short samples of my work. Not having some kind of reference of your work almost ensures not getting considered for the spot. Why? Because hiring managers (or HR depts tasks with filling a new spot) have a limited amount of time to check out each applicant and there are always NUMEROUS applicants. If you provide no samples, or a very small amount of material for review, then you're raising the odds that you'll be looked over for someone else with a larger demo reel.

And in addition, how many of you contacted companies and ask them to give you an audition, say score 2-mins scene of film and/or game footage as a way to show what you can do, because you didn't have much to show?

Just wondering...

Every single full time position required a test run. For FUNimation I scored two trailers and provided sound design as well as voice overs. I was given a week to turn this in but I got it done in 48 hours. For my current job with NetDevil I was given a video reel to provide music and sound design. Again I was given a week to do this but completed it within 24 hours.