You have wrapped up your shoot and are making plans for post-production. Your editor, colorist, VFX artist, and audio engineer are all lined up. Now you are deciding between licensing a stock music track or hiring a composer for a custom score. How do you decide between the two?
Here are the top five signs you are ready to invest in a custom score.
1. Your vision is unique and specific
Sometimes it is difficult to find exactly what you need from a stock music library. You might have a certain genre or instrument in mind that limits your options for pre-made tracks. Tackling a specific vision is possible when you hire a composer. You are able to express your vision in words and the composer will turn it into a reality.
2. Your project needs an identity
The movie Jaws was defined by two piano notes. When those notes start playing, you know the colossal great white is lurking under the surface. John Williams gave that movie a musical identity. Music is an extremely powerful mnemonic device; binding our memories and emotions to the film. When you want your project to be identified by the score, it’s time to hire a composer.
3. You need to impress your client
Your ideal client likely has high expectations for every aspect of the production. The final product must exceed their expectations in every way. When it comes to the score, nothing will help you achieve this goal like having a composer. A composer will attend to every detail; making sure that each note, chord, and melody are emphasizing the intention of the project and meeting the expectations of your client.
4. Your time is short
No matter what you are working on - a commercial, narrative, or documentary project - your time is important. There are many pieces to the puzzle that make up the final film and they all need your attention. Listening through endless search results on music licensing sites is time-consuming and even frustrating if you can’t find what you’re looking for. That leaves less time to attend to the other important jobs you have as a filmmaker. Hiring an experienced composer to take care of the music will save you the time and energy you need to get it all done.
5. You are working with a budget
After going through the reasons above, it is a no-brainer that hiring a composer to write custom music for your film will help it stand out, make you look good, and save you time along the way. If you are working with a budget, it’s a good idea to invest some of that back into the final project in the form of custom music.
Are you ready to take your film-making to the next level with custom music? I would love to have a conversation with you about it. Click Here
