As one of the premier studio production companies in New York, Broadway Stages works to meet the growing needs of the film and TV industry while also focusing on the needs of our community. We provide the industry with a soundstage or location where they shoot their scenes, but they also need a skilled and experienced workforce. In this series, we look at the various jobs that make a production come to life. We hope it provides insight and encourages you to consider a career in the film and TV industry. This week, we look at the role of a film composer.

What does a Film Composer do?

In our last blog, we looked at how the choreographer communicates emotion and tone through movement to help tell the story in a production. In this post, we look at a role that weaves the thread of music into a film to help tell the story. This is the composer, responsible for creating music that evokes emotion and provides tone to elevate the images, actions, and performances seen on screen. According to MasterClass, the composer can be responsible for writing the film’s score (only heard by filmgoers), or might also create music within the film’s story (that which is also heard by the characters). Additionally, the composer might write songs related to the film. A film’s music is yet another integral part of bringing the director’s creative vision to life. Read on for an overview of the composer role in a film production.

The composer can be involved at different stages of a film project, including before filming has started, for example creating an initial score based on storyboards; or after filming has been completed, adding the score to the film. In either case, two individuals that the composer works closely with are the director and music editor, to determine where music will be needed and what type, as well to make edits and changes throughout the music production process. The composer works to create the music, which might be written by hand and performed on piano or created using composition software. According to the Berklee College of Music, the latter is mostly used by composers. The composer might be closely involved in various aspects of producing the music performance and recording, from managing the budget to selecting musicians and conducting, however, they might be less involved and rely on others to handle these activities.

How do I become a Composer?

Although a composer does not need a degree, it is helpful to study music at a university or music conservatory. Indeed.com describes the benefits of bachelor’s and master’s degrees for composers and offers other tips for pursuing the composer role. These include learning about music, networking, pursuing projects, and securing an entry-level job. As with other industry jobs, one can climb the career ladder by starting out as an assistant or working on student and freelance projects to gain experience while building a network and portfolio.

The composer role also requires a diverse set of skills. Berklee College of Music identifies a number of skills a composer should have, including compositional flexibility; ability to read and write music, as well as to arrange and orchestrate; knowledge of music theory; and more. Further, Indeed.com lists teamwork, creative thinking, and self-motivation as important skills. With music being an integral part of telling the film’s story, Careers in Film, highlighting the importance of a composer being a storyteller, says “…If a Composer can understand the plot, motifs, character motivations, transitions, and general story arcs then they’ll be more effective in different sections of the story, creating the correct nuances….” Finally, due to the prevalent use of composition software, a composer should have technical skills and knowledge about relevant software programs.

Read about professional composer Robert Allaire’s experiences and advice at Careers in Film here. Watch this Variety video conversation “Composer Roundtable: How the Art of Film Scoring is Changing“ (featuring Rob Simonsen, who has scored “Blue Bloods,” which is filmed at Broadway Stages). And in the Christmas spirit, see this CBS Sunday Morning piece about Vince Guaraldi’s iconic score for “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Learn about film and TV industry jobs, training, and more in the Broadway Stages’ Industry Resource Guide. Our guide provides information about industry-focused job posting sites; links to general recruiting sites; education and training programs; and state, city, and borough industry information.