Are you considering hiring a composer for your game, film or media project? Are you clear about what you want from the music and from your composer once you’ve hired them? If not, perhaps some of these tips might help you think through some key areas before making the final decision of who to go with, which composer to hire and which musical direction to take for your project.
I’m Ninichi, and I’m a composer for video games, film and media. I’ve worked on a wide range of projects and often support indie game developers and indie film makers with their upcoming projects. Here on my blog I try to share what I have learned through my work and so here are my 5 things to think about before hiring a composer.
1. Think about what you really want
What do you want in terms of the music for your project? What you do want from a composer that you might hire? Is this going to be a long term relationship or just a one-off, ad hoc sort of arrangement? It can be really helpful to first understand what you have in mind and what you feel will work best given your particular circumstances, before reaching out to composers and starting those conversations.
2. Know the type of person you want to work with
Think about the characteristics of the composer you’d like to hire. What do you feel is most important for you and in order to make your project work really well. Not everyone is the same and this goes for hiring any type of contractor or freelancer. Everyone will be different and have their different ways of working and so have a think about what you’re looking for so that you can filter out the people who won’t work well with you and /or your team, and so that you can find the best fit.
A few things that people tell me they look for when hiring me and/or when looking for a composer include:
great communication skills
ability to work well independently
trust and respect
ability to discuss ideas easily and openly with you
ability to adapt and have some flexibility
ability to deliver excellent music and to fully understand and realise your vision
(Also see 8 Top Tips on Building a Strong Working Relationship with a Freelance Composer and How to Communicate Effectively with a Composer)
3. Explore and establish what kind of music you like
Most composers will have particular talents in certain styles and areas of music. Therefore it can be useful to establish what kind of music you’re looking for, for your project. Then when considering a composer to hire, take a look at their portfolio and see if you can get a sense of their style. See if it fits in with the kind of music you’d like to have. Take your time to browse through their work since most composers will be able to composer in more than just one style and so it make take a little while to see their range of work but if you do this, it will help you to figure out whether you really like their music or not.
Understand what kind of moods you like, what sort of instruments and sounds float your boat and what kind of music styles might work well for your game / film or project. Gathering some examples can be really helpful when you do start communicating with composers so that you can give them a clear idea of what you’d like from them.
Feel free to check out some of my music to explore some ideas and what’s possible: see my game music soundtracks and my film music here, and also explore some intros / outros and jingles I’ve created for various youtube channels and podcasts.
4. Think about your budget
Some people think that it’s best to contact a composer and to ask for a quote for a piece of work. This is all well and good but it can also be helpful for the composer to understand what sort of budget the project has to work with. If they know they might be able to formulate their quote and work based around this budget.
It will also be incredibly useful for you to work out what you need and roughly what sort of budget allocation you can afford and want to dedicate to the music element of your project. There will be various things for you to consider and balance, and so the clearer you are about your budgeting and financial constraints, the easier it will be to find the right person to work with you at your level of investment.
How important is the music to you and for your project?
Is it really crucial? Is it to be an area that you heavily invest in? Or is it an area that’s just nice to have but not an area you want to spend that much time on?
Do you have a big budget and are you willing to invest in a high quality music?
Do you want the music to be exclusive to your game / film? If so, this will usually come at a premium cost and so you should aim to factor this in.
OR, is this a project with an incredibly tight budget? In which case, what sort of composer will be able to work with you? Perhaps you need someone who’s a hobbyist or just starting out?
Will you want to raise funds e.g. through a crowdfunding campaign?
These are all interesting and useful considerations to think about and to try and get clear about before you approach someone that you want to hire.
Also see Understanding How Much an Indie Game Music Composer Costs and 5 Reasons to Invest in Great Game Music.
5. Think about the logistics of how you want to work
What sort of working arrangement suits you best? Do you want someone to meet you often? Do you want someone who’s able and comfortable working remotely? Will you be looking to communicate mostly via email or something else?
Different freelancers work in different ways and you may also have a certain way of working that is most optimal for you. Therefore, finding out whether you are compatible in terms of how you would work well together, is important. This may seem like an obvious or a small point but it’s incredible how many people come to me complaining about how others in their team or perhaps their original composer just ‘disappeared’ on them or for some reason stopped communicating with them. Or that there was some misunderstanding around the contract and what was expected from the working relationship. That’s why I believe it’s really important to try and get a sense of the person you’re about to hire and to establish how you’ll be interacting with each other whilst working together. This will ensure that you have a smooth working relationship that feels natural and easy, rather than anything else!
So, there you have my 5 things to think about before you hire a composer. I hope that these offer some helpful tips and things that you can action and go away with. See 5 Top Tips for Hiring a Game Music Composer First Time for more ideas around hiring a composer.
If you’d like to speak to me about working together on your project, do get in touch or take your time to explore my website further. I’d be more than happy to explore things with you and to hear about what you’re up to!
About the author:
Ninichi is an experienced game music composer and supporter of indie projects. She creates music for games, film and other media, and would be delighted to help you create the music for your game or project.
Contact Ninichi to explore working with her now and follow her @ninichimusic
