Intro
This research project will investigate the role of a music composer in the film industry. I will investigate the effect that the composer’s work has on the films being made as well as how a composer’s personal style can shape the final product. I will also examine how employment opportunities can be found for composers and how they may be able to market themselves and their music. Finally, I will prospectively outline a potential career progression roadmap and how I plan on achieving goals and working on future projects as a young composer, post-graduation from a conservatoire. A film composer usually writes tailor-made music for a film project, often working closely with the director to add a deeper level of emotion to the film. While the visuals and dialogue of a film tell the audience what the characters are doing, the music is the only way the audience can understand what they are feeling (Douek, 2013). It is the composer’s job to understand how emotions can be translated into music, so that they can take the director’s vision and transform it into a dynamic score that brings the audience into the minds of the characters. Overall, it is arguably the work of the composer that brings the film to fruition and makes it a cohesive, effective product.
How the composer enhances the director’s vision
As mentioned before, the composer for a film will often work closely with the director to create a bespoke score to enhance the emotional depth. Their collaboration will generally begin with a spotting session, where they will work out which sections of the film require music and which sections are best left without (Screenskills, 2026). Thematic music for certain characters or environments may be required to represent them in the film so that they are more recognisable and relatable for the audience. A notable example of this is the representation of Darth Vader through John Williams’ Imperial March, a piece so recognisable that it is synonymous with the character. The audience will become aware of the character’s presence in the film just by hearing that music play, which highlights how powerful music can be as it manipulates the audience’s expectations. This is why the composer must have a deep understanding of the emotional impact of different musical devices so that they can produce the correct pieces to enhance the director’s vision for their film. The flying bike scene in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. is another example of where music transforms the scene. Without music, the idea of a child and an alien flying through the night sky on a bicycle would be ridiculous to the audience, as they wouldn’t be able to take something so unrealistic seriously. But John Williams’ soaring music plays into the fantasy of the sequence, giving the audience something to grasp through excellent use of harmony and tonality. Though the audience doesn’t truly understand the music that they are hearing, they feel it on a subconscious level, and it somehow makes the scene believable. Spielberg said himself that “Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes […] we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.” (Spielberg, 2016)
How an individual composer’s style can affect a project
As a composer works on more projects, they will begin to develop their own style and sound that makes them unique in how they can enhance a film. This can mean that some composers may be geared towards composing for certain genres more than others, as genres such as romance may require lush, harmonic strings-based music, yet genres like horror would require more processed atonal drones (Ma et al, 2021). An industry example of this would be comparing the music of John Powell and Hans Zimmer. Powell usually composes harmonically rich orchestral music which is often quite thematic. That type of scoring is effective for fantasy films, in a similar way to the aforementioned score for E.T. by John Williams. These types of films are often targeted towards a younger audience, evidenced by the large quantity of Children’s films Powell has scored (e.g. How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Happy Feet (2006), Kung Fu Panda (2008)). In contrast, Zimmer often composes in a more hybrid style, often making use of simpler ostinatos layered up with processed percussion thus leading to a much more intense sound. This means that his work usually reaches a more mature audience (e.g. Inception (2010), The Dark Knight (2008), Dune (2021)). A composer’s individual style can greatly influence which movies they are employed to work on, as well as the audience they attract. I have found this with my own personal development too, as I have found myself being drawn to full-orchestra, thematic writing. I have been greatly influenced by John Williams’ scores for Star Wars, as well as Ludwig Gorransson’s incorporation of synth percussion and processed sounds into the orchestra. This style of music is well suited to high-energy films with a large amount of action, as well as trailers, an area in which I would like to specialise. The music is a key factor in adding energy to the film, as the brain responds much faster to aural than visual stimulation (Davidenko, 2025).
Employment opportunities for film composers
There are a great many skills one must have to become a successful composer in the film industry. While some may believe that all you need to be able to do is write music, that is in fact just a fraction of the job. Other skills include a detailed knowledge of music theory, knowledge and understanding of the film/TV industry and how it operates, skills with communication and networking, as well as proficiency with computers and sound programming in digital audio workstations (DAWs) (Herrity et al, 2025). Having these skills is imperative for one’s employability and will increase both the quality and quantity of one’s work too. As most film composers work freelance, it’s up to them to determine which jobs they take (Allaire, 2025). Generally, composers don’t work on the biggest budget films immediately, rather they work up from smaller projects until more employment opportunities are created from their reputation and experience. There are many potential opportunities that an entry-level composer may look for. These include student films, low-budget short films, library music, or a job as an assistant to a more established composer.
Student films are a good way into the industry for young composers in particular. Building working relationships with film students can be incredibly beneficial, as then the composer can grow and prosper alongside them as they start to establish themselves in the industry. I have begun this process for myself by composing for a student-made short documentary, and I will be working to score more similar projects in the coming year. Alongside this, young composers may produce music for library companies, as this does not rely on them securing film projects to do work. Library music is ‘stock’ music that is stored on a website that producers can access to buy ready-made music for their films, rather than hiring a composer to write bespoke music as this can be more expensive and time consuming. Another benefit of this pathway is being able to make music in any genre; if a composer has a preferred style that they specialise in, then they can capitalise on it and make albums of music in that style and sell it to a library (CLRN, 2025). This can be a good way to start making money as a composer and can also serve as passive income through royalties if their music is used. Being employed as an assistant or additional composer on a large-scale project can also be an effective way to enter the industry (Reddit, 2024). Ludwig Göransson is an example of someone who followed this path to success, as he became an assistant to Theodore Shapiro after graduating from music college. He built a reputation by working on short films and TV alongside Shapiro, before undertaking his own assignment scoring the TV show Community (Göransson, n.d.). Göransson is proof that starting off in the role of an assistant can lead to very fruitful outcomes, such as working on big-budget projects with Marvel and Star Wars.
(Online) Marketing strategies and techniques
As previously discussed, most film composers work as freelancers. This makes self-marketing highly important for receiving recognition in the very broad film industry. Methods of promotion are always evolving, but the cause remains the same: to get your music heard. In an ever more technology-based world, the usage of online marketing will often be the most effective for distributing oneself and their music throughout the industry. A consistent presence on social media platforms is very important for up-and-coming composers as a means of advertising themselves and their music to online followers as well as potential clients (Lancaster, 2020). There is evidence to suggest that the increased use of platforms like TikTok is reducing the average person’s attention span (Poles, 2025), which to some extent makes posting longer form content such as entire short films that a composer has scored less effective. Instead, short-form content, usually between 30-60 seconds or even less is much more likely to garner the attention of a large audience, leading to a higher chance of reaching potential clients. I have begun to employ this strategy myself, using TikTok to post bite-size snippets of music that I want to share. For film composers, this can be an opportunity to show off an impressive section of a score or make short tutorial-style content explaining parts of their job and what they do. When a composer does attract the attention of a potential client however, they need to be able to prove that they are up to the job. It’s useful to have a website that people can view to get more information about the composer, including a short biography, contact details and examples of past work in the form of a showreel. This is an example of what a film music composer’s website may look like:
A showreel of previous work can be the make or break as to whether or not a composer gets hired for a job, so it’s important to show their best work. It can be appropriate to have multiple showreels targeted to different genres that will make getting specific jobs easier (Drane, 2019). For instance, having a showreel of action music would be suitable for pitching for a superhero film, but not for a romantic drama. These could exist alongside a full showreel however, one which shows off the composer’s breadth of ability across different styles. A general standard length for a showreel is between 2-4 minutes, and it should start with the best piece of music to grab attention. All clips should be name-labelled with brief context as to what they are (Raksha, 2025). I took all this into account when producing my showreel, which I will use to pitch to filmmakers going forward.
Future projects
I have recognised that I am most comfortable making film music in a thematic way using a full orchestra. While this style is perfectly suited to big-budget fantasy films like Star Wars and Marvel, it is less suitable for smaller-budget projects like TV dramas. As it is highly unlikely that I will consistently get jobs making the orchestral fantasy music, I will need to improve my skills in making small ensemble music for future projects like that for piano and strings, as well as making underscore rather than main themes.
Career progression
As previously discussed, it is unusual for a composer to immediately start working on big-budget projects; they must usually work their way up. There are multiple pathways one can follow to achieve this goal, starting in entry-level positions that provide a route forwards. I will outline and discuss three different roadmaps that could lead to success as a composer that I could potentially follow.
The first potential route to becoming a composer for film is through the film industry, more accurately the post-production department, as this is where the music is most commonly added. Becoming a runner is the entry-level job in a post-production facility, where I would keep the edit suites tidy, make drinks, organise meals and work on reception. From there, I could work up to the role of supervisor where I would work alongside the producer to make sure all creative and financial considerations are acknowledged, and keep working on production until everything, including effects and music, are in place. It could take around four years to reach this stage. Following this, I will have gained skills in production and can proceed to sound or preferably music editor. At this stage, I would be working closely with the composer to manage the music and make sure it fits in the film. Through this role, I could build relationships with composers and gain the skills needed to become one. This route can be quite a long one, potentially a decade. However, by working in a post-production company, it provides relatively stable employment. It also allows for the development of other skills and knowledge in the editing aspects of film making, which will later allow for greater understanding of the industry as a composer, making relationships with the post-production team more cohesive. (ScreenSkills, 2026)
Another route is one which I alluded to previously; more of a music-only route. Beginning in the entry-level role of a composer for student films and composer of library music, it is possible to progress through the industry solely as a music composer. I would begin this stage alongside my studies at the conservatoire to gain experience whilst I learn. After gaining some experience and completing my degree, I could apply to become an assistant to a more established composer. This would allow me to enter the industry while practicing skills such as MIDI orchestration, arranging, programming samples and composing some smaller cues that the lead composer doesn’t have time for (Berklee, 2026). Working with an established composer is a very effective way to get known in the industry, as they can recommend their assistant to other filmmakers based on their expertise that they witnessed. Having smaller projects of my own alongside this role will also benefit my portfolio, until I could be offered my own commissions and work full-time as an independent film composer. This path is less stable, as it doesn’t guarantee full-time employment. However, it does result in more networking opportunities to build relationships with other individuals in the film music industry. It is also in many ways the most direct route to becoming a full-time composer due to its focus on the music industry.
Finally, there is the less direct route of simply doing music part-time alongside a job. Given the unstable, occasionally volatile nature of the music industry, it can be a more lucrative option to get a job elsewhere to pay bills, working on music as a side-hustle until it can eventually take over. It will typically take longer to ‘make it’ as a composer without committing to it full time, as it would be harder to make connections and build reputation. However, making library music and scoring short projects in my spare time helps to build necessary skills, and marketing myself using the methods previously outlined could result in a successful outcome.
Conclusion
Through examining the structure and functions of the film music industry, I have determined that there are multiple paths to becoming a film music composer that fit different people and their priorities and desires. For those who prioritise security, full-time employment will suit them, be it in a post-production department or another sector entirely. But for those with their sights set solely on music, through advanced musical knowledge, consistent networking and diligent self-advertising, it is certainly possible to attain a high level of success as a film music composer. I have also determined that it is suitable to work in multiple aspects of the industry; for instance, producing library music alongside scoring film projects or working as an assistant composer is advisable for a more stable income. I plan to employ these strategies in my career, giving me confidence that I will be able to achieve my goals through hard work and dedication to my progression, getting better at enhancing directors’ visions through my personally developed style.
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