# What was it really like to win the Spitfire Westworld Scoring Competition?



## David Kudell

It’s the one year anniversary of the Westworld scoring competition on Sunday. And although I’ve talked about my musical approach before, I’ve never really shared what it was like going through that whole experience. So let me know how you like my re-enactment. 😂


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## doctoremmet

I have honestly wondered about this very thing lately. I am going to watch this shortly. Thank you for sharing!


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## Greeno

Fair play man, you went with your instinct and did something different!
Interesting to hear about your experience.


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## GtrString

So great you get results, when displaying that kind of bravery!


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## Leslie Fuller

David Kudell said:


> It’s the one year anniversary of the Westworld scoring competition on Sunday. And although I’ve talked about my musical approach before, I’ve never really shared what it was like going through that whole experience. So let me know how you like my re-enactment. 😂



Can’t wait to watch this later today! Keep up the great work, @David Kudell!


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## davidson

Loved it then, still love it now!


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## Loïc D

That’s very funny (re enactment, lol).

I have to say that even 1 year after, I still remember perfectly your score.
So indeed it is highly effective and totally deserved victory.
I was also very curious how you’d make a name in the industry.
Thanks for the update.


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## gohrev

Wonderful video, thank you so much for creating and sharing, David!


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## Nimrod7

Loïc D said:


> I have to say that even 1 year after, I still remember perfectly your score.


That's what I was going to say, the track stuck in my head, and that's not an easy thing to accomplish. 

Thanks for sharing David! It was very inspiring to hear your reflection after 1 year! ♥️


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## easyrider

Great !


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## hummersallad

Wonderful and inspiring video! Thanks!


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## mybadmemory

Your entry wasn’t simply a score, it was a score with a hit-song attached to it! ❤️


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## el-bo

Great video, man! That's the way to do it!


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## Leslie Fuller

mybadmemory said:


> Your entry wasn’t simply a score, it was a score with a hit-song attached to it! ❤️


So true! As I’ve mentioned to David before, the main theme is an “earworm”. It comes to mind so easily!


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## mybadmemory

Leslie Fuller said:


> So true! As I’ve mentioned to David before, the main theme is an “earworm”. It comes to mind so easily!


Exactly! And in this day and age, where strong melodic themes and hooks often seem to be a thing of the past, I think that earworm really hit home by bringing some of it back.


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## fourier

This is a great video; motivating, honest and down-to-earth - all the best in future endeavours. And there's probably going to be a dozen more mission impossible's in the next decade, Tom Cruise doesn't seem to age.


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## Reid Rosefelt

If watching this great video made you instantly want to revisit David's winning entry...


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## Mike Greene

I think I speak for everyone when I say I was hoping you would do this! If there was a ever a topic where people wondered _"What was *that* day like?"_ 

I thought the piece you did was fantastic, but the way you handled everything took it to another level. You won twice.


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## LamaRose

David Kudell said:


> It’s the one year anniversary of the Westworld scoring competition on Sunday. And although I’ve talked about my musical approach before, I’ve never really shared what it was like going through that whole experience. So let me know how you like my re-enactment. 😂



The graphic on your video is classic, silent movie material... no words needed.

Oh, and for the record, I agree with the producers, director, and composer - who make $$$ each year - that your winning entry was well deserved.


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## toddkreuz

It was a level of ******** that i never knew was possible. 
Some of the cringiest videos i've ever seen were some of these
composers literally crying because they thought the winning score
was shit , didn't make any sense, and basically the whole thing was
totally unfair and must have been rigged. hahahahahahah
OMG what a day, it was crazy... Me and my popcorn had fun watching. LOL

We sure did learn alot about human nature, as well as where those "offended" composers
really stand psychologically. I honestly never knew there were people who thought that way.
It was disappointing to say the least.

David you're a great guy and writer! I'm glad you're able to rise above all those people.
You've already done great things, and no doubt you have tons more to do.


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## ALittleNightMusic

Great attitude to have about everything, David! Inspirational! I remember the absolutely toxic and ignorant reaction on this forum (from folks who are sadly still just as toxic, especially towards Spitfire). I’m glad you were able to rise above it and focus your energy on not only the opinions of actually respected and successful members of the composing community but also leverage this success to grow your network and professional opportunities! Hope you continue to find joy in creating music that surprises and delights the audience.


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## David Kudell

Thanks for the kind words everyone! ❤️


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## Mr Greg G

Funny video, especially the video editing when they’re announcing the winners  Didn’t get a chance to listen to your track before and I must say I really like your approach. The scene was so bad and ridiculous on every level that your track was perfect for it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying your track is bad because it’s definitely not! It’s so out of place, it’s awesome. As if you were making fun of this awful scene. Props to you, that was ballsy!

Now I hope being the winner of this contest opened some serious doors for you.


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## Marsen

Wonderful video David, as always.
Thanks for chairing your feelings on the whole process.


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## R. Soul

I never participated, so I had plenty of popcorn and giggles from the sideline during the competition.

Watched the video now though, and I've got to say, whether you liked the winning entry or not, David seem like a class act, and pretty funny as well. 
Good luck with everything David


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## Gerbil

That was fun. Keep on composing!


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## Alex Fraser

If Spitfire ever do another competition, I've made a mental note to create a straight-ahead-by-the-numbers-as-much-as-possible entry.

I figure everyone will copy you next time David, so that's my plan to stand out. 
Great vid.


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## Locks

Loved the little 8-bit wink at the end. Savage.


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## dohm

Super cool video David. Thanks for creating and sharing that. Really brightened my day! Thanks!


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## Alex Fraser

I often wonder if that comp was a one-off? Judging 1 zillion entries (not to mention the fallout) must have been quite a drain on Spitfire without much upside.


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## tebling

I remember hearing your entry after submitting mine and thinking "ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" I also remember having a massive grin on my face the whole time - and that's what it's all about.

My entry was also a genre shift (one of the few), and while I thought my bravery would be rewarded, the lesson I came away with in the end is that if you're going to try for originality, you've got to REALLY embrace it. Going half way isn't going to leave an impression on anyone.

Well deserved David! I'm incredibly happy that you didn't buy into the hate, and you're setting yourself up for a new chapter making music. You're an inspiration to all of us!


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## MusicStudent

I did not submit (way beyond my pay scale) but I followed this from beginning to end. I came away at the time with the impression the contest was rigged amongst insiders and that the rules were not followed. I guess I tended to mostly hear the pity party group who were very vocal. So I am now very glad to see you tell your story, which was thoroughly enjoyable. Since I never said anything at the time, let me now add.... congratulations and best of luck going forward!


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## PaulLawler

I can't believe that was a year ago - very best of luck to you, I hope you get that break.


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## mussnig

David Kudell said:


> It’s the one year anniversary of the Westworld scoring competition on Sunday. And although I’ve talked about my musical approach before, I’ve never really shared what it was like going through that whole experience. So let me know how you like my re-enactment. 😂



You should pursue a career in acting 😉

But on a more serious note: great and fun video. Also, I absolutely didn't realize that you and the others were not contacted in advance - probably overheard that part. In any case, I think your entry (still) rocks!


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## zach.mx

Not gonna lie, when I saw this thread I thought about the contest and it only took me 2-3 seconds to remember the theme from David's entry. I think I only watched it once or twice. If that's not proof that it was good, I don't know what is.


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## mk-oh-one

David Kudell said:


> It’s the one year anniversary of the Westworld scoring competition on Sunday. And although I’ve talked about my musical approach before, I’ve never really shared what it was like going through that whole experience. So let me know how you like my re-enactment. 😂



Cheeky come back.


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## ClaudioT

Funny video, Dave! 
When you won the contest a year ago, I just regained interest in doing music again after a huge lot of years of (for-the-most-boring) else.
I have to be sincere, there was something I liked and something I didn’t in your submission, but I certainly noticed that it was bold and original, which drove me towards studying more and investing more efforts.
Anyway, good to see you in perfect shape. I’ll see you again on your YT channel now!


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## ClaudioT

mk-oh-one said:


> Cheeky come back.


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## TomNoyd

Hey David, 

I don't know if you'll read this but I for one am glad to see/hear from you regarding that whole experience. As others mentioned, I'm very glad to see how well you've handled that whole hurricane of hate and your good humor through it all. 

I also entered that contest and I was surprised that we had a (vaguely) similar approach (very focused on the rhythm/movements of the scene). Even though I was initially disappointed that I didn't win (of course), I do remember thinking, "gee, I guess I should be glad I DIDN'T win" after reading some of the comments. I don't think I would've able to handle that in stride the way you had.

ALSO - echoing others on here - I still remember the melody even before watching your re-enactment video. That's a true testament to your song writing!


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## Leandro Gardini

I enjoyed watching this video much more than the winning entry. It's nice to see people thinking out of the box.


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## SteveWatson

Thank you for your candor (and especially your sense of humor) in this video, David. Watching the various social media reactions in the days following this decision revealed the importance of open-mindedness, compassion and humility that is needed for all of us as creatives. I personally commend you for your daring - and even more so for this video piece a year later to put everything in perspective. Congratulations and respect to you!


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## DoubleTap

Great video and I really enjoyed your entry first time round - I am curious to know what you've worked on / are working on now


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## Chris Harper

Good stuff! Aside from being disappointed in how nasty some people can be, the absurdity of the whole thing just makes me laugh. People really shouldn’t take themselves so seriously. My favorite part was the implication that there was a cabal of Hollywood insiders who hatched a conspiracy to make sure that those Spitfire libraries stayed out of the hands of the unwashed masses. “We have to keep them from getting the Albions at all costs!”


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## David Kudell

DoubleTap said:


> Great video and I really enjoyed your entry first time round - I am curious to know what you've worked on / are working on now


Thanks! I've been able to meet with some composers and get advice on what I should do next. I wrote a bunch of music in various styles for my reel, which are on my YouTube. I had the privilege of writing some demos and doing videos for sample library companies. All that culminated in getting my first gig writing additional music on a film, which I just started on, and that's been a great experience for me to learn the whole process besides just writing music.


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## purple

Hard to believe that competition and the ensuing drama was only a year ago. Time flies!


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## sourcefor

Great stuff, well deserved!


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## Zedcars

I can relate to your experience but on a much smaller scale. I’ve won two remix competitions in my life. The first in 2007 organised by Steinberg and the second in 2019 organised by Eventide. Both times I had other entrants spewing hatred towards me and the music I had written. In my case it was only a few people. The vast majority were very positive and congratulatory. When people react negatively, and in a mean-spirited way, I think it perhaps says more about their own lives and frustrations than the actual merits of the music.

It’s a great feeling when you’ve beaten all the odds and won something isn’t it. The backlash cannot have been pleasant, but you’ve handled it in the best way possible. Congratulations on the win.


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## David Kudell

mussnig said:


> You should pursue a career in acting 😉
> 
> But on a more serious note: great and fun video. Also, I absolutely didn't realize that you and the others were not contacted in advance - probably overheard that part. In any case, I think your entry (still) rocks!


It’s funny, the reason I was by myself for the announcement is because my wife and family went to go help our son pack up his college apartment that morning. She said, “I’d stay but I’m sure if you were the winner they would have contacted you already, dont you think?” So there were 6 of them in the car listening and they all exploded when they made the announcement!


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## Nate Johnson

Congrats again!

what a nice video. I love your positive attitude! Very inspiring.


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## Henrik B. Jensen

Great video! 

I wonder: Did you ever receive an apology from anyone?

Maybe someone out there, having cooled down and thought things through more carefully, came to the conclusion that they‘d done you wrong.

I hope you did.


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## stevebryson

Hi David! Thanks for this video. I was thinking about your winning score the other day and for a year have wanted to say this to you: your score took what was (for me) a very generic, boring, predictable cookie-cutter action scene that was a waste of my time, and turned it into something I want to watch over and over again. That demonstrates pure genius! As Hans Zimmer and Christian Henderson said better than I can, the critics completely missed the point. I hope to hear more music from you.


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## DoubleTap

I caught up with Westworld in the last week so I was looking out for the scene as I watched. Two things really stood out. Firstly, anyone scoring that scene without knowing about the context of the character being on some weird drug would have had a really hard time. I can see why so many people would have scored it like any other action scene and objected to something unconventional.

Secondly, the choice made by the show to use Ride of the Valkyries made sense, with the allusion to Apocalypse Now, but David’s 8-bit idea was better, imo, because it completely played up the ridiculousness of the drug. I think the show would have been better with something more unconventional.

It got me thinking about how competitions create this brilliant opportunity to make creative choices that otherwise nobody would think of making. It’s so easy to end up making music that conforms to genre boundaries, and there’s so much pressure on commercial artists to do exactly that, whereas experimental artists so often produce music that’s hard work to enjoy. So all hail competitions for giving people licence to be playful and operate in that space in between.


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## RogiervG

David Kudell said:


> It’s the one year anniversary of the Westworld scoring competition on Sunday. And although I’ve talked about my musical approach before, I’ve never really shared what it was like going through that whole experience. So let me know how you like my re-enactment. 😂



Nice insight video David.


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## David Kudell

DoubleTap said:


> I caught up with Westworld in the last week so I was looking out for the scene as I watched. Two things really stood out. Firstly, anyone scoring that scene without knowing about the context of the character being on some weird drug would have had a really hard time. I can see why so many people would have scored it like any other action scene and objected to something unconventional.
> 
> Secondly, the choice made by the show to use Ride of the Valkyries made sense, with the allusion to Apocalypse Now, but David’s 8-bit idea was better, imo, because it completely played up the ridiculousness of the drug. I think the show would have been better with something more unconventional.
> 
> It got me thinking about how competitions create this brilliant opportunity to make creative choices that otherwise nobody would think of making. It’s so easy to end up making music that conforms to genre boundaries, and there’s so much pressure on commercial artists to do exactly that, whereas experimental artists so often produce music that’s hard work to enjoy. So all hail competitions for giving people licence to be playful and operate in that space in between.


Nice insights. My idea was just to do something the show creators would get a kick out of. Whether it was going to win or not didn’t really enter in my mind. It was a lot like doing a pitch for a show. Those who took the time to watch at least that episode I think understood a lot more about what direction the music needed to go.


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## jcrosby

DoubleTap said:


> Secondly, the choice made by the show to use Ride of the Valkyries made sense, with the allusion to Apocalypse Now, but David’s 8-bit idea was better, imo, because it completely played up the ridiculousness of the drug. I think the show would have been better with something more unconventional.


This is exactly how it read to me as well. The score shifted the entire context of the scene so that it's interpreted as being viewed through the lens of Caleb's eyes. Right down to the little 8 bit accents that highlight specific actions like trying to break open the moon roof, the vehicle exploding, etc.

That's the art of a great score, and the sign of someone elevating the story on the screen by provoking the viewer the shift their interpretation of it, (even if not consciously intended). If it wasn't intended then this shows that you have all of the right instincts.

I also can't help but think that every judge had the same reaction. At 1st they probably had a really good chuckle when the music shifts to 8 bit, then thought to themselves 'Wow, that's actually a really really clever way to reinterpret scene.' (Per the reasons above....)

@David Kudell Game well played sir. (Pun absolutely intended )


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## osterdamus

toddkreuz said:


> composers literally crying because they thought the winning score
> was shit


Wait what… really?


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## DoubleTap

jcrosby said:


> This is exactly how it read to me as well. The score shifted the entire context of the scene so that it's interpreted as being viewed through the lens of Caleb's eyes. Right down to the little 8 bit accents that highlight specific actions like trying to break open the moon roof, the vehicle exploding, etc.
> 
> That's the art of a great score, and the sign of someone elevating the story on the screen by provoking the viewer the shift their interpretation of it, (even if not consciously intended). If it wasn't intended then this shows that you have all of the right instincts.
> 
> I also can't help but think that every judge had the same reaction. At 1st they probably had a really good chuckle when the music shifts to 8 bit, then thought to themselves 'Wow, that's actually a really really clever way to reinterpret scene.' (Per the reasons above....)
> 
> @David Kudell Game well played sir. (Pun absolutely intended )


Yeah, so that was my original reaction to David’s score - that it was a clever reinterpretation of the original scene which must, I imagined, have been a standard action movie chase score of some sort and something off-beat like this wouldn’t have actually been used. 

But the reason I resurrected the thread was because I realised I was totally wrong - that sequence was originally scored from Caleb’s perspective. The scenes before the chase have him starting to come up on a drug called “Genre” and it’s explained to him that the party drug will make him have five shifts of perception when he’ll experience reality as though he’s in a movie. It starts with the viewer seeing him experiencing everything as film noir, from the lighting to the score. So when the chase used in the competition starts, the score in the series uses Ride of the Valkyries, signalling to the viewer that this is the drug shifting to the action/war genre. It goes on to romance (inappropriately because it’s during a massive gunfight) and other stuff I’ve forgotten. There’s a faint element of comedy in the sequence and although S3 is seen as a bit ropey I think there are some really good bits and this was one of them. 

So the 8-bit score idea was entirely in keeping with that perception shift, and comedic edge, and was just a different choice of genre - so it absolutely could have been used in the original series. Anyone going with a classic action movie score would, like me, have missed the point of the scene because it was all about seeing the action through two layers, the viewer’s and Caleb’s, so it needed at least to have some sort of allusion to something else. But it was also a really hard test for composers because that perception shift is also in the visuals a bit, so there was enough there for people to notice that and take an appropriate creative decision.


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