# Free coffee for los angeles composers! apply within!!



## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

Hey there!

I recently finished up a graduate degree in scoring for film and will be moving from NYC to LA (specifically the "East Hollywood" area) next week.

So: starting July 1st, if you are making music in the LA area, either permanently or visiting, *let me take you out to coffee* - my treat! *

There are as many paths in this field as there are people, and I'd love to get to know you personally and hopefully learn a thing or two from you professionally.

Comment below or send me a PM if you don't want to put too much personal information on this thread!

Thanks!



---

* This word can mean many things.


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## mcalis (Jun 23, 2017)

Well crap, I wish I lived in LA now. I mean... c'mon, free coffee! I love coffee and since I'm Dutch, I also love free things, so that makes it twice as good!

On a more serious note, I think this is a great and smart initiative on your part and it got me thinking about trying to meet other (film) composers in my own region, so thanks!

Best of luck with your endeavors!


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## jononotbono (Jun 23, 2017)

kmaster said:


> * This word can mean many things.



Although this in particular is making you sound a little bit like a Prostitute.


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> Although this in particular is making you sound a little bit like a Prostitute.


In that I am offering a good time, yes!


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

mcalis said:


> Well crap, I wish I lived in LA now. I mean... c'mon, free coffee! I love coffee and since I'm Dutch, I also love free things, so that makes it twice as good!



Well, if you're ever in LA, let me know!


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## Phillip (Jun 23, 2017)

Busy LA professionals won,t have time for coffee with you and especially for free brain picking session. Hire them for a project, pay them for they service, you may learn how to advance your career much quicker. Good luck.


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## NoamL (Jun 23, 2017)

Which uni Kent? NYU, Columbia? Congrats on your degree.


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

Phillip said:


> Busy LA professionals won,t have time for coffee with you and especially for free brain picking session. Hire them for a project, pay them for they service, you may learn how to advance your career much quicker. Good luck.


It's true, but not everybody is literally booked 24/7 and I'm looking for peers just as much as I am people who have been in the business for decades. It never hurts to ask!


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

NoamL said:


> Which uni Kent? NYU, Columbia? Congrats on your degree.


NYU! And thank you!


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## NoamL (Jun 23, 2017)

Phillip said:


> Busy LA professionals won,t have time for coffee with you and especially for free brain picking session. Hire them for a project, pay them for they service, you may learn how to advance your career much quicker. Good luck.



This isn't my experience  And LA is only a shit city if we all make it that way.

Kent - don't be afraid to throw a bunch of unsolicited emails/letters out there. You'll only get 1 hit in 40... but you only _need_ 1 hit in 40.

I don't have time to meet (although, since I'm half Dutch, the free coffee is very tempting!) but I'd be happy to take a look at your reel/resume by early next week (or whatever other materials you plan to send out) and give you some "best foot forward" advice.


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## chillbot (Jun 23, 2017)

I agree. Doesn't hurt to ask. You've got a great attitude and it's a pretty tempting (and unique) pitch... I suspect you'll do well out here. Not sure where the other attitudes in this thread are going...


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## JJP (Jun 23, 2017)

Asking established people in Los Angeles to contact you may not be the best way make a good first impression. Make the effort yourself to reach out to them and ask if they can spare the time to meet with you. That's how you find out how things work and what's going on.


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

NoamL said:


> This isn't my experience  And LA is only a shit city if we all make it that way.
> 
> Kent - don't be afraid to throw a bunch of unsolicited emails/letters out there. You'll only get 1 hit in 40... but you only _need_ 1 hit in 40.
> 
> I don't have time to meet (although, since I'm half Dutch, the free coffee is very tempting!) but I'd be happy to take a look at your reel/resume by early next week (or whatever other materials you plan to send out) and give you some "best foot forward" advice.


That's a very kind offer! I'll send something over.


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## zolhof (Jun 23, 2017)

Yeap, it's all about how we project ourselves to the world. There's nothing wrong with meeting new people. Building bridges. I understand you don't mean to go straight to RC doorstep and play some Thelma & Louise on a MS-2 (though that would be funny as hell, please film it). 

I think you got the right attitude and will find many like minded people to connect. Good luck!


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

zolhof said:


> Yeap, it's all about how we project ourselves to the world. There's nothing wrong with meeting new people. Building bridges. I understand you don't mean to go straight to RC doorstep and play some Thelma & Louise on a MS-2 (though that would be funny as hell, please film it).
> 
> I think you got the right attitude and will find many like minded people to connect. Good luck!


That would either be the very worst thing I could possibly do or the very best thing I could possibly do. Hmmm...


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## chillbot (Jun 23, 2017)

There's likely only two ways to solicit: a terrible way and a not completely awful way. My feeling is this approach falls in the latter. I get plenty of the former. Not sure where "Thelma & Louise on HZ's doorstep falls"... but I have my suspicions... you just might be on to something...



JJP said:


> Make the effort yourself to reach out to them and ask if they can spare the time to meet with you.



I feel like that's what he did, no?

In any case, "busy professionals in LA" drink coffee too. I wish you best of luck...


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## X-Bassist (Jun 23, 2017)

JJP said:


> Asking established people in Los Angeles to contact you may not be the best way make a good first impression. Make the effort yourself to reach out to them and ask if they can spare the time to meet with you. That's how you find out how things work and what's going on.



Not sure I agree with this or Phillip's comments. I've lived here 25 years and asking is exactly the way to make first contact, as long as you stay humble. It may take some time to build up connections and get those meetings, but those are usuallly the connections that come through big time. "I've got too many projects, can you take one off my hands? It pays decently" comes after they get to know you and your work. An in-person meeting always out trumps emails, message boards, and texts, but you have to keep asking to get those meetings. Truth is most working people here like to show off their studios, so asking to stop by (perhaps bringing coffee or a good snack) is always a good way to start those connections. And keep chatting up producers or directors you meet along the way (bars, coffeeshops, parties, industry events) they are normally the people who will bring you jobs. All the best.

And let me know if your ever in Santa Monica or West LA, the coffee shops are excellent around here.


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## Kent (Jun 23, 2017)

X-Bassist said:


> And let me know if your ever in Santa Monica or West LA, the coffee shops are excellent around here.


Will do!


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## AlexRuger (Jun 23, 2017)

Man, if you buy me an iced Spanish latte at Urth Cafe, I'll tell you whatever you wanna know.


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## Kent (Jun 24, 2017)

That sounds delicious. I'm in!


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## jononotbono (Jun 24, 2017)

kmaster said:


> In that I am offering a good time, yes!



I'm glad you have a sense of humour. I meant no harm obviously.


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## ghostnote (Jun 27, 2017)

I would gladly come over and take a zippp and chat with some of you guys if I'd be in LA. Congrats on the degree btw.


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## Lawson. (Jun 27, 2017)

I'm by no means a well-established composer, but I'd be down to meet up! I'm not a huge coffee fan, but I'm sure some pastry or something you can get me. 

If possible, though, could we meet somewhere more south? You're in East Hollywood and I'm down in SoCal, so maybe meeting more in the Brea area or something could work for us both?


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## mwarsell (Jun 27, 2017)

I hope you are financially prepared for this. What if 800 VI'ers decide they want a coffee?


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## desert (Jun 27, 2017)

Love this idea!

I'll one up you and offer free *DELIVERED* coffee (no need to meet me, I will come to your studio)*





_I'm in Australia, so I can't do this, but it's what I would do if I lived in LA._


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## jononotbono (Jun 27, 2017)

desert said:


> (no need to meet me, I will come to your studio)



I'm pretty sure before people start inviting strangers back home on a Friday night, they might want to check they aren't psychopaths by meeting them first in public? Call me old fashioned and what not.


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## C.R. Rivera (Jun 28, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I'm pretty sure before people start inviting strangers back home on a Friday night, they might want to check they aren't psychopaths by meeting them first in public?



You mean "alleged" psychopaths


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## desert (Jun 28, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I'm pretty sure before people start inviting strangers back home on a Friday night, they might want to check they aren't psychopaths by meeting them first in public? Call me old fashioned and what not.


Nah, it's 2017, mate. If you can trust someone on Tinder, you can trust a composer :D


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## desert (Jun 28, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I'm pretty sure before people start inviting strangers back home on a Friday night, they might want to check they aren't psychopaths by meeting them first in public? Call me old fashioned and what not.


Also, your avatar doesn't help you.


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## bc3po (Jun 28, 2017)

kmaster said:


> Hey there!
> 
> I recently finished up a graduate degree in scoring for film and will be moving from NYC to LA (specifically the "East Hollywood" area) next week.
> 
> ...


Santa Monica some time towards the end of the month, let's get coffee


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## jononotbono (Jun 29, 2017)

desert said:


> Also, your avatar doesn't help you.



My avatar is the only thing that helps me. A psychopath would never reveal publicly that they love Axes and Huey Lewis and the News.


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## Karsten Vogt (Jun 29, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I'm pretty sure before people start inviting strangers back home on a Friday night, they might want to check they aren't psychopaths by meeting them first in public?


1. Considering your avatar picture this statement made me smile
2. Where's the fun in that? :D


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## jononotbono (Jun 29, 2017)

Karsten Vogt said:


> 1. Considering your avatar picture this statement made me smile



I'm glad. God forbid anyone ever has a laugh.


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## Dear Villain (Jun 29, 2017)

I'm trying to break in as well, and I make really good coffee...so, if any of you would like to visit me at home, I'll have a coffee bar set up with some baked goods as well. Oh yeah, I'm in Windsor, Ontario...you know, that OTHER Mecca of music production 

Dave


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## Kent (Jun 30, 2017)

Hi all! After four days of driving, I am in LA. Once I get settled in, it's coffee time!


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## chillbot (Jun 30, 2017)

kmaster said:


> Hi all! After four days of driving, I am in LA. Once I get settled in, it's coffee time!


I'm near Pasadena/Glendale. If you get in the area send me a message... and bring coffee!


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## chillbot (Jun 30, 2017)

Actually no I don't know what I'm saying. I have coffee, just stop by and have coffee no need to bring coffee. But I'm an early riser and only like coffee in the morning... in the 5am to 9am range... otherwise we're drinking beer or wine.


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## chillbot (Jul 16, 2017)

Are you advertising yourself on Facebook?

I'm genuinely curious about this. Why would you do it, what does it cost, and how does it work? And what would you hope to accomplish from your position? And how do they target people? However it happened, you just came up as a "suggested page" right under the trending topics on my facebook. So if you are advertising yourself, I guess it works pretty well. I don't remember ever having clicked on your site or anything. I only noticed because your profile pic makes me think you are Adam Scott.


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## synthpunk (Jul 16, 2017)

How is the world's largest ball of string doing? 



kmaster said:


> Hi all! After four days of driving, I am in LA. Once I get settled in, it's coffee time!


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## Kent (Jul 16, 2017)

Ha! No, not advertising myself on Facebook. I have no good reason to! So I don't have answers to your questions of how it's worth it, unfortunately. (I do get that Adam Scott comment more often than you'd think, though  ) 

I'd expect it's either a coincidence, since we probably frequent similar circles on Facebook, or perhaps there is more big data tracking on VI-C than we are aware of. 

However! Now that I've been in town for a little over two weeks, @chillbot and everyone else, I feel sufficiently settled in to venture around town and buy you all coffee! I've got an internship which is usually Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 11-7 or so, but I'm pretty stinking free otherwise! 

Once my new Output desk finally comes (supposedly Monday-tomorrow?), and I can set my desktop computer up, I'll PM you all with specific invites. This iPhone isn't the best forum-surfing tool.


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## Kent (Jul 16, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> How is the world's largest ball of string doing?


I drove NYC to LA via Atlanta-Dallas-Phoenix, which is a little south of that (unless this is a nickname of LA I'm unaware of?)


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## chillbot (Jul 16, 2017)

So FB is essentially promoting your site for you to me? Just trying to wrap my head around this. I mean I get the "people you might know" thing when you share a lot of friends... but you have what like a professional page or something right (I don't so I'm not real familiar), and FB is saying here's a business you should like. Computers are freaky.


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## Paul Grymaud (Jul 16, 2017)

What about the sugar and milk ?


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## Kent (Jul 26, 2017)

I'm afraid that's on you


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## Kent (Jul 26, 2017)

(kidding, of course!)


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## Kent (Dec 9, 2020)

@chillbot let me know that I dropped the ball on you all in 2017:



X-Bassist said:


> And let me know if your ever in Santa Monica or West LA, the coffee shops are excellent around here.





AlexRuger said:


> Man, if you buy me an iced Spanish latte at Urth Cafe, I'll tell you whatever you wanna know.





Lawson. said:


> I'm by no means a well-established composer, but I'd be down to meet up!





bc3po said:


> Santa Monica some time towards the end of the month, let's get coffee





chillbot said:


> I'm near Pasadena/Glendale. If you get in the area send me a message... and bring coffee!



Which is a real shame because I had about 40 meetings from my similar offer on Facebook and had a great time meeting everybody.

Moral of the story: when you write things down in your calendar, make sure to do it before you move across the country and not after....

My sincere apologies!!


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## el-bo (Dec 9, 2020)

desert said:


> Nah, it's 2017, mate.



The exact moment you find out it's all just a 'Necro'. Now I'm going to have to unpack :(


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## jononotbono (Dec 9, 2020)

kmaster said:


> @chillbot let me know that I dropped the ball on you all in 2017:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



And did any of these meet-ups work out to become great friendships now? I like it when that kind of chance stuff happens


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## Kent (Dec 9, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> And did any of these meet-ups work out to become great friendships now? I like it when that kind of chance stuff happens


Yes!!


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## jononotbono (Dec 9, 2020)

kmaster said:


> Yes!!



That's great to hear man. I love the internet so much. I have met so many amazing people so far. Discord is my latest favorite thing.


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## CT (Dec 9, 2020)

Someone should really make a VI-Control Discord.


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## d.healey (Dec 9, 2020)

Mike T said:


> Someone should really make a VI-Control Discord.


There is one already


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## jononotbono (Dec 9, 2020)

d.healey said:


> There is one already



Got a link?


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## CT (Dec 9, 2020)

I think that's an urban legend.


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## d.healey (Dec 9, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> Got a link?


It doesn't seem to have the ability to allow me to create an invite link, I guess the mods have restricted it or something.


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## Kent (Dec 9, 2020)

@jononotbono whatever you do, do NOT search for *Chat Room (VI-Control on Discord)*


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## d.healey (Dec 9, 2020)

Found it - https://discordapp.com/invite/0vF7cfyHaTDLf8YB


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## jononotbono (Dec 9, 2020)

kmaster said:


> @jononotbono whatever you do, do NOT search for *Chat Room (VI-Control on Discord)*



I didn’t. It would have been too much work!


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