# How did you break into the industry?



## SF_Guy (Apr 30, 2007)

How did you break into the industry - composing music as a full-time job? Did you work freelance? Work for a production house? Start your own company? Know somebody? How'd you do it? Let's here your story...


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Apr 30, 2007)

I started a company 14 yrs ago with a buddy who had more equipment than I did. It cost much more than today to set-up a studio, so it made sense to partner up. I got my first gig by having my wife (a filmmaker) convince a former teacher of hers (a director) to give me and my buddy a chance. We did have to pitch though. Contacts will get your foot in the door, but your chops will keep you in the game. I only did it part-time the first 3 yrs. The only way to become a full-time composer though is... to become a full-time composer! You have to take a chance, and stop doing everything else.


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## Waywyn (May 1, 2007)

I started to work on a lot of hobby projects in the game industry for free.
Sooner or later my reference list was kind of respectable and I applied for the first "real" jobs.

After a while it slooooowly moved on with it's hi's and lo's and now a few years later I am working with a really great team in germany's most successful sounddesign company for videogames.

As Ned said, the most important thing is to know and meet a lot of people, but also lock away your ego and have even more patience.


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## mathis (May 1, 2007)

Waywyn @ Tue May 01 said:


> germany's most successful sounddesign company for videogames.



Which one is that?


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## Waywyn (May 1, 2007)

mathis @ Tue May 01 said:


> Waywyn @ Tue May 01 said:
> 
> 
> > germany's most successful sounddesign company for videogames.
> ...



www.dynamedion.com


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## Brian Ralston (May 1, 2007)

http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3316

:wink:


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## midphase (May 1, 2007)

I don't think anyone "breaks" in the industry. For 99.9999% of the people it's a slow process that you can't quite trace back to any one event or gig.


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## Mike Greene (May 1, 2007)

I agree this is the exception, but 95% of my clients can be traced back to a single night of a weekly poker game where one of the guys (who was a commercial director) said, "You write music, right? Could you do some rock music for a Hot Wheels commercial." I had little interest in it because I was still trying to make it as a record producer and songwriter, but it looked like easy money and the guy was a good friend, so what the heck.

The spot wound up being a bit of a hit, so other directors and producers there started using me as well. When they took other TV/film gigs, they'd all take me with them, and before you know it, I was spreading like syphilis.

Almost every client I have today is someone I met through someone I met through someone I met someone I met through doing that spot.


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## Ned Bouhalassa (May 1, 2007)

[quote:2116685265="Mike Greene @ 1/5/2007"]... and before you know it, I was spreading like sòËJ   XËJ   XËJ   X ËJ   X!ËJ   X"ËJ   X#ËJ   X$ËJ   X%ËJ   X&ËJ   X'ËJ


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## Mark Belbin (May 3, 2007)

midphase @ Tue May 01 said:


> Actually Mike is responsible for this campaign:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOvFIxUz2XY



Who ever said there's no room for art in commerce?

 

Belbin


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## wonshu (May 29, 2007)

midphase @ Tue May 01 said:


> Actually Mike is responsible for this campaign:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOvFIxUz2XY



Dude, that was hilarious!!!


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