Imagine the rage if a single entry won 11.000 Spitfire competitions.
The usual garbage posted by many if not hundreds of the "participants" themselves who somehow dreamed they're going to win and break into the industry, become best buddies with JJ and be praised as musical geniuses because they discovered the timpani and know how to spell Ostinato, musical greatness at its peak.But where did this happen? On YouTube? I feel that the conversation here has been very respectful so I think it’s important to make a distinction from the usual garbage that is the YouTube comments section, and a healthy discussion among adults here.
Hi, I am an old fart. But I haven’t lost the passion of writing scores or inventing new sounds and bits of technology for my music. But I so agree with everything I’ve read in your post above. The road of rejection teaches you nothing. It makes you hard and cynical - the antithesis to music. Nor does too much applause. I’ve got my Oscar. It didn’t make me a better composer, or change my career. Just for one night I could be insane and giddy and think it was all relevant. it was fun, but that’s it. ...who can even remember who won for what last year or the year before?
I know everyone involved with the competition - not the composers, but I’m old enough to have worked for J.J.‘s father, and actually done a film with him. And we’re both synth geeks. Ramin really got his start with me, and met the Nolan’s through our working together - which - through his enormous talent - led directly to “Westworld”. The “Spitfire” guys I consider as personal friends and more than once have we helped each other out. ...so, why am I writing this? Just to name -drop? No, actually I secretly stayed away from listening to anything that was being submitted. I thought - once the dust settles, there will be an amazing amount of music and talent that should be recognized and given an opportunity at furthering their careers. I’ve done that a lot. I don’t think that Harry G-H, or John Powell, Lorne Balfe or JunkieXL and Ben Wallfisch - as just a few examples, will think of me holding them back in forging their careers. Our whole ”Blue Planet” and all the other things ‘Bleeding Fingers’ does comes from the idea that there is an unbelievable pool of talent out there that should be given a chance.
But then I started to read the comments and the bitterness and bitchyness in most of the responses to the winner (whom I’ve never met or heard off). And I thought, why even bother with this lot. They’ve already lost. They think music is a business when it’s a passion, they forget that putting hours or days in, is a luxury you’ll never have again when you’re on a deadline on a ‘proper’ job...
but, mostly, it’s the lack of respect for someone’s moment of joy - where they should be celebrated - that got me.
so - carry on with your uninformed small minded criticism. it’s all here now in black and white for ever. The beauty of the internet. And as a reference of how i wouldn’t ever want to work with a single one of you. Nor you with me. Bad fit. It doesn’t even ever matter how good your music is or how smart you are... And since music and film-making are inherently collaborative, I can’t really see how any director will want to deal with that amount of entitlement and hubris.
hz
This notion that all David did was to add some 8 bit stuff is what bugs me the most with some of the comments I'm reading. Watch that score carefully and you'll see that what he did was waaayyy deeper than just his 8 bit idea. In fact, I'll bet there were other entires that attempted an 8 bit direction, but were dismissed by the judges because they didn't work.
David's score went way beyond "adding some 8 bit sounds." My hat's off to the craft that went into it. Craft on all levels, not just the 8 bit elements. If I had a time machine and go back and submit an entry like David's, knowing the judges would be impressed by it, I would still lose, simply because he did it so damn well. I still keep finding, "Whoa, I didn't notice that before!" moments in there.
So I guess you're more of a People's Choice guy than a Grammys guy?
Seems to me a whole lot of people liked David's submission. I sure did. I could see going either way on whether the winner should have been this or something more traditional, and lo and behold, that's reflected in the runners up. (The complaint on why the runners up were not also quirky is silly, as if the judges have only one dimension.)
Hi, I am an old fart. But I haven’t lost the passion of writing scores or inventing new sounds and bits of technology for my music. But I so agree with everything I’ve read in your post above. The road of rejection teaches you nothing. It makes you hard and cynical - the antithesis to music. Nor does too much applause. I’ve got my Oscar. It didn’t make me a better composer, or change my career. Just for one night I could be insane and giddy and think it was all relevant. it was fun, but that’s it. ...who can even remember who won for what last year or the year before?
I know everyone involved with the competition - not the composers, but I’m old enough to have worked for J.J.‘s father, and actually done a film with him. And we’re both synth geeks. Ramin really got his start with me, and met the Nolan’s through our working together - which - through his enormous talent - led directly to “Westworld”. The “Spitfire” guys I consider as personal friends and more than once have we helped each other out. ...so, why am I writing this? Just to name -drop? No, actually I secretly stayed away from listening to anything that was being submitted. I thought - once the dust settles, there will be an amazing amount of music and talent that should be recognized and given an opportunity at furthering their careers. I’ve done that a lot. I don’t think that Harry G-H, or John Powell, Lorne Balfe or JunkieXL and Ben Wallfisch - as just a few examples, will think of me holding them back in forging their careers. Our whole ”Blue Planet” and all the other things ‘Bleeding Fingers’ does comes from the idea that there is an unbelievable pool of talent out there that should be given a chance.
But then I started to read the comments and the bitterness and bitchyness in most of the responses to the winner (whom I’ve never met or heard off). And I thought, why even bother with this lot. They’ve already lost. They think music is a business when it’s a passion, they forget that putting hours or days in, is a luxury you’ll never have again when you’re on a deadline on a ‘proper’ job...
but, mostly, it’s the lack of respect for someone’s moment of joy - where they should be celebrated - that got me.
so - carry on with your uninformed small minded criticism. it’s all here now in black and white for ever. The beauty of the internet. And as a reference of how i wouldn’t ever want to work with a single one of you. Nor you with me. Bad fit. It doesn’t even ever matter how good your music is or how smart you are... And since music and film-making are inherently collaborative, I can’t really see how any director will want to deal with that amount of entitlement and hubris.
hz
But where did this happen? On YouTube? I feel that the conversation here has been very respectful so I think it’s important to make a distinction from the usual garbage that is the YouTube comments section, and a healthy discussion among adults here.
And nothing was said that was any worse than Christian’s own remarks here. And even then, who’s offended? At this point, the dust is settling, everyone has gone home, and there’s just us stragglers here talking about this. And why not? It IS after all, a discussion forum. It makes sense for us to discuss the contest results. So long as it’s kept in a respectful manner, go for it.
Why are people so dismissive of criticism?
@Rctec thank you for your wisdom and perspective. When they announced me as the winner and then I saw the feedback start coming in, I told myself that this is going to be an incredible opportunity to develop thick skin. And to act with class act no matter what people say. Because if I am going to be a successful composer, dealing with criticism from directors who have trusted me with their project, then sucking it up and getting back to work, it is going to be a LOT tougher than what some people on the internet say.
Here's a photo of me today, back at my day job but so wanting to be on my computer composing music. You might notice the shirt that I bought on your tour in LA. A tour that my wife, not a film music fan, said was the best concert she's ever been to. That's because your music connects to so many people on an emotional level and appeals to not just musicians. What better thing to aspire to?
My whole life I've been afraid to take risks with my music. Avoiding putting my music out there for fear it's not good enough. At 43 years old, I kick myself that I didn't follow through with music when I was scoring a student film 25 years ago. Ironic then that I won this contest by what else: Taking a risk with a take on this scene that was different. As much as I would love to try doing a version of Dark Knight, guess what - you've already done that, you invented it and it's time for us to try something new.
As a longtime fan who, I'm not ashamed to admit, gets a little teary-eyed every time he listens to Beyond Rangoon, just reading your comment here is one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me. Thank you HZ.
David
Because David is "one of us", so it feels rude to discuss this in public when we should focus on the positive.
Remember when just the other day in the CSS woodwinds thread, David posted a funny gif of a baseball player striking out, and then you replied with a funny gif of Monk endlessly tweaking the position of salt and pepper shakers? That's what this forum is about: commiserating over legato delays and congratulating each other on massive accomplishments.
If only I had used N in the track I submitted, I'm 110% sure i would have won this competition!
Just play'n. I didn't submit anything, but congrats to the winner!!! Now go celebrate!
I used to have a Croatian friend who still lives on a small island to this day... his mantra was one word. I keep coming back to it after decades. It's this: "ENJOY".
Sounds like something out of an advert? Maybe. But this is the philosophy of a winner on this planet. Someone who can enjoy anything. If you couldn't enjoy the announcement of the winners, and enjoy what that is bringing to your life, then probably you are living your life for the wrong reasons. Don't just produce music. Enjoy music and the process it entails with your peers. If you perceive a moment to be "bad" you can always find a way to enjoy what new things this bad moment can bring to your life...there are over 11000 of us. Now enjoy that. Enjoy the few years you have left to live. Enjoy your make-believe composer hut on a lake. Enjoy bringing music to the foot of someone's death bed. Enjoy how it connects people. Enjoy that you were not chosen as a so-called winner this time. Enjoy what good things may come to David Kudell. And enjoy your personal growth as a human with limited time left.
There goes my aspiration to become the world’s first 66 year old tea boy (sigh.)Hi, I am an old fart. But I haven’t lost the passion of writing scores or inventing new sounds and bits of technology for my music. But I so agree with everything I’ve read in your post above. The road of rejection teaches you nothing. It makes you hard and cynical - the antithesis to music. Nor does too much applause. I’ve got my Oscar. It didn’t make me a better composer, or change my career. Just for one night I could be insane and giddy and think it was all relevant. it was fun, but that’s it. ...who can even remember who won for what last year or the year before?
I know everyone involved with the competition - not the composers, but I’m old enough to have worked for J.J.‘s father, and actually done a film with him. And we’re both synth geeks. Ramin really got his start with me, and met the Nolan’s through our working together - which - through his enormous talent - led directly to “Westworld”. The “Spitfire” guys I consider as personal friends and more than once have we helped each other out. ...so, why am I writing this? Just to name -drop? No, actually I secretly stayed away from listening to anything that was being submitted. I thought - once the dust settles, there will be an amazing amount of music and talent that should be recognized and given an opportunity at furthering their careers. I’ve done that a lot. I don’t think that Harry G-H, or John Powell, Lorne Balfe or JunkieXL and Ben Wallfisch - as just a few examples, will think of me holding them back in forging their careers. Our whole ”Blue Planet” and all the other things ‘Bleeding Fingers’ does comes from the idea that there is an unbelievable pool of talent out there that should be given a chance.
But then I started to read the comments and the bitterness and bitchyness in most of the responses to the winner (whom I’ve never met or heard off). And I thought, why even bother with this lot. They’ve already lost. They think music is a business when it’s a passion, they forget that putting hours or days in, is a luxury you’ll never have again when you’re on a deadline on a ‘proper’ job...
but, mostly, it’s the lack of respect for someone’s moment of joy - where they should be celebrated - that got me.
so - carry on with your uninformed small minded criticism. it’s all here now in black and white for ever. The beauty of the internet. And as a reference of how i wouldn’t ever want to work with a single one of you. Nor you with me. Bad fit. It doesn’t even ever matter how good your music is or how smart you are... And since music and film-making are inherently collaborative, I can’t really see how any director will want to deal with that amount of entitlement and hubris.
hz
I used to have a Croatian friend who still lives on a small island to this day... his mantra was one word. I keep coming back to it after decades. It's this: "ENJOY".
Sounds like something out of an advert? Maybe. But this is the philosophy of a winner on this planet. Someone who can enjoy anything. If you couldn't enjoy the announcement of the winners, and enjoy what that is bringing to your life, then probably you are living your life for the wrong reasons. Don't just produce music. Enjoy music and the process it entails with your peers. If you perceive a moment to be "bad" you can always find a way to enjoy what new things this bad moment can bring to your life...there are over 11000 of us. Now enjoy that. Enjoy the few years you have left to live. Enjoy your make-believe composer hut on a lake. Enjoy bringing music to the foot of someone's death bed. Enjoy how it connects people. Enjoy that you were not chosen as a so-called winner this time. Enjoy what good things may come to David Kudell. And enjoy your personal growth as a human with limited time left.