Music / Decisions
How to brief a composer
A useful brief does not prescribe every note. It explains what the music needs to do and which decisions are still open.
Start with the role of the music
“Something cinematic” can point in several directions. Describe what should change when the music arrives: should we get closer to a character, feel more tension, follow a visual journey or recognise a brand? A clear purpose gives a composer more to work with than a string of adjectives.
Share the edit and mark the turning points
Send the current cut, with timecode if available. Mark the entrance, exit, dialogue and moments that need a shift. Say whether the edit is locked or likely to change. A thirty-second ad with three precise hits asks something different of the music than a scene that needs room to breathe.
Explain what each reference contributes
Two or three references are often enough. Identify what matters in each: the pulse, instrumentation, closeness of a vocal or gradual build. Point out what you do not want as well. References can establish a shared vocabulary without becoming instructions to imitate a particular song.
Define the full delivery
Explain where the piece will run, its durations and the versions you need. That might include a full mix, an instrumental version or separate instrument groups. For multiple edits, establish which can share a structure and which need a musical adaptation. The video aspect ratio alone does not specify an audio delivery.
Discuss budget and schedule early
Share a budget range, a first-listen date and the final deadline. Establish who gathers feedback and who approves the work. Revisions, live musicians and alternate versions affect the scope. Talking about them before production makes the creative choices more realistic.
A practical starting point
Project and audience. Intended feeling. Edit and duration. Two annotated references. Key moments. Versions and intended uses. Budget. Review and delivery dates. Final approver. Those answers provide enough context to start a productive conversation.
Original music for advertising · Film and game scoring
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