For game composers, it’s a good idea for us to try to spruce up our professional web sites with some new content on a regular basis. Keeping things fresh helps to make our web sites feel continually relevant and useful as an information resource for our potential clients. Recently, I added a new page to my site, devoted entirely to a collection of videos that demonstrate some of my music credits for television and advertising.
Being a game composer doesn’t necessarily mean that our skills won’t translate well to linear entertainment like television programs, advertisements and trailers. It can be interesting work, and it provides us with something that most of our game projects don’t – backend income. When music is played within a video game, this isn’t considered to be a “musical performance” by the performing rights societies, so game composers don’t receive any compensation based on how many times their music might be played. In this particular regard, television is superior to games. I think it is always a good idea for a game composer to look into diversifying into television as a side endeavor.
I’ve had some fun experiences connected with my television composition work. Hearing my music suddenly pop up in a commercial during the Thanksgiving Day Parade last year was a highlight. Once, I was taking a taxi to the airport and I heard one of my tracks in a car commercial – I told the cab driver, and I think he was more excited than I was!
I also composed some music that was featured in Macy’s campaign for the Make-A-Wish foundation, so that warmed my heart.
My Showreel page has twenty four short video clips from my television, trailer and advertising credits. You can visit the page here:
I hope you find the page interesting, and if you’re a media composer thinking about putting together a showreel page of your own, I hope this helps!