ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 8 months ago - Joe Newton

You're right, Paddy. However, the appeal of Filmstro to low budget filmmakers and film students is bound to have an effect on the opportunities for composers that are just starting out or still studying their craft, who rely on such projects for their professional showreels, portfolios and credits. One can only hope that universities and colleges will warn their students of the dangers of software like Filmstro.

9 years, 8 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Interesting! Clearly a machine written score is never going to match the originality of a custom score, and so will only ever be used on derivative, low budget projects and corporates. Composers need not panic ;-)

9 years, 6 months ago - Seb Jaeger

Hi Paddy & Joe,

@Paddy: You're right...Composers need not panic. :)
We have created Filmstro in the first instance for professional editors and producers who are looking for an alternative to using static production music libraries.

@Joe: We've read your thoughtful and in-depth article on our software. Thanks for taking the time to review it from your perspective. I'd encourage you to try it out to give you a full appreciation of what it is you're critiquing. Some of the points you make are fundamentally valid, but I'd like to add the following:

Our core aim is to empower filmmakers; not disempower composers. Those two sentiments don't have to be inter-dependent. We don't feel that by empowering filmmakers we are automatically disenfranchising composers. New technology is important and can lead to wonderful results; for everybody concerned. We can see a lovely synergy whereby composers furnish filmmakers with a score in our Filmstro format. Therefore the composer has received a commission, and the filmmaker can further refine the work the way they see fit. Surely a win, win situation?

Your point that production music "has already been keeping composers from getting their hands on projects" is naive. Who do you think writes the music for production libraries Joe? In that way, Filmstro is no different, and actually represents a revenue stream for working composers - with a very good reward structure I might add! :)

To start a dialogue, or to ask any questions, do feel free to get in touch: info@filmstro.com
Kind regards,
Seb

9 years, 6 months ago - Seb Jaeger

Hello again Joe,

Thanks for your additional comments. I'm afraid you may have got the wrong end of the stick again! :)

We're not suggesting that composers use our software to create Soundtracks for films. Instead we're suggesting that they could augment the adaptability of the soundtrack by turning it into a filmstro theme for sharing with the filmmaker. That way it's still their work, but it further allows the filmmaker to make subtle, subjective changes to get even closer to their intended outcome. After all, we would argue that a composer is merely one more person carrying out a specific, albeit important, role in film production.

Composers are not singularly gifted in bringing a narrative to life by providing a musical score to help underline the emotions in a film. I should know, being one myself, so I'm not attacking you/composers! :)

Think about the fact that the Director, Producers and Music Supervisor all play an important part in designing, researching, planning and directing the sound-scape of a film. A composer is doing her job, just like everybody else.

It strikes me that you seem to have composers on a pedal stool and have a view that everything they write is incredibly unique? - you use the words original and individual - but as I'm sure you well know, the kinds of things that work well are employed time and again. Music is after all incredibly functional (and wonderful because of it) so don't make the mistake of conflating originality with quality.

Your comments about production music still strike me as slightly paradoxical Joe. You say you have written production music, and yet still insist on portraying composers in the passive sense of 'being denied' something. I ask you again: Who is denying whom?

Anyway, I can see that you're passionate about your craft. We could definitely use somebody like you!

Good luck in your music-making - with or without technology...

Kind regards,
S