A Composer's Guide to Writing Music for Film & TV

It's Not About You (And That's the Fun Part)

Composing for film and TV is a completely different animal from writing songs. When you're writing a song, you're the star. When you're scoring to picture, the story is the star. Your job is to make the audience feel things they might not even consciously notice. It's sneaky in the best way.

Here's how I approach it, whether it's a full score or a sync placement for a show or brand.

The Conversation Comes First

Every scoring project starts with talking. What does the director want to feel? What are the key emotional beats? Is there a temp track they've been editing to? (There's almost always a temp track.) Understanding their creative intent before you write a single note saves everyone a ton of time and frustration.

I once spent a week writing what I thought was a perfect cue, only to learn the director wanted something completely different. That week taught me to ask better questions upfront.

Spotting: Where Does Music Belong?

"Spotting" is when you watch the film and decide exactly where music should start, stop, and shift. This is more of an art than a science. Not every moment needs music. Sometimes the most powerful choice is silence. Knowing when NOT to score is honestly one of the hardest skills to develop.

Writing to the Clock

Unlike songwriting, film music is locked to specific timestamps. You've got "hit points," which are key moments where your music needs to align with something happening on screen. A door slams, a character turns, a reveal happens. Your music has to land on those moments without feeling forced.

It's like a puzzle, and I find it weirdly satisfying.

Picking Your Sounds

The instrumentation should fit the world of the film. A gritty indie drama might call for sparse piano and textured ambience. An action sequence might need driving percussion and a full orchestra. I always ask myself: "If this film's world had a soundtrack playing in the background of daily life, what would it sound like?"

Delivering the Goods

Post-production teams typically need separated stems: strings, percussion, synths, all broken out so the mix engineer can adjust levels in the final mix. Always deliver in whatever format and sample rate the post team specifies. This is not the time to get creative with file naming conventions. Keep it clean and organized. Your future self (and the editor) will thank you.

Building a Career in Scoring

You're not going to land a feature film gig on day one, and that's fine. Score short films, indie games, student projects, web series. Every project builds your portfolio and teaches you something new. Consistency and reliability matter more than any single credit.

Working on a film or TV project that needs original music? Get in touch and let's talk about bringing your story to life.