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Mark Stothard

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Posts posted by Mark Stothard

    Game video trailer in need of music, 2-3 min (paid~ $150 ? )

    in Recruit & Collaborate!

    Posted

    Dan the,

    I have a feeling you were looking in the mirror with your keyboard when you wrote this.

    You come across all high and mighty as if you started off at the very top. Your attitude stinks and instead of trying to help would be composers, you come across all insecure; as if these indie composers are going to steal your thunder (what little you have)

    I know I have no chance of making it in the industry, but I like what i do, and if someone else likes it too and asks me to be a part of their game,( which is happening quite frequently) then that's good enough for me.

    I can envisage a vein pop out of your head when reading this, but i will continue to make music for free if that helps a game maker with no money feel better about their game.

    My buzz is a nice comment from the game maker after adding the music to their game, not money.

    I anticipate you will click my link and come back with, yeah but your music is shit!, my keyboard is bigger etc..

    I'll say it for you. It might be, but i like it and so do those who ask me to compose for their games, and if it means I like shit music, then so be it.

    I also anticipate you'll come back with, yeah they're only happy cause it's free.

    Again, they are happy as am I.

    Mark.

    Bullshit.

    I have never seen you at the Game Developer's Conference.

    I've seen Zircon (Andrew Aversa), I've seen BustaTunez (Will Roget), I've seen BigGiantCircles (Jimmy Hinson), I've seen Danny B there, I've seen Virt (Jake Kaufman) there--I have never seen you there.

    There are three things you need to get work as a composer in the Game Industry (and really, any of the media industries):

    1) The Ability to Deliver a Product on time and of high production value.

    This doesn't mean creative, it means you deliver product that is appropriate. You could be a genius composer, but if you can't meet a deadline, you're useless. Your product has to demonstrate high production value, not high creativity--though, for self-respect you should aspire to high creativity, but it's not necessary.

    2) Apparent Talent

    To the potential client or employer, you have to appear as though you're talented. When it comes to AAA shit, this usually comes in the form of a credit list. But all you need is for the potential employer to believe in you and be willing to stake their job on hiring you (which is no small thing to ask unless you're a superstar already).

    3) A Great Professional Network that works for you.

    You could be the best composer on the fucking planet, but if no one knows who you are then you will never, ever "make it." You HAVE to network, you have to network for YEARS. You have to demonstrate the first two items every time you network, but you have to do it in a way that is sociable, amiable, and accessible--in other words, they have to like you.

    If you're missing any ONE of these items, you will NEVER get hired.

    I have never seen you at a professional networking event and I have never seen you at the most important professional networking event: The Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco.

    You have to TRY, man--otherwise you're leaving your shit to the whimsy of dumb luck.

    And two things: if what you said about Jake is true, that's a shame, it really is--it's a shame he worked that cheap and it's a shame that everyone knows it now. My contracts have Non-Disclosure Agreements because posting your rates is an absolute mistake. You will NEVER be able to increase your rates if someone is looking you up on a forum and finding your rates on some old assed thread.

    If any of you have posted rates, take them down--I have talked to composers who posted rates and years later still get new clients trying to hire them at those rates.

    My thing: I HATE per minute rate structures. It doesn't respect the budget, it doesn't respect the project, it doesn't respect the music. It's shit and it treats music like it's fast-food in a mall food court.

    I have worked on low budget games, but when the client trusts me, I've consulted on the design of the music for those games (from an overall project fee perspective)--creating a musical design where quantity is not a relevant hindrance to a good soundtrack that works for the game and fits.

    I would much rather a potential client approach me by saying look, here's the game, this is the budget we have for audio, what can you do for me?

    That allows me to use my creativity to design an audio vision that works for their game and within their budget constraints.

    That is a much more appropriate and rational method of determining whether or not a creative professional has the IDEAS you want them to have.

    Inspirational beat

    in Post Your Original Music!

    Posted

    I really like what you have got here and it has huge potential.

    One thing I would suggest is to work on the mix a little as everything sounds like it is coming straight down the middle and at the same volume. A little panning can help with this, and choose an instrument you want to stand out and work around that.

    Best

    Mark.

    The Impact

    in Post Your Original Music!

    Posted · Edited by Mark Stothard
    Link added

    Good Evening Everyone.

    Here is a labour of love (and hate), that i have been struggling with for the last few months.

    I came across this video on the discovery channel and really liked it, so I set out to compose some music to it, but it was a lot harder than i first envisioned.

    I uploaded it to YouTube a couple of months ago thinking it was finished, but there is something missing that I am not happy with, but I can't put my finger on it.

    I would really love to hear any comments or suggestions on how to improve this as i want to try and get it right.

    Thanks

    Mark.

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