Commissioned to create outside your comfort zone?

[Alfredo]

I guess the title to this post does not quite express in full what I am trying to ask. As artists, we seem to have a 'trademark' that comes through in all our work. Recently, a producer who was making some safety videos came to me to compose the music. She loves my work, but in her mind she had a particular song and gave that to me as an example of what she wanted. Needless to say, as an artist, I am not out to imitate someone else (not to mention the legal aspects of copying someone's work!). But this woman refused to step away from that particular song and no matter what was given to her she did not feel was 'gritty' enough (not to mention people always comment on the healing aspect to my work, not its grittiness). Everyone else who saw the video to the music loved it...except her. She was not convinced, but loved the music. Seeing that I was not going to be able to oblige, I quickly pulled out of the project. As it stands, the project has no music because no matter what she auditioned since (now from library/stock files), she cannot find her music.

Now she is coming to me for a major network series...and I am not sure about this. If you look at many TV/film composers (John Barry, Jerry Goldsmith, Lee Holdridge, John Williams, etc), they all have a style and set films they have composed for, all within a certain range. People normally will come to us because they love what we've done and want more of it, but tailored to their vision. However, not always....

So, my questions are: Have you ever been commissioned to create work that is just not 'you' to create, no matter how hard you'd try? At what point do you draw the line between talent, compromise and simply what just won't come out of you? And how do you explain this to someone else (i.e. family, work partners, manager, etc.)?

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

That's a hard one, and I've sort of experienced these sorts of expectations from people. It's as if they believe you are a wizard and can create exactly what is in their mind but they can not articulate themselves, and they don't really consider your style, they just want what they want and perceive you as the means to get it? I don't get it.

[Wendy]

What a difficult question and a very hard line to walk. This happens to me a lot at work (I'm a graphic/web designer) and it's so frustrating. Yes - you would think if I client sought you out, it would be because they like your style and want to apply it to their project. Yet, many time, the client wants to create their "own" piece, through you - as if you are a tool! Argh.

For work, I often have to let these things go as part of making a living. But, I definitely don't add those pieces to my portfolio. My only comfort in such cases is being sure to have creative areas in my life that I DO control.

If I was doing a personal piece for someone...yeah...I'd probably handle it the way you did. First, I'd try to explain my perspective, in hopes that they would appreciate and understand it....maybe even come to share it. If not I'd tell them that what they are asking for is not within my style. If they came back to me for another project, I'd have this conversation upfront.

It's been awhile since you posted this....wondering what panned out for you.

[Alfredo]

Hi Wendy,

Not much has yet panned out. A network deal can take a while to solidify, but it looks like they are about ready to sign the deal. Once that is done, my job comes in. It is at that point that the discussions between my manager and the producer will start (including fees, contract stipulations, etc.), then between the producer and me. Then I see if I get through to her (imagine a person that has just downed their 10th cup of coffee and you have somewhat an idea of who I'd be working with!). Because the show is 30 minutes long, and each episode's theme slightly different, it would allow me to create music for specific situations. The videos were different, because she wanted me to create one-song-fits-all kind of music, which is nearly impossible to do. After the show's main signature theme, the rest would be composed to fit each situation. Because of this she may actually be more flexible. We'll see...

[Wendy]

What an interesting process. This is an area about which I know absolutely NADA. What about writing for specific situations do you enjoy? And, how does it work? Do you see the scene and then...I dunno - can you describe it more? Yeah...it's hard to focus when working with that kind of (excess) energy in a client - 'specially if you tend to be more calm and coherent, lol!

[Alfredo]

It can be a complicated arena that mixes business with creativity. The people on the business side rarely get the creative side, making decisions that are sometimes totally irrational. Half of the films and TV shows that eventually became huge almost never were because of this reason. This is also the reason why small companies started creating indie films, because they did not need to work with major studio crap (then the majors bought the indie companies -- i.e. MIRAMAX). Same with recording artists who leave major labels to create their own.

As far as the composing goes, one is given the finished film/episode and goes from there. The silence is enough to scream "PLEASE, score me!!!" Based on what one is experiencing, one goes from there. Depending who you work with, they may tell you what they want and then give you the freedom to experiment. This is why you will many times see one composer working with the same director/producer on more than one project.

Some people in the business, particularly TV/Film, are so hyper it makes one want to run and hide. These people are wired by all the energy that being part of such projects raises. I have experienced this myself, because as an actor it gives you a high that is rarely replicated outside a studio. This is also why when a project is done, the quiet that follows can bring actors into massive depressions. Not to mention how ephemeral and transient it all is. A network can pick up a series and buy 20 plus shows. Then, two shows before the end of the season they may inform you the show is canceled, leaving over 100 people scrambling to find a job. A friend of mine who was an AD went through that when Disney bought FOX Family channel, renamed now ABC Family, and many shows were canceled. Two episodes before the end of the season of the show he was working in, everyone was laid off. Luckily, he'd been in the business long enough to secure a movie shortly after that.

[Wendy]

Thanks for explaining this process. Didn't realize it was so complicated, my word!

>>The silence is enough to scream "PLEASE, score me!!!<<

I think this is because you are blessed with the sound of music. Just listened to the samples on your page. LOVE. THEM. I'm into mid-eastern dance and they really struck me inside my dancing hips, lol.

>>This is also why when a project is done, the quiet that follows can bring actors into massive depressions.<<

This must also be true of your musical projects? I know it happens to me. You are right, to become so overwhelmingly involved with something, ...creatively, emotionall, even practically...then to have it end. Success or not, it leaves a vacancy.

Looking forward to hearing more about you and to...listening...to your art...

[Anne Westlund]

I haven't exactly been commissioned to work outside my comfort zone, but I have had requests to make beads and jewelry with colors I don't particularly like. By the end of making those pieces of jewelry I'm just totally sick of those colors and never want to work with that particular combination again. I've developed a way to deal with that. One piece I do for friends or family, the next for myself. I just alternate and it seems to work out OK. I do that with all my crafts. Luckily I almost always write for myself so I am completely spoiled in that area.

[Alfredo]

I feel it is so different to create outside one's comfort zone when it is one who forces oneself than when it is from outside of us. I think, having forced myself to create outside my comfort zone on my last album was a great growing opportunity. However, while composing outside my comfort zone for commission shows me always what I can do, I do not always like it.