Video summary

How Would You Start a Composing Career in 2026 (with Anne-Kathrin Dern)? | 52 Cues Podcast #283

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

  • Traditional composer career paths are changing

    • Historically: education → move to where work is → assistant roles → climb the ladder.
    • “Entry points” like assistant/composer internships are disappearing, so the path now often looks different than it did a decade ago.

  • Different “types” of composing reward different approaches

    • Film composers are compared to leading actors:
      • Typically audition and then commit to a project.
      • Work is often more coherent and story-driven (themes, development, integrity).
    • Applied / production music composers (music for libraries, licensing) are compared to extras/supporting actors:
      • Work is more modular, with short, flexible placements.
      • Compositions are licensed via contracts tied to library/project usage.
      • Tracks may be used in many contexts without a long narrative arc like film/game scoring.

  • How long music “lives” affects income models

    • Applied/library tracks can keep earning for years (even from older material), though payouts per license may be small.
    • Film scoring income is often concentrated early via advances, with royalties/residuals potentially growing later depending on reuse and distribution.

  • Royalties vs advances (film-specific detail)

    • Contracts in film/TV/video games restrict use to that specific project (exclusivity).
    • Reuse in related projects (e.g., a spin-off or franchise) is allowed only with permission, typically requiring licensing fees.
    • The speaker describes a shift where royalties eventually started overtaking advances—a milestone associated with large theatrical releases and international distribution.

  • Production music can be creative—but it’s a different temperament

    • Production/library composers may be better suited to:
      • Writing tracks without context
      • Creating many versions and related pieces
      • Doing work that can be “done and forgotten”
    • The film/game composer perspective found this harder initially because they prefer:
      • Music with story, character themes, and narrative context
      • Developing an integrated soundtrack over time

  • “Numbers game” reality for library production

    • Earning enough typically requires:
      • High volume (e.g., many short variants)
      • Consistent licensing over time
    • Some tracks can be “evergreen,” licensed repeatedly, sometimes for only a short segment even if the track is longer.

  • A metaphor for production music work style

    • Production is framed as “the mind of an artisan”:
      • “Wake up, bake your donuts, sell, go home, repeat tomorrow.”
    • This supports potentially part-time compatible work cycles.

  • Differences in creative workflow: film vs games vs production

    • Film
      • More linear: composer adds to an already-realized, near-finished product.
      • Limited time; fewer experiments once scheduling constraints hit.
    • Games
      • More iterative and interactive:
        • Engineers and composers exchange ideas.
        • Music may be written for levels not fully built yet.
        • Composer can revise based on how it plays in the actual game space.
      • Includes technical requirements (layering, looping, implementation, middleware such as Wwise/FMOD).
      • Often requires longer emotionally consistent pieces because players may remain in zones for 10–30 minutes.
    • Production/library
      • More modular and versioned output, designed for repeated placements across projects.

  • Technical collaboration: composers don’t always need full engine mastery

    • Large studios often have:
      • Their own engines and internal technical teams
      • Restricted access to code
    • Still, composers should understand concepts:
      • Learn enough engine/middleware fundamentals to know what’s possible and ask “can the engine do this?”
    • Early lessons emphasized:
      • Layering
      • Long-form interactive structure
      • Planning and musical constraints for editing and playback systems

  • A workflow mistake example: keep guiding themes in the same key

    • The speaker warns that composing related themes in many keys creates friction for music editors (arrangements become harder to export/transpose cleanly).
    • Practical rule learned on the job:
      • Keep themes/bible material in one key (or close/related keys).

  • Education: still recommended—just not necessarily expensive

    • The speaker supports education but suggests:
      • Choose affordable training rather than taking on huge student loans.
    • Pushback includes rejecting “don’t get an education” movements.
    • Education can still provide a competitive edge and foundational skills even if internships/assistant roles are less common.

  • Why assistant roles/internships faded

    • Not primarily about money (unpaid internships were common).
    • More about:
      • The time/management cost to oversee interns
      • During/after the pandemic, studios realized errands/training roles were less needed because delivery tools replace “errand labor”
    • Many studios moved toward home studios, reducing the need for external technical staff and in-person interns.

  • Potential entry paths when assistant jobs decline (practical options)

    • Get stable employment to cover bills, then compose in parallel:
      • Library music writing
      • Indie film work (often not enough alone)
    • Work inside studios in adjacent roles (e.g., junior execs, music supervisors/editors) to enter the professional network.
    • Orbit the industry via related employment:
      • Sample libraries/music software companies
      • Music retail (e.g., Guitar Center) to stay near networks
    • Use social media strategically:
      • Online publishing (SoundCloud/YouTube/Instagram) can generate opportunities.
    • Attend industry events (unions, television academy groups, beginner committees via Zoom, etc.).

  • Networking and “being available”

    • Opportunities can arrive unexpectedly if your work is visible online and you’re connected to decision-makers.
    • The “keep irons in the fire” approach:
      • steady output + event attendance + ongoing outreach

Methodology / instruction-like guidance

If you had to restart a composing career in 2026: actionable strategies discussed

  • Get education (but avoid excessive debt)

    • Choose affordable training; an arts degree can help if it’s not financially crushing.

  • Don’t rely on disappearing assistant/internship pipelines

    • Treat assistant roles and internships as less reliable than before.

  • Secure a reliable income first

    • Pick a job that covers bills, then compose alongside it:
      • library music work
      • indie film scoring in parallel
      • teaching or studio-adjacent employment

  • Enter the industry via adjacent studio roles

    • Consider roles like:
      • music supervisor
      • music editor
      • junior executive positions
    • Goal: be in the same decision-making network as composers.

  • Stay in “orbit” of the industry

    • Work at:
      • sample library/music software developers
      • music retail (example mentioned: Guitar Center)
    • Use proximity to keep meeting relevant people.

  • Build an active online presence

    • Use social media deliberately (YouTube/Instagram mentioned).
    • Upload work so collaborators and publishers can find you.

  • Attend industry events regularly

    • Join organizations and attend events in multiple cities (not only LA).
    • Use online beginner committees/Zoom options where applicable.

  • Create a strict weekly schedule and treat it like a business

    • Example schedule structure:
      • dedicate specific days to:
        • writing library tracks
        • events/networking
        • connecting with independent filmmakers
        • reaching out to game developers
        • social media/video posting

  • Adopt the right mindset depending on the genre

    • For production/library:
      • modular “artisan” workflow
      • long-term volume licensing mindset
    • For film/game:
      • narrative/theme integration
      • iterative collaboration (especially for games)

  • For game music specifically: learn enough to collaborate, not necessarily to code

    • Understand middleware concepts (e.g., Wwise/FMOD).
    • Ask engineers what’s possible; test constraints early.
    • Learn interactive structuring skills:
      • layering
      • looping
      • implementation concerns
      • long-form emotional consistency

  • For film music/editing workflow: keep themes in consistent keys

    • Maintain a consistent “musical bible” key to reduce editing/transposition headaches (e.g., with tools like Final Cut Pro referenced in the workflow context).

Speakers or sources featured (as named in subtitles)

  • Dave Croft (host of “52 Q’s Podcast”)
  • Anne Catherine Durn (guest; film and game composer)
  • Michael Giacchino (referenced as an example of starting inside a studio)
  • John Williams (referenced as appearing at an industry event)
  • Society of Composers and Songwriters (mentioned as an organization/events source)
  • Full Sail (mentioned as a teaching/employment example)
  • Guitar Center (mentioned as an orbit/employment example)
  • Wwise and FMOD (game audio middleware)
  • Final Cut Pro (editing tool referenced in the key/transposition workflow)
  • 52Qs / 818 Studios (podcast/community and copyright-holder reference)
  • NFL broadcasts and Discovery Channel (referenced as placement venues/where tracks earn)

Original video