Notes
November 26, 2025
How My Songwriting Influences My Film Work
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When I think about music that stays with me, it always carries a message. My students hear me say this quite often. It might be emotional, lyrical or intellectual, but there is intention behind it. And there is always a deeper layer underneath the surface, something that makes you feel more than what you hear.
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That idea is my Northern Star.
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It has always guided my songwriting, and it naturally comes with me into film scoring. I often find myself asking whether the music has something meaningful to say or if it is just filling space. That question helps me find direction and keeps the music honest.
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Another principle that carries over from my songwriting is limitation. I like choosing the instrumentation early and staying with it. I learned that back when I played in Bell Always, my previous band. We were a trio of drums, electric guitar and synth, and always stayed true to that setup. That limitation shaped our sound and the way we approached everything, which made us more creative.
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In recent years, I have done the same in my solo work, especially through writing and performing with a string quartet. That decision shaped my sound and my approach to writing. Working with strings so consistently has influenced how I score films and how I think about texture, movement and emotion. Small changes in timbre or bow pressure can shift an entire moment on screen, and that sensitivity has become central to how I write.
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It all comes back to realism and focusing on one idea. I like exploring what is possible within a small set of tools rather than opening up every option. In film, this approach feels natural. The score becomes another character in the story, offering its own perspective and living quietly beside the others.
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November 6, 2025
When Should a Composer Join Your Film Project
You’re working on your next short film, feature or commercial, and there is so much involved. From my conversations with directors and editors, I often get the sense that music is something you add right at the end, alongside colour grading or dialogue mixing. And I get that. But the truth is a bit different.
The short answer: as early as possible (with a few exceptions).
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The main reason to bring a composer in early is to give them time to sit with your film. To think about it, to feel it, and to let the story live in their head for a while before writing a single note. I usually start by watching the film a few times, taking notes, analysing the characters, and getting into the emotional heart of key moments until I have a clear idea of what the music should say.
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Thinking is actually most of the creative process. Writing comes later. The more time I have to absorb the story, the deeper and more meaningful the music can be.
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Another reason to involve a composer early is for the exchange of ideas. I find that when music and film start growing together, they feed off each other in the best way. Conversations with directors and editors always open new doors; we see the same story from completely different angles, and that back-and-forth is where a lot of the magic happens. Being part of that early creative mess, when everything is still taking shape, often leads to the most inspired results.
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Then there are the practical reasons. Music takes time to create. Writing, recording, arranging, producing and mixing all add up. And usually, there are revisions and fine-tuning along the way. Having a composer involved early just makes the process smoother and allows for a bit more breathing space and creativity.
That said, deadlines can be great. Sometimes I’ll get a commercial and have only a couple of days to write the score, or a week for a short film. There is something exciting about that, too. It pushes me to trust my instincts and write from the gut, which often brings out something raw and true.
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Composing to a rough cut is also helpful because the film already has a tone, rhythm, and visual language. That is usually when I start writing to timecode, responding directly to the pace and movement of the edit.
In an ideal world, though, I would always prefer to come in early, not necessarily to start writing right away, but to start thinking. To begin imagining the sound world that could live inside your story. Sometimes that early thinking is what ends up shaping the entire score.