NICK DOLAN
  • About
  • Listen
  • Credits
    • Testimonials
  • Video
  • Blog
  • Contact

Composer Routines: Darren Fung

6/23/2020

Comments

 
Picture
In the second installment of my Composer Routines series, I spoke with composer Darren Fung (The Great Human Odyssey, Equus: Story of the Horse). Darren wears many hats; not only is he a skilled composer, he's also a conductor, serves on the Board of the Screen Composers Guild of Canada after recently stepping down as the Second Vice President, acts as a Program Advisor for the Canadian Film Centre's Slaight Music Residency, and is a husband and father.

Read More
Comments

Composer Routines: Joey Newman

6/10/2020

Comments

 
Picture
Joey Newman – composer, husband, father of three daughters, four cats, and a dog. If you know Joey, or at least know his work, you know that he's composed for dozens of TV shows including Little People, Big World, The Mysteries of Laura, and The Middle. So how does a composer juggle the responsibilities of week-to-week TV work while simultaneously being family man? I asked Joey about his daily routine to find out...

Read More
Comments

What To Do After You Graduate

5/30/2016

Comments

 
Picture
So, you've graduated from college. Now what? Nothing fills your soul with equal parts exuberant triumph and debilitating anxiety quite like being thrown into the real world. Whether you're feeling confident or paralyzed by fear, many college graduates will be faced with similar post-college learning experiences. In this blog post, I'll be going over what you know, what you don't know, and some next steps and what to expect.

Read More
Comments

Review: Zenith by Powered Plugs

2/24/2016

Comments

 
Picture

Read More
Comments

Writing Ethnic Scores, Step 1: Research

1/13/2015

Comments

 
Picture
How do you get started when scoring a film that requires ethnic influence in the music? Over the next couple of months I will be scoring a number of ethnic influenced films and I'll be sharing my process with you every step of the way. Our first step is the research, but it includes much more than music.

Films I will be scoring include an Irish influenced animated short by Grounded filmmaker Justine Howard, a Greek influenced documentary feature by director George Tsioutsioulas, and an Asian influenced Legend of Zelda fan film by A Boy Named Bellamy filmmaker Israel Combs. 

Read More
Comments

Do You Need A Degree To Be A Film Composer?

1/7/2015

Comments

 
Picture
To college, or not to college? That is the highly debated question (one of many) in the music industry. With success stories ranging widely from both college educated and non-college educated musicians, it can be difficult to weigh the pros and cons of spending time and money for a piece of paper with some black ink on it. Let's take a look at our options for the Film Scoring career path.

When you're done, check out my list of Film Scoring programs.

Read More
Comments

2015 New Years Resolutions

12/31/2014

Comments

 
Picture
Happy New Year everyone! 2014 flew by, but I'm already super excited about 2015. Those who know me know that I'm a planner and an obsessive organizer, so I take my New Year's resolutions very seriously. I write them down, put them on my fridge, and stare at them for hours. Maybe not hours. But now it's time to write some new ones! When you're done reading my recommended list, tell me what your resolutions are in the comments. 

Read More
Comments

5 Ways to Recharge Your Creativity

12/1/2014

Comments

 
Picture
We've all been there - you're on a roll, the creative juices are flowing, and then out of nowhere you hit a wall. It can happen at any moment, sometimes even before you get started. So what can you do to generate new ideas and get the momentum going again? Here are just a few things I do to get the gears moving again; give them a try, you'll be surprised how well they work!

Read More
Comments

How to Become a Better Film Composer Pt. 2

9/29/2014

Comments

 
Picture
Last week I posted the first part of my 5 Ways to Become a Better Film Composer, which focused more on the non-musical side of the profession. This week is part two, and I'll be focusing more on the musical aspects. Today's film composer is very interesting, it's not at all the same as the classically trained composer of the pre-1970s or 80s eras. Because of this, there have been some drastic changes in musical styles and aesthetics in film, so today I'll try to be broad about the genres, but will include some things I think are still very necessary.

Read More
Comments

5 Ways to Become a Better Film Composer Pt. 1

9/22/2014

Comments

 
Picture
There's a lot that goes into being a good film composer, it's more than writing good music and having expensive equipment. This is the first of a two-part list where I'll give you a few ideas on how to be a better film composer. This is not a "how-to" post, but rather a list to inspire you to take a critical look at yourself as a musician and address areas you can improve upon. When you're confident in your abilities, I also have an article for 10 Ways to Make Money as a Film Composer!

Read More
Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Film | Music

    About the Author
    As you may have guessed, my name is Nick and I am a film composer. I created this blog to share my thoughts about movies and the practice of film scoring. Read more about me in my Bio.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    Business
    Education
    Interviews
    Lists
    News
    Thoughts
    Tutorials


    Archives

    July 2020
    June 2020
    January 2017
    May 2016
    February 2016
    September 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    June 2011


    Other Blogs

    Seawolf Studios
    Future Composer
    Ryan Leach
    Getting the Score
© Copyright 2020 Nick Dolan Music. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Listen
  • Credits
    • Testimonials
  • Video
  • Blog
  • Contact