StootzMusic

My article on 60secondscloser.com

2011-09-06T10:00:00.000+01:00

The other day I mentioned that I had written an article for 60secondscloser.com ... today it was published so go and check it out!

http://www.60secondscloser.com/post-production/film-music-think-before-you-plink.html

Interview on SFXSOURCE

2011-09-05T11:30:00.000+01:00

Just (re)found this interview by SFXSOURCE.COM with Simon Tate about the soundtrack I did for The Point of Regret. Some nice sound bites in there...

Check it out here -> http://www.sfxsource.com/news/index.php/2010/06/08/interview-with-filmmaker-simon-tate-on-post-production-audio/trackback/

Upcoming article on 60secondscloser.com

2011-08-31T18:30:00.003+01:00

I just submitted the first of a few articles I'm writing about film music composing - or at least my view of it and what I learned from my time spent on the feature film The Point of Regret.

It will feature on a new site by Simon Tate and Dave Francis, called 60secondscloser where they are sharing their experiences during the making of The Point of Regret. Their mission statement is this:

On this site you’ll find information on everything we’ve learned about making all types of films, from features to promos through documentaries and corporates. We don’t know it all and each day we’re always learning more, but hopefully by reading about the mistakes we’ve made, and sharing in some of our successes, it’ll take you that 60 seconds closer to producing your own film.

So, you should see my article go up sometime later this week, but for now here's a teaser to whet your appetite...

In a perfectly clear night sky, with a dazzlingly bright shining moon, your music needs to be like the millions of shimmering stars, providing the wide-angle backdrop… that’s the bit that people often get emotional about.

That’s your goal.

Ok, it's short but sweet and sounds like it has nothing to do with music, right? Well wait for the full article over on www.60secondscloser.com and let me know what you think.

Bye for now.

My soundtrack to the feature film The Point of Regret - released at last!

2011-08-13T17:53:00.000+01:00

The Point of Regret soundtrack - released at last!

First place you can get a digital copy is over at bandcamp... see the audio player below for track list and links to buy and share the news!

The album should be coming to iTunes and Amazon shortly too!

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://andystuteley.bandcamp.com/album/the-point-of-regret-soundtrack"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Point of Regret - Soundtrack by Andy Stuteley&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Review of TPOR by "Pick 'n' Mix Flix"

2011-07-17T07:00:00.002+01:00

Pick ‘n’ Mix Flix is a highly rated movie review blogging website concentrating on lower budget, harder to find movies, as well as Oscar contenders and other award-worthy movies.

'The Point of Regret' got a deserved 8/10 with some specific comments on the sound - which I am totally grateful for, as I did the lot! It was hard work but a fantastic experience creating the audio environment including the music, foley and ADR that was all done in my studio.

"Tate couldn’t have done this on his own. Cinematographer David Francis helped out enormously with his atmospheric, hand-held camerawork and The Point of Regret is also aided by an original score by Andy Stuteley. Talking of sound, this movie reaches deep into its bag of tricks to provide some superb over-dubbing, the likes of which you would generally see in much larger movies. The sound, much like everything else here, punches well above its weight.

Simon Tate, David Francis, AJ Nicol, Christopher Hatherall and others, take a bow. On what’s pretty obviously a limited budget* you’ve combined to make as good a film as it could possibly be as it brings us tales of sacrifice and love, an examination of suicide and regret, and even a debate about the morality of both the media and the death penalty. The Point of Regret really ought to be an inspiration to penniless filmmakers everywhere." Colin Harris - Pick 'n' Mix Flix

Check out the full review of the film here:

http://www.picknmixflix.com/p/point_regret.php

Busy, busy, busy!

2011-07-16T16:13:00.000+01:00

Quick update on a few things as I've been a bit busy on music projects and a well needed holiday...

Just got back from a two week break in Cuba feeling hugely re-charged and ready to dive into more musical projects... just need to create a few more hours in the day!

"Spiritual Contact" - Atalaia Films - www.atalaiafilms.com
There was a minor setback for Emerson when one the lead characters backed out two days before a weekend of filming was due to start. However, things are back on track with some filming complete after a re-jig of the shooting schedule.

There is a new video from DOP Dave Moyles up discussing the film, with a few snippets of the music that will be featured in the film - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RISYQaDNUYQ

"The Lost" - ThamesGate Films - www.thamesgatefilms.com
Apart from his exams, Johan Neethling has been working on another important project... getting married! After a three week honeymoon, he is now back and ready to pick-up work on "The Lost" - there is a lot of work for us to do on the post production sound, so it may take us some time to work thru it all, but it will be worth it.

"Extinction" - a promo for Johan Neethling
Not sure about the future of this project but Johan asked me to do some post production sound on an 8 minute promo called "Extinction". The promo only had on actress in it, filmed as if talking into a laptop camera and security cameras, about the goings on in a research facility... it is simple but so well thought out and scripted, it's spooky and creepy. I created a whole environment of sound that Johan said was simply "perfect" - I must say it was a successful piece of work as it scares the pants off me! As I understand it, the promo is to secure interest for a full length feature version, but I'll post more as soon as I know.

New Links to Videos

2011-03-27T11:44:00.000+01:00

I've tidied up the links on the Video page as some were out of date, and also found some more of my films online, so have added new links to those.

You should now see embedded videos or links to the following films:

The Point of Regret (trailer)
Shatter
The Last Piece
Domestics
Just For Fun

Cheers
Stootz.

The Point of Regret - Soundtrack

2011-03-09T19:35:00.000Z

So, on Monday I mentioned something that I was working on, but couldn't say too much... now the cat is out of the bag from the Emanation Films guys post on their Facebook Fan Page

I am working to get my first ever album together and released in time for the same week as the film either hits the shops in DVD format, or the independent theatres around the country. Preferably both will happen and the album will also hit in the nick of time.

I have the artwork to complete (there are some changes being made to keep the branding / style consistent), the mastering to finish and finally, decide on who I am going to distribute the album through. It's not a huge amount of work, but I want to be able to do the final product justice, so will spend a bit of time getting the whole thing right.

TuneCore look favourites at the moment, but I'm putting the feelers out into some forums and asking my fellow composer types for their experiences.

It looks like I can get a global release thru iTunes and Amazon plus a number of other outlets as TuneCore release to some of the key B2B digital media distributors.

Anyway, this is a massive thing for me, it being my first album... and I'm really, really pleased with the music I did for TPOR. Listening back during the mastering sessions, I was surprised how much I'd put into all the tracks. Sometimes when you've heard them 10,000 times, all you hear is how you could improve them, so it was nice to listen to them again after a few months away from them.

It's a busy time working on this release and the other feature film projects ("The Lost" and "Low")... but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Keep yer peepers peeled for the posts!

The Point of Regret - DVD availability

2011-03-08T20:00:00.001Z

I found that there are now multiple online shops that will be selling the DVD for The Point of Regret.

I haven't heard of some of them so can't vouch for them or their delivery commitments, so just check things out first.

Anyway, here is the list I found so far:

HMV
Amazon UK
The Hut
DVD Source
Base
CDWow
Pick A Book
ASDA

The UK release date is still touted for the end of March 2011, but there are ongoing discussions about an event that may delay the DVD release for a short while. If it happens, it will be worthwhile but more on that when I find out which way things will go.

The Point of Regret - More Exciting News

2011-03-07T17:30:00.001Z

Today I received confirmation of some more exciting news about the feature film The Point of Regret by Emanation Films.

Right now, I can't say too much... but for me, it's pretty special.

There are some things to work out but I should be able to tell you more in about a week's time.

Keep them peepers on the posts people!

Domestics - Available to watch online now

2011-03-05T15:34:00.000Z

FifthColumn Films web site was recently relaunched, with a new look and lots of content.

One of their shorts, Domestics, for which I provided the music, is now available to watch online through the BBC Film Network.

Check out the video of Domestics.

Emanation Films - Viewers

2011-03-03T02:44:00.000Z

Hot on the heels of The Point of Regret, Emanation Films are already well on their way with their next feature length film "Viewers".

Here's a snippet from the synopsis...

"Will has the key to unlocking something that will stop hunger, poverty, disease, the destruction of the planet and create peace for the entire human race. Turning the key is simple. All he has to do is kill himself.

Remote Viewing is used by intelligence agencies worldwide. Most notably it was used by the CIA in operation Stargate which began at the Stanford Research Institute in April, 1972. They claim Stargate was closed in 1995.

Ted has always been at the forefront of developing Remote Viewing. Remote Viewers can project their sight, and other senses, to anywhere in the world, in the present . . . or the past.

Now Ted’s obsessed with finding the secret link between Remote Viewing and the next phase of human evolution. A step so significant it’ll dwarf the point at when fish came out of the water to live on land."

Sound good?

Read more about it at the temporary web page for Viewers

The Point of Regret - DVD release - confirmed

2011-02-23T18:00:00.002Z

The DVD release of The Point of Regret has been confirmed for the end of March 2011 (not June as stated on Amazon) so you should be able to get your grubby mitts on it soon!

The guys at Emanation Films have also started a new Twitter ID for anyone interested in following them @emanationfilms as they now have another film in production... more on that soon.

The Point of Regret - DVD release

2011-02-21T17:30:00.031Z

I've been told by the director of The Point of Regret that the DVD release of the film is imminent i.e. the next week or two.

So, I did a quick Google search to see if there were any updates and found that the DVD has been added to Amazon, with a release date of June 1st 2011. I'm guessing this date will come forward based on what Simon and Dave from Emanation Films told me.

Check it out and pre-order your copy from Amazon today!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Point-Regret-DVD-AJ-Nicol/dp/B003ZIWRTG

(No I won't be getting any of the proceeds as it will go to fund the next film that Simon and Dave make... but more about that soon...)

Dave also mentioned that Empire magazine may be doing a review in the coming months, but I'll keep you posted on that if it happens.

"The Lost" - New Feature Commission

2011-02-08T12:00:00.000Z

I received some great news a few days ago... just a week after I started looking for projects, I've landed another feature film! (somebody is looking out for me ;-D )

I've been chosen to provide the score and the sound design for an upcoming horror feature film called "The Lost".

I was originally contacted by Johan Neethling about a year ago, with a request to provide music for the as yet un-filmed idea he had. His idea was really interesting so I said yes and just waited... and waited... and waited.

With all the other things going on, I had forgotten that this was still a possibility, and then got the email from Johan telling me they were in post-production, just finalising the editing and would I still be interested. Of course I am!

Film details

...on Johan's site: http://www.thamesgatefilms.com/page_1260808487101.html

...on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1622565/

...on British Film Council: http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/catalogue/browse/?id=4F4613221136e2D319tnp1B058D8

Teaser trailer http://www.vimeo.com/10689269 which gives you tiny taster - the music is not mine, it's just something Johan picked as a temp track:

Anyway, I'm awaiting delivery of the picture lock version which should be with me in the next couple of weeks. Then its onto the spotting session and some hard graft to get some ideas cooking.

Really looking forward to this one!

Cheers
Stootz.

Cinematic Orchestration News

2011-02-07T21:00:00.000Z

Yesterday I got Unit 4 of my Cinematic Orchestration course completed and packaged off to my tutor, which is a big relief.

Here are links to the submission track and the associated score.

For the score I've started using Notion3 which my wife bought me for xmas... it's really easy to use though it may not have all the features of Sibelius, it's doing fine for what I need to do right now, and it's a fraction of the cost.

I've also upgraded to Cubase 6 which has some of the best tweaks I've seen in the package yet... like in the piano roll editor, you can select a group of notes and then in the controller pane below, you get little drag-handles that allow you to lower or raise the controller value as one group! There are also drag-handles in the corner of the selection box that allow you to ramp-up or ramp-down the controller values, giving you a quick way of adding dynamics. Brilliant IMHO.

Anyway, I await my tutors response...

LA Scoring Strings

2011-02-07T18:00:00.001Z

I have the most amazing wife in the world... For xmas she bought me LA Scoring Strings - which has to be the most realistic and expressive sampled string package I've used or heard.

It can be resource intensive to use all the features but the processing power is always creeping up over time... But its worth it as the sound is truly amazing.

My main reason for getting this package was for the divisi sections as I have nothing else that can produce the sound of sub section of the whole string section.

She also got me Notion 3 the music scoring package which is also brilliant, so I have a bit of a learning curve to go thru to get that lot sorted into my workflow.

I'm getting the hang of both now I've had them a month or so.

More strings to the bow... if you pardon the pun :-)

Happy New Year! It's been a while...

2011-01-12T17:31:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since I posted, so thought I would give a quick update... 2010 was a tough year!

The Point of Regret
The ADR recording for the feature film, The Point of Regret, was completed a while back in 2010, then it was just onto the integration of those parts and the final mixes etc.

That is all done now and the film has been back with Simon Tate for a while for him to sort out the packaging and publication malarkey. The last I heard is that we would be seeing the film released in January 2011, so I'll post again when I get that confirmed.

Break - Switch - Move
After TPOR I decided to take a bit of a break from film projects, to allow me to focus on finishing my course, Cinematic Orchestration which is taking a lot of time - it's tough but good!

I then found myself changing my day job, so that's started to eat into my free time quite a lot whilst I was getting used to the new company and work.

Then to top it all, we finally got around to renovating our home which took us about 3 months in all - so the studio came down and was moved to its new location, but it took a while!

.... and Relax....
Anyway, I'm now in my new studio (I'll try and get some pics at some point) with more room and better acoustics - just a better environment overall.

So, now things have settled a bit with the new job and the studio is sorted, I'm ramping back up to full speed with the composing and looking for some new projects.

I'm also hoping to get the next module of the course done this month - I'll post up some examples of previous units to give you a flavour of what it's about.

Cheers
Stootz.

Working on TPOR ADR editing

2010-09-04T20:23:00.001+01:00

Currently working on the ADR integration for The Point of Regret. Been a bit slow going this week but nearly there. Hopefully all finished tomorrow!

The Last Piece - Wins Award in Babelgum Online Film Festival 2010

2010-07-29T22:47:00.000+01:00

"The Last Piece" gets runner up in 2010 Babelgum Online Film Festival.

This is a great short film that I provided the musical score for earlier this year for John Dayo of DayZero Productions. Watch the film online here:

http://www.babelgum.com/online-film-festival-winners

Let me know what you think of the film and score.

ADR for The Point of Regret

2010-05-12T14:22:00.001+01:00

I hosted the Simon, Chris and Dave from the feature film "The Point of Regret" on Monday for an ADR session. We re-recorded a number of lines of Chris's dialogue where the on-set mic's didn't capture the audio cleanly enough.

It all went really well and it provided a great opportunity to try out my new SE Electronics 2200a mic and the Reflexion filter... and both were absolutely brilliant.

I'll be working on selecting the best takes, treating with the necessary ambience and producing the final mix thru this week and next.

Special thanks to my wife, Sam, who worked away in the background and prepared some wonderful food for us all, so we could concentrate on the recording session.

Stootz Accepted into Screened Music Network

2010-03-31T15:33:00.001+01:00

Just got confirmation that I've been accepted into Screened Music Network.

Got some good reviews from the three panel members and one even recommended me, so pretty chuffed about that.

Check out the landing page:

Stootz's Screened Music Network Page

Cheers
Stootz

Marketing Brochure

2010-02-27T15:34:00.000Z

A new marketing flyer is available (in PDF format) detailing StootzMusic achievements, credits and more... get it here: StootzMusic Marketing Flyer

Ghost in the Machine - Final 4 !!

2010-02-19T02:10:00.004Z

I've been told the producer has received more than 40 pitches from composers... he's narrowed it down to just 4... and I'm one of them!

Awaiting the final decision - it's a great film so would be a great project to work on.

Fingers crossed.

Pitching for "Ghost in the Machine"

2010-02-07T18:59:00.001Z

Just finishing off a demo as my pitch for a sci-fi feature film called "Ghost in the Machine"... looks like a great film so hoping I will win them over.

Got a great intro, need more in the action sequence but time is pressing so need to wrap up what I've done.

New Course - Cinematic Orchestration

2010-01-30T23:29:00.005Z

I recently started the Cinematic Orchestration, from Guy Michelmore's successful training organisation ThinkSpace, and I'm already halfway thru module 2.

I have to say it is outstandingly good and my knowledge of orchestration has taken some leaps in understanding.

The course lasts 12 months and costs £609 at the time of writing, but the duration can be extended by buying extra credits.

Here is an overview of the course topics:

Unit 1: An Introduction to Orchestration
Unit 2: Strings 1
Unit 3: Strings 2
Unit 4: Woodwind 1
Unit 5: Woodwind 2
Unit 6: Brass 1
Unit 7: Brass 2
Unit 8: Writing for Harp and Percussion
Unit 9: Writing for Small Orchestra
Unit10: Writing for Large Orchestra
Unit11: Working with Musicians
Sampling Technology Supplement

At the time of writing the course costs £609 inc delivery

Here is a link to the site:

http://www.thinkspaceonline.com/co/

Here is a link to the course brochure:

http://www.thinkspaceonline.com/ftp/CO_BrochureV1.pdf

New Commission - Revelation

2010-01-30T16:40:00.005Z

Following on from the successful collaboration with John Edwards from DayZero Productions on "The Last Piece", John asked me to score his forthcoming documentary "Revelation".

"Revelation" focusses on credit card fraud and how easy it is given the various resources of the internet, and the short-sightedness of the credit providers in their security measures.

John is hoping that Channel 4 will buy the documentary as they have expressed interest and asked for a screening copy, which was provided to them this week. So, we are just awaiting their decision... fingers crossed.

Completed Film - The Last Piece

2009-11-30T16:35:00.001Z

Completed the short horror / comedy called "The Last Piece" for DayZero Productions.

Synopsis:

Three friends gather for a quiet evening in, can everything be as it seems as they fight over the last piece of chicken?

This is a great example of a tight script, excellent directing and perfect comedic delivery and timing from the actors and the script. I've worked on a lot of short films of varying qualities... this one really stands out as a quality piece of work.

Cubase 5.01 - Normalisation and Event Volume Handles

2009-08-09T20:01:00.002+01:00

I am a long time Cubase user and fan but have hit a problem whilst working on my latest film that has driven me to post in the Cubase.net forum... my first post and it was a whinge!

I have two problems but I think they're related as they're both concerned with volume adjustment... you'll see below.

I'm working on a feature length film on the mix for the dialogue, foley etc so I've been provided with some long audio files.

As I've gone thru chopping up the files to remove useless bits, I thought I'd boost one of the audio events by pulling up on the square blue handle in the audio event in the project window and... BANG. Crashed Cubase and does so consistently in this and every other project I have.

So, as an alternative I tried to normalise the event up a few db (and only a few db) which seemed to work fine. However later on when I re-played that section, the clip I normalised suddenly went off the meters, totally clipping out in absolute distortion.

I've tried all the routine stuff.... re-import audio (plays fine), re-load project, re-boot machine multiple times and this still happens.

Now dear reader, please don't fixate on "normalisation" and whether it should or shouldn't be used, or how I'm using it. I know how to use it and always use it sparingly... I've read a lot of the posts in the Cubase.net forum about it and I agree that it's not a commonly used tool, but I have no course to get a better version of the audio, it's some foley shot on location, and it's the only clip I wanted to boost in volume.

To me this seems like a bug, but not having seen anyone else post anywhere on the net about it (and I've searched lots!!), I'm losing hope that it is a bug... maybe my system is poorly :-(

New Commission - The Point of Regret

2009-07-14T22:30:00.001+01:00

I've kept this under wraps for a while... until I was well into it and felt like I'd really got my feet under the table. I've been commissioned to produce the score and sound design for a really cool feature length film called "The Point of Regret". Written and directed by Simon Tate of Emanation Films, "The Point of Regret" is a thriller with a twist, which has also broken new ground in gaining permission to film in Worcester Cathedral.

Everything about this film is really, really good from the story, to the direction, the actors and the production values... I've now got to match it with a great soundtrack!

I've been working on it for a number of weeks now, but only a week ago got the final locked edit, so now I'm syncing the music I already have to the picture - I think it does live up to the film, and both Simon and Dave really like what they've heard so far.

I've got about 5 weeks left til the first test screening (unfortunately I'll be away on holiday when it happens) but I've no doubt I'll get lots of feedback and probably some re-work. There may also be another test screening before the final version is locked for premiering and distribution.

Check it out www.emanationfilms.net

What I'm Using...

I thought I would post more about the process I'm going thru, the libraries I'm using and the challenges I'm facing as it may help others. For now I thought I'd quickly mention some of the great sound libraries I'm using...

I've been using a combination of the following sound libraries:

VSL, Special Edition

Native Instruments Kontakt3, Absynth4

Cinesamples "Drums of War" - (amazing value)

...and a number of the excellent Tonehammer libraries: Anti-Drum2, Epic Toms, Bamblong and the icing on the cake is Barbary which has really lifted the soundtrack.

Bye for now

Taking things for granted... OR... I wish I had a UPS...

2009-06-28T11:59:00.006+01:00

Its a lazy Sunday morning and the sun is out... only its not a lazy morning (I'm working) and the Sun is blazing. So much so that its taken out the power in our street... 3 times so far and its not even midday yet.

I'm in the middle of writing the soundtrack for Simon Tate's feature length film "The Point of Regret" and have already lost work in 2 of the three mini-blackouts.

"Autosave!" I hear you cry in unison... well its on but its set to every 10 minutes so it doesnt interfere too much with the creative flow, anything less and it becomes a pain as it introduces a brief stutter into the proceedings. Not something I can tolerate whilst playing live instruments like a guitar, because you can guarantee that the moment it does hiccup, it'll be the perfect take I wanted.

So now I have a dilema... here are my options:

Continue working bravely on and potentially losing work every so often
Change the autosave setting to be more frequent (but then what about disk caching in the OS... hmm)
Go out and buy a UPS for around £100 but really I need an air con unit too as me and my computer are melting in the heat, so that'll be £200-ish
Throw in the towel for today, go out in the sun and go clean my now "green" quick-up pool whilst quaffing a few gallons of cold lager

I never thought I'd seriously consider buying a UPS but the same kind of thing happened a few times last year in the heatwave. So maybe this is a sign of future things to come and I should "embrace change" and get my ass into gear to find a solution.

As I move into the more professional end of being a working composer it's amazing how many things I've taken for granted that previously I would have "just lived with", power is one of them. The reason for this is simple... as an amateur you can tolerate the little (and not so little) hiccups as you dont have a deadline and a whole film crew waiting on your talented outputs.

The experience has made me question a few things about my working methods, like:

backing up my song data, which I do, but probably not as seriously or frequently as I should
recovering from a disaster... how long would it take me in reality to rebuild my computer(s)? I have over 110,000+ (120GB) worth of samples alone, not including virtual instrument libraries (VSL, Opus II, Kontakt, Tonehammer etc)
can I find all of the disks with my original installations on (probably but I may need to hunt out a few from the hundreds of disks I have stored)
I'm writing this faster (and saving a little more often) than I normally would in case the power goes again... and I'm sure I will be working quicker during the rest of today in my composition and recording, for a similar reason. I'm fairly sure quality won't suffer as I can write and produce very quickly, so maybe I could increase my workflow speed in general?

So maybe the whole thing has been of some use as I've stood back and learned from the experience.

I'll have to cling onto that thought so that the next time the man comes to read the meter, I don't share my frustration with him, my mains supply and some jumper cables :-)

Film Music Industry Links

2009-04-30T21:03:00.003+01:00

Here I'll make a list of useful sites connected with the film music industry.

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/

http://www.soundtrack.net/

http://filmsound.org/filmmusic/

http://www.filmmusic.net/

http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/

VST Expression Maps for VSL & VSL+

2009-04-30T21:00:00.003+01:00

VSL have released Expression Maps templates for their VSL SE and SE+ editions - and Steinberg are now providing them on their site too.

http://www.steinberg.net/index.php?id=1944&L=1

Review of www.musicforthemedia.com

2009-04-30T16:05:00.003+01:00

Quick review of the composition course run by Guy Michelmore called "Music for the Media".

What is it?
A 2 year distance learning course that teaches the technical, artistic & commercial aspects of composing music for media projects.

Who is it for?
The course is aimed at musicians & composers of various levels but they do state you need about 12 months experience in playing / composing and be able to produce a demo track to submit to the tutors.

So, complete musical novices would struggle and should maybe start with the basics.

What level is it?
The course is very well written so it manages to cater for the fairly inexperienced composer / musician, but some experience of recording & producing is desirable.

What's in it?
There are 11 modules that take you on a journey from "writing to a brief" which has no visuals, thru to a full-on 25 minute feature film, whilst stopping off at animations, documentaries & advertising along the way.

The final stop (module 11) is for the student to prepare a showreel and go out into the world & pitch for work!

What Support do you get?
Each module ends with a submission that is marked by working composer, who critiques each submission in detail.

You also have access to the tutors via email or the MFTM team by phone and in my experience they were always helpful.

Pricing
£499 (GBP) at the time of writing but they also offer installment plans. This covers the two year course but if you do need more time you can extend the deadline by another year at an additional cost.

Obviously its best to contact them for current pricing.

The Course in Practice
After reviewing a lot of distance learning courses, I decided to go for the MFTM course based on the content, the pricing and the breadth of subjects covered.

I signed up and paid online, and then eagerly awaited the course materials - which arrived promptly in a few days. The course materials consisted of a large A4 4-ring Binder packed with the course notes and 6 CDs full of audio and video.

The course notes are nothing fancy being printed on plain A4 paper i.e. no glossy inserts or colour pictures, but that's a minor criticism as the actual content and style of writing is top-notch. The text is written in a laid back but inclusive style, almost as if you were in conversation with Guy himself (which was evident after I attended his annual seminars that support the course).

The CDs (now replaced with DVDs) are packed with interviews with composers, agents, directors and producers that have given their time to share what they think is important in composing music for media. Also, to support unit 4 onwards there are several Quicktime movies that are from actual jobs worked on by Guy.

In the opening text Guy asks you to resist the temptation to skip ahead and read all the course notes, which he does for good reason... I resisted for a few modules but then admittedly I did have a skim through the later units... it just makes you want to rush to those units, hence the request to stick with it step by step.

Also, Guy basically begs the student NOT to quite their day-job and expect to become a composer overnight - sage advice as the industry is diffuclt to break into, fees are sliding drastically and, due to the increased computing power and availability of software, the market is flooded with people calling themselves composers with little more than a DAW and some samples.

The Modules

Each module teaches something subtley or markedly different from the previous one as Guy demonstrates how you cant (and probably shouldnt) be a jack-of-all-trades, and how the producers and directors requirements demand different disciplines from the composer.

Units 1-3 - Music to a brief

These build your confidence in writing music to a brief and get you thinking differently to a traditional "pop" track composer i.e. working to specific timings, changing mood mid-flow, understanding a directors brief.

These modules are also used as a baseline (particularly Module 1) to establish your level of musical and technical skill in composing and producing tracks for the tutors.

I struggled with the initial module, picking over and over my first submission which was a total mistake and cost me about 4 months of the course in my focus on "getting it right". Anyone undertaking this course I would say "just do it" for the first three modules - and I dont mean rush them or dont put the effort in - I mean spend a couple of months on module one and then get it submitted!! The tutors will give you excellent and useful feedback and spur you on to get the next one done.

Unit 4 - TV Documentary

Unit 5 - Animation

In my opinion this is all about hitting the mark in the visual and developing themes that can be associated with the characters onscreen. I think this is one of the more difficult modules but it serves its purpose well in showing the marked difference from TV documentaries.

Unit 6 - Natural History

Unit 7 - Commericals

Unit 8 - TV & Film Drama

Unit 9 - Drama & Short Features

Unit 10-11 - The World of Work 1+2

I did the course from 2006 and finished in early 2008 within the allowed timescales so didnt need the extra time though the last few modules I was moving through at a fair pace of about one per month. There is no final exam or points system for you to achieve a pass-mark, its more about staying the course, building the stamina, technical and artistic skills and the working methods to prove you could make it as a media composer. Oh, and you do have to complete all the modules and submit them for feedback. If you complete the course you do receive a certificate "Diploma in Media Composition" to hang on your trophy wall.

Conclusions

A very well thought out course based on the real experiences of a hard working, Emmy-award winning composer. Excellent support from the MFTM staff and a rewarding course for it's experiences.

Welcome...

2009-04-13T18:29:00.000+01:00

My name is Andy Stuteley (aka Stootz) and I'm a media composer with over 20 years exprience composing and producing music, with the last 2 years spent in the media industry earning both paid and collaborative media projects.

I've decided to setup this blog to comment on the progress of all things to do with my media composing work known as StootzMusic (www.stootzmusic.com). I'll talk about all things from the musical, production, commercial and business aspects of stootzmusic including the highs and lows.

I'll also be commenting on the music industry, musical gear, music software, courses, film soundtracks and more depending on the time available.

Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions.

cheers

Stootz.