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MaestroRage
I consider this account an important chapter in my life

Selcuk Bor @MaestroRage

Age 36, Male

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Toronto

Joined on 8/22/06

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Unit 1: How to Get started

Posted by MaestroRage - May 16th, 2009


1: How I got started composing for games/movies
1a: How you SHOULD start composing for games/movies

1: How I got started composing for games/movies
Getting started is usually the trickiest part. How do you get your stuff out there and start working with developers? I mean sure you could just keep uploading and hopefully at some point an animator/programmer will want to work with you, and to be honest, though this was in fact how I got started it's nowhere near the best way. I'll talk about that in section 2.

Yes I kept uploading because at first I didn't really care if I would work with people or not. I just wanted to tell a story through audio, do what I wanted to do, and kept at it having fun. At some point I got a pm from a developer who said "listen, i'm making a project, j00 needs to join meh efforts" and I said "'kay :3"

True story.

1a: How you SHOULD got started composing for games/movies
If you're on NG, chances are you're production skills are at a beginner stage. Don't expect to be working on masterpieces right away, the portal is FILLED with animators/coders who are in the same boat as you. Aspiring, not yet there, but getting there. It is in this stage where you have to expect a lot of projects to dwindle and die.

Young and ambitious animators/coders want to code the next WoW that works in a browser, and young and ambitious audio producers want to produce the next killer soundtrack for the next WoW that works in a browser. Everything will start off on a high note, but rest assured you will experience many projects that come to a crawl and stop, until at some point everybody silently acknowledges the project went south for the winter and isn't coming back.

Knowing this, don't get discouraged. PM/email these people who are at the same level as you and talk to them. Introduce yourself and let them know if they would like custom music made for their next project, you are willing to help. A lot of my strongest and closest friends are those I met years and years ago this way! I work closely with them still, and every time I contact a new person or group, that's another potential friend and network I earn.

When it comes down to building a future together, it is often best to do it with people you have worked with again and again and are on good terms with. That way you want to do your best by them and they by you. Passion meeting friendship can result in some fascinating projects.

Also remember that most aspiring developers will be psyched knowing they're getting custom music, so be extra careful about what music you make for the project since even if it's not really appropriate they'd be too afraid to hurt your feelings and tell you so. I've on so many occassions while starting out thought "well that didn't fit" and wish I had paid more attention to the demo/screenshots.

All this leads to my next point.
(please ask questions/comments via pm, as chances are I won't see them here after time has passed)


Comments

I'm sorry this is off-topic, but you're one my few favourite composers in the whole of Newgrounds.
Never stop being awesome! You rock!

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy the work. Always glad to hear it!