ABSTRACT
Many composers have a long history of studying music before they ever turn to the profession. By the time the film reaches the composer, it can, quite literally, be a different story. Some composers read the script beforehand to familiarize themselves with the story and genre and characters. Others prefer to preview the film before meeting with the director. Before the composer begins working, the director or music editor creates a temp track. This consists of music that seems to fit the film and provides hints of possible directions for the final film score. There are a number of different methods composers uses for actually writing the music. Some simply sit at the piano; others compose at the electronic console. Many composers think in terms of composing specific themes for the main characters that can be played in many different styles. Sometimes the theme might be scary, played with bassoons, or romantic, played with violins.
