The Craft of Film Composing (And Working with Composers) | with Joseph Trapanese

12/05/18 • 65 min

Joe Trapanese is a friend, colleague, and film composer who has worked on some of the coolest project and film scores of the last 5-10 years including The Greatest Showman, Jean Claude Van Johnson, Straight Outta Compton, Tron: Legacy, Oblivion, Only the Brave, Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G., and The Raid series (which is my #1 secret weapon as a film editor). Rarely is there an episode of TV where I don’t use a track from The Raid if I’m working with a fight scene or a suspense sequence. It’s MONEY.

In this interview Joe and I break down his path from a kid in New Jersey to moving out to Los Angeles and how he climbed from nowhere to the top of his profession in record time. In addition, Joe and I also do a deep dive into the creative process of collaborating with composers.

If you have ever wondered how composers approach their work, or more importantly if you’re an editor like me and you want to know some cool tips for working with composers, this is an incredibly useful and insightful interview.

Win a One 1-Yr Subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or Frame.io

» Click here to leave a review of this episode in iTunes (or Apple Podcasts)

Here's What You'll Learn:

Focusing on what is in your control
It's about who you know, so start meeting people
Establishing relationships rather than networking for jobs
"You won't get hired until you are the solution to someone's problem."
Confidence vs. arrogance
Keeping your cool in the reputation-driven world of professional composing
How to searching for the best solutions in collaboration, rather than just inserting your own
Dedicating yourself to a specific career ladder
How to know when you're not getting enough in return for your work
"Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"

Useful Links:

Joe Trapanese's IMDb Page

Our Generous Sponsors:

This episode is made possible by our proud supporters Adobe. Leave a review of this episode in iTunes or Apple Podcasts and you’ll be entered to win a yearly subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, an essential package of video creation tools that I personally can’t live without. What’s so cool about creative cloud is how easily you can move from ingest to editing, and from color grading to 3D compositing, thanks to smooth integration between Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition. To win yourself that yearly subscription, just leave an honest review of this show in iTunes or Apple Podcasts.

You can also enter to win the 12 month 'Pro Plan' from our sponsor Frame.io, an amazing online collaboration tool where you can comment and interact directly with your videos providing instant feedback, rather than constantly going back and forth via endless email chains. (And you know how I feel about email and productivity.) Even cooler your comments can be imported directly into your editing software of choice, and it’s so intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say “pretty” that Frame.io won an Apple Design Award. Leave a podcast review in iTunes to be entered to win your 12 month 'Pro Plan.'

This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.

This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that tu...

Win a One 1-Yr Subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or Frame.io

» Click here to leave a review of this episode in iTunes (or Apple Podcasts)

Here's What You'll Learn:

Focusing on what is in your control
It's about who you know, so start meeting people
Establishing relationships rather than networking for jobs
"You won't get hired until you are the solution to someone's problem."
Confidence vs. arrogance
Keeping your cool in the reputation-driven world of professional composing
How to searching for the best solutions in collaboration, rather than just inserting your own
Dedicating yourself to a specific career ladder
How to know when you're not getting enough in return for your work
"Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"

Useful Links:

Joe Trapanese's IMDb Page

Our Generous Sponsors:

This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that tu...

Previous Episode

How to Get a Script Made In Hollywood | with Kyle Long

Kyle Long is a Hollywood feature film and television writer, producer, and the showrunner of the recent limited series 'Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac & the Notorious B.I.G.' He has also worked on the popular USA series 'Suits.'

For those who may already know, I edited the pilot, the finale, and two more episodes of the series Unsolved, and Kyle and I spent A LOT of time together working on a very complex story for months on end. And during that time we both learned a lot about each other. And what I was most impressed about with Kyle was his work ethic...not to mention his creative abilities, his ideas, and his unwillingness to compromise when he knew exactly what he wanted. And that’s what we talk about in this interview today:

What does it take to get something made in Hollywood?

What does it take to become a successful writer?

What is the magic formula for delivering high quality work project after project?

Hint:The answer to all three is just one thing. Consistency.

Kyle and I talk about the whole process of going from brainstorm to idea to pitch to being in production on a multi-million dollar tv series. We also chat about his habits and systems for consistently writing every single day. And we also talk about the cost of prioritizing work above everything else including sleep, wellness, health, and even family.

Here's What You'll Learn:

Getting a film from spec to being made
The importance of consistency in writing
The tension between working long hours and doing good work
Appreciating negative and positive aspects of the creative process
Developing productive writing habits
How losing sleep is sabotaging your own work
Mortgaging and blocking your time

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Our Generous Sponsors:

This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that turns sitting into an activity that actually improves your health rather than damaging it. Yes, you can actually get fit while you sit. If you’ve never seen one, just imagine t...

Next Episode

Getting 1% Better Every Single Day | with Westley Silvestri, ANW

My guest today is Westley Silvestri, a two-time American Ninja Warrior, a highly decorated and award-winning real estate professional, a Spartan Racer, a Tough Mudder, the creator of ‘Ninja Beach’ in Santa Monica, CA, and he’s also a former golfer and stand-up comedian. Using Westley’s own words, he has “Professional ADD” and wants to do everything...but also do it well!

Westley also happens to be one of my primary ninja warrior training partners who has inspired me to push past my abilities and become a stronger and more well-rounded human being. There are few people I’ve met in my life who are more positive, energetic, and encouraging...all while being brutal and relentless all at the same time.

In our conversation today Westley and I focus on what it takes to become 1% better every single day. We talk about the hardship he’s faced in his life including waking up one morning to find his roommate dead, and battling a year of depression because of this. And we dig into the idea of being intentional about progress...because it’s not just about “putting in your 10,000 hours,” it’s about WHAT YOU DO with those 10,000 hours that actually counts.

Here's What You'll Learn:

Finding your way off the hamster wheel of modern life
You find out who you are when you're faced with hardship
Incremental improvement as the true path to change
Being intentional about progress and getting better instead of "just putting in your 10,000 hours"
The importance of running your own race
It's not about how many hours or days you work, it's HOW you do those hours and WHAT you accomplish
Westley's "try something new every week" philosophy
If you're not pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, you won't grow