I don't see that anyone has challenged what you said about LA, Evan. In fact, I agree completely. If you want to have ANY shot at scoring a major American feature film, LA is still where you need to be...with London maybe coming in second. (So many great British composers doing American features these days.) Folks like Bruce Broughton and others at seminars I've attended all attest to this. More A-list players per square foot...more scoring stages...more world class post-production facilities. You're right...LA is still the epicenter for film music.
But for commercials, TV and the like...living in LA is not such a pre-requisite. I think that was the original question. And of course, smaller-budget indie films are being made in the most out-of-the-way places, and can be extremely satisfying to work on.
We made a decision that being across the country from our families...living in a place we didn't like...simply wasn't worth it. I accept that when it comes to film work, my shot at the "Big Leagues" is severely limited because of this choice. I'll probably never get rich or be interviewed in Variety. But, that's not why I do music...so no regrets. I admit, I'd love to experience the challenge of doing a big-budget movie. But, I've traveled to foreign countries...gotten to work with the London Symphony (at Abbey Road Studios, no less - a dream come true)...and otherwise worked with talented folks from whom I've learned a lot. Not a bad compromise, in my book.
And on the subject of the perception of Americans, I must have worded it badly. I meant the perception our friends abroad have OF Americans. I just remembered a joke told to me (very good naturedly) by a Chilean producer I became friends with while working on a film in Santiago:
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bi-lingual.
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Tri-lingual?
What do you call someone who speaks one language? Gringo.
I'm guilty as charged.
[:D]
Fred Story
But for commercials, TV and the like...living in LA is not such a pre-requisite. I think that was the original question. And of course, smaller-budget indie films are being made in the most out-of-the-way places, and can be extremely satisfying to work on.
We made a decision that being across the country from our families...living in a place we didn't like...simply wasn't worth it. I accept that when it comes to film work, my shot at the "Big Leagues" is severely limited because of this choice. I'll probably never get rich or be interviewed in Variety. But, that's not why I do music...so no regrets. I admit, I'd love to experience the challenge of doing a big-budget movie. But, I've traveled to foreign countries...gotten to work with the London Symphony (at Abbey Road Studios, no less - a dream come true)...and otherwise worked with talented folks from whom I've learned a lot. Not a bad compromise, in my book.
And on the subject of the perception of Americans, I must have worded it badly. I meant the perception our friends abroad have OF Americans. I just remembered a joke told to me (very good naturedly) by a Chilean producer I became friends with while working on a film in Santiago:
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bi-lingual.
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Tri-lingual?
What do you call someone who speaks one language? Gringo.
I'm guilty as charged.
[:D]
Fred Story