Since I started my film music career when I was 44, I completely agree with your point. I strongly advocated the abolition of the age limit for this year's competition, but, alas, all I could achieve was that the age limit was raised from 35 to 40.

It would be easier to convince the organising committee of the competition to drop the age limit (for the 2014 competition) if we could find an objective criterion for someone being at the beginning of his or her film music career. Because of the (apparent) lack of such a criterion the committee sticked to ageism...

Any ideas?

Cheers
Pitt 

I think there is a consensus that the competition wants to promote the "relatively fresh ones". None of us wants that a well-established, well-known film composer gets the award (resp. one more award). That's the rationale behind the age limit -- which, of course, is not a guarantee for promoting the relatively fresh ones, since there are well-known, well-established composers who are well under 40.

It has been discussed that the number of IMDB items could be a criterion... I'm not sure whether this is a good idea.

Cheers

Pitt

@PierreFunck said:

I think there is a consensus that the competition wants to promote the "relatively fresh ones". None of us wants that a well-established, well-known film composer gets the award (resp. one more award). That's the rationale behind the age limit -- which, of course, is not a guarantee for promoting the relatively fresh ones, since there are well-known, well-established composers who are well under 40.

It has been discussed that the number of IMDB items could be a criterion... I'm not sure whether this is a good idea.

Cheers

Pitt

I doubt that any well-known, well-established film composer would even get out of bed for CHF 10 000.  [;)]

DG

@DG said:

I doubt that any well-known, well-established film composer would even get out of bed for CHF 10 000. 

DG

[:D] thats right!

No, it doesn't depend on anything at all. He wouldn't, period.

.

@Mumion said:

Well It does. And it is not up to you, dear. Cheers. Jerry

Really?! Does it Jerry?

And how and what would you know our ignorant friend? Aren't you a self confessed beginner? So how much do you know about professionals and/or music competitions? Huh!? How much actual experience have you had? Have you ever competed musically in your life? Have you ever won a prize? (Yes, multiple times if you're asking). Why don't you just shut up, listen (read), and learn, so in about 20 years you might have something useful to contribute to a music discussion, instead of being so insouciant and offensive today?

You think you can wake up one day, buy a computer, a library and a sequencer and you become an instant composer - yes, two years means instant - because a few shrewd companies beguile you into thinking this possible while making money out of you? And having done that you believe you can enter a composition competition of this calibre and have a chance Mr. Mozart? You really think music is so easy? That we've been learning and practicing it for decades but that we are just so untalented that here comes merry Jerry who decided one day to be a composer, and instantly join our pathetic ranks?! And then you presume to come into a forum of veterans, and actually offer opinions? Especially when they contradict DG's (if you have no respect for mine)? Try and perfect writing your name correctly on the staff first, and then come back for more; dear.

Cheers. 

@Mumion said:

Well It does. And it is not up to you, dear. Cheers. Jerry

Really?! Does it Jerry?

And how and what would you know our ignorant friend? Aren't you a self confessed beginner? So how much do you know about professionals and/or music competitions? Huh!? How much actual experience have you had? Have you ever competed musically in your life? Have you ever won a prize? (Yes, multiple times if you're asking). Why don't you just shut up, listen (read), and learn, so in about 20 years you might have something useful to contribute to a music discussion, instead of being so insouciant and offensive today?

You think you can wake up one day, buy a computer, a library and a sequencer and you become an instant composer - yes, two years means instant - because a few shrewd companies beguile you into thinking this possible while making money out of you? And having done that you believe you can enter a composition competition of this calibre and have a chance Mr. Mozart? You really think music is so easy? That we've been learning and practicing it for decades but that we are just so untalented that here comes merry Jerry who decided one day to be a composer, and instantly join our pathetic ranks?! And then you presume to come into a forum of veterans, and actually offer opinions? Especially when they contradict DG's (if you have no respect for mine)? Try and perfect writing your name correctly on the staff first, and then come back for more; dear.

Cheers. 

And I thought I was berserk.  Errikos hails enthusiastically from the Spartan side of Ancient Hellas, rather than the Athenian.

BTW, the origin of berserk is interesting.  It is Anglo Saxon by way of Old Norse  - the kindlest and gentlest languages and cultures as we know  -  and came from "Bear Shirt" which referred to warriors of the "Beowulf" era  who dressed in hides and heads of bears, put themselves into a drug-induced stupor of warlike mania often biting and drooling on their shields while howling, and then rushed into battle without regard for anything except slaughtering anything in front of them even when commanded by their leaders to stop. 

My role models.  

Very interesting and informative analysis Bill. That's almost exactly how I felt...

This forum composition section never changes[H] 

 It seems as everything that had to be said  _is_ in fact said by now, isn't it? I'm about to close this thread.

@Dietz said:

 It seems as everything that had to be said  _is_ in fact said by now, isn't it? I'm about to close this thread.

I agree. Threads with competition in name is always problematic ones... And this thread should be only informative, so mission accomplished - close.

I agree.

@PierreFunck said:

I agree.

Yes I agree too!!!! hahaw haw ha ha haw ha. I just spluttered in my brandy. here! here!

Bollocks!