3 Ways to Get Your First 3 Clients as a Film Composer
1. Cold emailing/messaging still works, and you don’t need to send 100 of them.
My go-to method is going on crowdfunding sites such as Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and Seed&Spark and finding film projects you like.
From there you will find the name of the director and/or producer. Write their name down and try Googling them. You might find their email on their website or find their profile on Instagram.
But before you send an email/message, learn as much as you can about them and their work and see if it resonates with you.
If you like what you see, go for it but don’t be desperate or pushy.
Do say things like: I’d love to contribute to your film. I was wondering if you have a composer already?
Don’t say things like: I’d love to compose for your film, here’s my portfolio.
Frame it in a way that communicates your desire to HELP and not to just get a job out of them.
If they reply, wait for them to ask for your demo reel or portfolio. Definitely DO NOT send it in the first message.
Aim to get a face-to-face meeting as soon as you can to discuss how you can help elevate their project if they’re open to working with you.
Relax, smile, and just be yourself!
2. Be nice, don’t expect anything, and maybe they’ll want to work with you.
This is basically playing the “long game” and requires you to invest time in someone with a tiny chance of them wanting to work with you, but it’s not guaranteed.
Instead of cold emailing/messaging a director or producer, find ways to interact with them casually but meaningfully on Instagram.
Maybe they post something about their film in their stories and they’re excited that they just wrapped filming.
Reply to the story and say congrats! (But only if you think the film has potential and you mean it)
Maybe you think they have a lot of potential and admire their work. Follow them. And then… don’t say anything, unless you’re genuinely excited and can’t hold it in.
Let them check your profile out and just wait. Then maybe, just maybe, they follow you back.
(If you don’t get any responses to your profile or the things you post, don’t worry- I’ll cover that later. Just make sure that your Instagram showcases your personality and work in a way that aligns with the projects you want to work on.)
Getting a follow back is a good sign! This means they like what they see and there’s a chance they’d be interested in working with you.
From here, you might have a message or two with them already. Be curious about them and their work and have a friendly conversation. Ask questions. Be nice!
(If this sounds overwhelming, I’ll write about how to do this in another post)
If you are patient enough to build a relationship with them and slowly exchange messages, they will remember you when they start to consider who to contact for a film score.
They’ll be the ones wishing you would work with them and not the other way around! :)
As for how long you should wait to expect a potential project… it depends.
In my experience it takes months or even a year of interactions for it to happen naturally.
Film takes a lot of time and effort to happen, so expect the process of gaining the trust of a filmmaker and for it to align with an active project you can work on to be the same.
3. Do such a good job, their friends start following you.
In my experience, this is kinda like built in networking. I’ll leave it up to you to compose beautiful music, but after you knock it out of the park you might find that your director’s friends start following you.
Maybe you’re thinking… you got a referral?
Maybe. Kind of?
While I’ve personally never tried asking for a referral (it can sound too needy), one of my happy directors naturally told their other film friends about me anyway!
The friends of a director you’ve worked with might’ve been an assistant director on the film you scored, or perhaps they were a sound editor or production assistant.
Guess what? They’re filmmakers too and they definitely write their own scripts and will need a composer or know others who need one as well.
When the opportunity presents itself for you to potentially work with them, don’t rush it.
Follow their account, and again, just find small ways to interact with them online.
Play the long game and don’t expect much. Just focus on sharing who you are along with your music online, do your best to connect with them, and have fun.
If you end up working with them or they like you, the cycle continues! I’ve been getting work this way on my own without going to music school for 3 years now, and it’s getting better and better every year.
Cheska Navarro is a DIY film composer and content creator from San Diego, California.
