Hi! I’m a film student working on a short film called How to Make People Like You, and I’m looking for someone to compose an original score for the film's dream sequence.

The film follows a socially awkward guy who becomes obsessed with figuring out how to make people like him. The dream is set in an office and starts almost commercially perfect... (warm, idealized), but gradually becomes uncomfortable and uncanny as everyone’s attention toward him becomes increasingly overwhelming.

For the score, I’m looking for something that transitions with the scene: starting pleasant/dreamlike and slowly becoming more unsettling, strange, and slightly surreal without immediately sounding like horror music. I want it to become unhinged.

We’re shooting the scene on November 6th, and I’m hoping to have the score about a month after that. Once it’s ready, I’ll be able to send the edited scene+ references+ a more specific direction.

This is a student production, so unfortunately I can’t offer payment, but you would receive full credit in the film and can absolutely use the finished scene/music in your portfolio or reel.

If you’re interested, I can send the script, scene, references, and more information about the direction. I’m also very open to working with someone who is building their portfolio or wants a film-scoring project to experiment with.

Comment or DM me if you’re interested... and if you have any previous music, feel free to send it!

howtomakepeoplelikeyou.com (film site)
annalayman.com (my small portfolio)

The Mirror of Malevolence listing on CastingCall is the one I would look at first this week: $1,500 flat for an original score on a dark fantasy pilot told entirely with marionettes and shadow puppetry, which the post says has played festivals and won five awards. The director is exploring an alternate cut before releasing it online, and wants something twinkly, whimsical, dreamy and haunting, in orchestral and lullaby styles, built around a Mirror theme and a theme for its twelve-year-old orphan hero. A digitally produced orchestral score on virtual instruments is what is wanted, not a live orchestra.

Also in this issue:

• A full-time, in-office composer post at Reality Games in Kraków, writing music for around 150 property categories in a location-based mobile game, from cafés to stadiums; no salary given
• US$500–US$800 on Mandy for a neo-noir short, with score under a neon club scene that cannot overpower the dialogue
• $350 for about ten loopable tracks for a medieval walk-and-talk adventure game that rules out AI entirely
• $250 flat for a student-budget animated short of about 3 minutes in which alien real estate agents try to sell a planet, with Mickey Mousing closely synced to the action
• $250 flat for a student-budget animated short of around 3:30, set in a strange cocktail bar, jazzy with a retro early-2000s cartoon vibe
• One unpaid brief: an 8–10 minute 16mm comedy from FAMU students in Prague, whose score builds with Cupid's escalating gestures

https://composerwire.substack.com/p/020-7-opportunities-this-week-including

Free to subscribe at the link above.

Film scoring master’s programs: USC, NYU, or Berklee Valencia? Would love to hear your experiences!
Hi everyone! I graduated this May with a background in classical/concert composition, and since then I’ve been putting together my film scoring portfolio.
So far, I’ve written ten cues, four of which have been recorded with live ensembles. I also have another recording session coming up in mid-November for a two-minute string ensemble piece. I’ve been writing music and working on mockups every day, and every day I discover how much more I still have to learn 😂
I’m currently planning to apply to USC, NYU, and Berklee Valencia, but I’m still exploring other options and would really appreciate hearing from people who have been through these programs.
USC: I already live in Los Angeles, so staying here would be the most convenient option. But I’ve heard that admission is very competitive and that applicants are expected to have strong production skills. That makes me a little nervous! I’m still developing that side of my work; my classical composition background is where I feel more confident right now.
NYU: I’ve visited New York, and between the cold winters, tuition, and living expenses, I’m a little intimidated 😳 That said, I’d love to hear what people actually got out of the program.
Berklee Valencia: Spending a year in Europe focusing on scoring sounds like a wonderful experience. But I don’t yet have a clear picture of what studying there is like or what opportunities it could lead to afterward.
Ultimately, I want to write more music, strengthen the areas where I’m struggling, meet people to collaborate with, and find more opportunities to write music for stories.
For anyone who has attended one of these programs: how did you choose, and what did you find most valuable? Was anything different from what you expected?
I’d also love to hear about other programs you think are worth considering. I’m still finding my way, so any firsthand experience or advice would mean a lot. Thanks!

Hey everybody!

My brother were moved by a lot of the themes in The Odyssey, especially regret over time lost and things you no longer have. Needless to say both of us were left speechless by this scene and the score/sound design. It’s such a good example of restraint and making music purposefully driven by the scene.

So we made our own mock up with sample libraries we had. We really wanted to focus on the breath you hear in the score because of Ludwig using close mics. There were plenty of silly takes of my brother blowing into a flute and a duduk just to get what the samples couldn’t. How do you think we did? And what was your favorite part of the score?

Thanks for listening!

Trying to find the background music in this scene and couldn't find it in the score. Closest thing I found was "Rita" but it's missing the guitar that you can hear at 2:08 in the scene, unless im crazy. Any help would be amazing, its stuck in my head! (I've tried listening to the whole soundtrack and cant find it :( starting to give up maybe you guys can help!) <3

Here is the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH1bRyCrT4o

Here is the closest thing I could find: "Rita" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir0N9KFhywM

I've been creating cinematic music inspired by imaginary video games and film scenes under my project NEXRYFT.

This one is called The War Ended Without Us.

I imagined the aftermath of a devastating fantasy war, where the fighting has stopped but the emotional consequences remain.

It's part of my AI-assisted music project, with my own creative direction behind the concepts and presentation.

https://youtu.be/HKO-XAdg5FM

Curious what kind of film or game scene you'd associate with this soundtrack. Would love some feedback!