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"Music and sound represent at least 50% of the entertainment value of all of my films."
- Steven Spielberg
"FBI composers are driven by a passion to make the same hold true for your games."
- Bob Rice - FBI four bars intertainment
FBI composers produce great music on time and within budget. They are exceptional collaborators and total team players with the objective of making great games.
FBI composers are accessible, reliable, articulate, excellent communicators and have a high level of integrity.
FBI composers deliver spectacular digitally sampled music productions. They have state-of-the-art production studios equipped with the finest instrument samples and processing available.
FBI composers deliver superb live music productions. FBI offers special negotiated pricing advantages at major recording studios and with AAA orchestras in the US and throughout the world.
FBI composers are exceptional in implementing and integrating their music into games.
Music must support the game play and the pictures. It must not distract or dilute the emotional content or the vision of the producers. When you talk to the composer about music, as you address each part of the game the best way to direct him/her is as follows:
1. For each point in the game describe the emotion(s) you want the player to feel and the thought(s) you want the player to have.
2. You may improve your direction to the above by adding, for example, "At this point in the game, I want the music to make the player feel afraid just like the music from JAWS did when the shark approached for the kill."
1. Is the composer's musical style compatible with the music needs of the game? Has he/she composed music for other games that have the music style you want?
2. What is the composer's motivation to score your game at this point in their career? Is he/she a gamer?... play games?... care about a career in games? Today's composer can be anyone from a part-time hobbyist to the musician looking for day work to full-time film and TV composers. The motivation (and priorities/availability) of the composer will play a critical role during the entire scoring process.
3. If you're going to use live musicians for the recording, does the composer have experience writing for, conducting and working with live musicians in a scoring environment? Many composers have experience only with electronic music (synthesizers and samplers) and must enlist the services of an entire team to write, prepare and perform music utilizing live musicians. This is one of the major reasons for cost overruns. A composer's lack of experience with live musicians can create costly and embarrassing problems that are often not discovered until the recording sessions begin. Look for experience and contacts with both union and non-union recording procedures.
4. Does the composer have enough time and ample resources to commit to your project? You have spent a great deal of time and effort in the making of your game. You have a right to expect the same dedication from your composer. Music deadlines often require full-time efforts from a composer in order to deliver quality music. Get a commitment from your composer. Make sure he/she is accessible by phone and email and will promptly respond. Your ass is on the line. Make sure the composer's is right there with you.
5. Is the composer a good "team player"? While having a healthy ego may be beneficial for a creative person, an unhealthy ego or other "attitude" problems can be a major problem in a team oriented environment – no matter how talented a composer may be. Make sure your composer can take direction without pouting.
6. Legal. There are only 12 notes of music. When you direct your composer to "do music just like the music in a film or on a CD" make sure you work with a top notch composer who knows how to get close enough without evoking a plagiarism law suit.
7. Have fun. For all the work you have to collaborate on and all the time you have to spend together, hire a composer you can hang with and someone you can talk to in "short hand."
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