Top Ten Myths about being A Film Composer #1-If I were just like John Williams life would be easy!

Truth be told? Creating a Top Ten List about art is a dubious and pretentious endeavor at best. My goal was to create a format to be able to share my life and experiences in an effort to spur your mind and help you on your way.

Dreams. Goals. Desires....

...we all have them. Maybe you want to be famous? Maybe you want to be rich? Or, maybe you have such passion for the work that all you want to do is to have the opportunity to be engaged in the process of doing it  more regularly.

If I were presumptuous enough to give you advice it would be these two things:

• be yourself!
• never, ever, stop learning

Think about it. There is only one of you. That, by definition, makes you unique. Celebrate and embrace your individuality. This is what will differentiate you from everyone else!  The hardest thing for any artist to do is to understand and be clear about who they are. Give yourself some time for reflection to figure out who you are and what you want to be.

What do I have to do to "make it"?

If there is a "myth" we haven't discussed it would being successful in life (let alone being a film composer) is not a destination to reach. It is a process to engage in! 

There will always be new challenges to face, hurdles to leap and mountains to climb. Embrace these as problems to solve. Remember that very few problems do not have answers....they may just be difficult for you to see. I am very confident that if you are engaged in writing music for film that you are a "creative problem solver". Learn to apply this special skill to everything obstacle you face and I guarantee you will be surprised at the results.

I've talked about branding, marketing and sales...methods to help you reach your goals.

NEWS FLASH!

There are no guarantees in the music business OR life! It may sound trite but remember that expectations not met create disappointments.

• Be engaged in the process without attachment to a specific result.
• Be in the moment rather than dwelling on the past or fantasizing about the future.
• Be kind and generous with everyone you meet...you never know when they will re-emerge in your life.
• Being an artist is a noble endeavor...one that feeds your soul and affects all who listen to your work.

Most of all: enjoy your life!