Media Composition - CRAFT or BUSINESS?

Thanks as always for your support, your comments and crits of my absurd make-it-up-as-you-go-along life coaching is always welcome.

Apologies for sound difficulties on this one, this is my 3rd lav mic to have gone down in about 6 months... any ideas for good lavs that are also sturdy?

[shanemckenna]

Love these videos with the diagram drawings. Please do more of these Christian!
This is what they should have been teaching in music college!
Looking forward to the walk on Friday 😀

[AndrewBarracloughComposer]

The importance of mental and physical health in this line of work rarely gets talked about. It's one of them things where someone will go, "well yeah, that's obvious" yet it's so important. Thanks Christian for sharing as always.

[jeanchile]

I am new to this whole scene and I gotta’ say Christian: this community of composers is an incredible group of selfless (mostly), good natured, people that appear to be just as interested in helping each other as winning an Oscar. Just watching how excited Hans Zimmer gets when he’s talking about all the young people and seeing how him and you (and others) seem to be genuinely interested in helping them. I hope for two things in my future: being as generous as you are with your time and still being excited by this 25 years from now.


Now I need to go take all my golf clubs off of that treadmill in the basement and get to work so I’ll be alive in 25 years. Gods advice as always sir!

[chromaticsamples]

I want to work for someone that has the outlook that Christian has. This vlog is the best thing for the community

[jdankert]

Congrats for your honesty and your ability to speak about yourself in public. If you do not know yet, let me tell you: You are a good mentor and coach!

The last part of the video is the most important. Thanks!!!

[GuyVignati]

I really appreciated this video from you, because i think it's the most equilibrated and right talking about the difficulties of being a composer. It gives a solid and clear view even using simple sketches. Thank you for sharing with us Mr Henson! :D

[TrondBmusic]

When it comes to work, I am getting the gigs I want to get and actually getting the money I want, so that's fine. The big thing in this video that resonated with me is health. I turned 30 this summer and almost at the same time a close family member was diagnosed with cancer. He is thankfully alright now after treatment/surgery, but this has made me see life in a whole different perspective. I had to step away from working as much as I had planned(and signed on for) in order to help my family with my presence as well as financially(the LCO Strings and British Drama Toolkit will have to wait until next year). The most important lesson I learned this year was how life is so fragile and we need to take care of ourselves. I started running. Now I run almost every day. It keeps the body going and the mind clear. Thank you for all the videos Christian, they really helped me when going through the shit of seeing my family in fear and pain. I wish good health to everyone in the new year! - T

[Hrishiiiii]

Christian, I have always loved your topics . This video is by far my most favourite video of all time. Really helpful for composers like me. And great to have advice from you at such early stage in my career. Thank you as always.

[thosesmallyesterdays]

Oh, thanks for that, as always! This particular one was like having a private lesson, or speaking with a good friend at the time I mostly needed it, it hit just the right spots. Glad you made it with the editing and released it, I know it was a pain in the a$s.

[skylightmusicshowree]

"The most important thing in life is look after your health!" I proclaimed, on one visit to see my Parents. "No, the most important thing is your job..." replied my Father.

"Thanks very much!" piped up my Mother in the background.

What I took from this (after much 'debate') was that they are, of course, all equally important. The skill is keeping the balance and recognizing that whilst focusing on one thing, the other things in life can slip out of focus. In the short term, this is quite normal, but now I don't like to remain fixated on any one thing for too long. Oh, and don't take on too much and become a 'plate spinner'. It is far too stressful and always ends badly.

Christian, thank-you for these vlogs and I hope that you and the folks up in Edinburgh all enjoy the walk tomorrow. For those of you that normally only walk the triangle of kitchen / toilet / workstation...take it steady!

Oscar will be pleased with all of the attention too!

Merry Christmas everyone & here's to a prosperous 2019!

Terry x

[maryshaw]

Happy Christmas to you and your family, Christian! Thanks for this awesome video and cheers to good health for all!

[samshrimpton]

Thanks as always Christian. These educational/wisdom from a top the mountain episodes always seem to come along just as I’m asking these questions of myself.

Absolutely agree, health has to come first. I think I’ve made that same mistake, these last few years. New years resolution is to get on top of it, while I still can! Still, the ‘triangular water tap’ was a new concept for me, so thanks for sharing. It’s appreciated!

[jasonkelliher]

Thanks for the reminder on the health, its so easy to neglect.

[adubmusic]

Important & insightful. Much respect for doing your regular hikes.

[PeteCalandra]

I spent almost 20 years burning the candle at multiple ends. Composing full time, playing keys on B'way a few nites a week and playing sessions and other gigs, teaching 6 credits a semester and releasing my own albums. I sort of had it balanced for many years. Then two years ago I worked on a film that was supposed to take 5-6 weeks to finish. The film ended up changing formats 4 times ( 20 minute film, then 30 minute film, then 1 hour doc, then 73 minute 4 episode series) and stretched out to 3.5 months with constantly changing impossible to meet deadlines. I'm not going into the details here but it was a nightmare. It was so stressful to rework the music over and over to fit the continually changing format and story that with everything else I was doing, I got sick and exhausted for a month afterwards. It really made me step back and wonder if it was all worth it. It was the impetus for a complete life change. Moved out of NYC up into the Hudson Valley, lowered my overhead by 75% and now take fewer jobs and spend more time working on things I love. Not earning as much but feel much better. Of course it's difficult to do for people who are just starting out but at this point, I am able to swing it and it's worth it.

[marc-andreboucher]

I'm finishing university and will start my carreer in about 4 month. I'll try to keep this in mind, thanks you very much. By the way, really love the drawing !

[yuggothproductions]

Another great video! I think as artists we are perfectionists and push ourselves so hard! I’ve often gone too far and nearly had a nervous breakdown because you can’t shut it off and you work through the night too many times, but I think I’ve learned over the years that you can get a better sense of yourself and what your limits are before you crash. This is cliche but it really is about balance. I try and start my day meditating now even when I feel I don’t have the time. It sets the tone for the day and I’m more creative for it and the flow is better in the long run. I’m glad you discussed health in your video, because it’s often overlooked until you get to the brink and you’re like fuck what am I doing? Cheers man!

[ThissRoberto]

Every time I'll work on my weekly family time, I'll make sure to even it out later in the week, no matter what - At least it's what I believe in... should ask my wife if this is the case :P.

The plus is I value my time much more now with a kid and it's actually forced me to successfully negotiate higher budgets. Still I work more than used to, but spending my time with the family every day/Sunday. Have absolutely no time for "fun" besides your videos (which is work) and my health is still on the last position (but I'm working on it).

So for me it's even more things to consider, family is the 5th but 1st on my list :).

But gosh I love making music ! :D

[NgaTaeOfficial]

Christian, may humbly suggest your triangle diagram just needs to be in 3-D to accomodate the Health axis. Picture a triangle-based pyramid with Health being the point at the top (where it should be!!!). Thanks for your vlog and sharing your personal/professional life with the world. Love from NZ