Success Stories: AUG'10 When EVERYBODY tells you that you are going to Fail.

Hi, It is not an easy road for everybody getting into the film industry. Contracts come and go, and I think comparing us to Migrant Farm Workers is not too far off base. I decided to give it a total go four years ago, a go to score films, with only a past record of Playing Piano in Comedy Clubs for Live Improvisational Scenes. My family thought I was astutely out of my mind, and my friends were convinced I was "bat shit" insane to try it. Never the less, I sat at home all day, and wrote music, making up scenes as imaginative as possible.......creating little aura's and atmospheres that would be able to go into a wide wide range of action on screen. Did this prestigiously for three years.....then....on a bus to the grocery store on the North Shore of Chicago....saw a location shoot. SO.....with my underwood devils ham in tow, I hopped off the bus and introduced myself to the Grip Truck Driver, trying to get a feel for what was going on. And a Producer was standing near by......so I said hello, and asked "Have you chosen a composer for the score yet?" He said no, and I told him I had been music director in The Second City. (This....cut through a ton of B.S.). And could I meet the Director. Was told he was shooting (In Ann Sathers for anybody whom knows Chicago)And that I might get a minute with him. The word got to him of my Second City days, and we met. For literally only a minute. And that he would send me a script to read. (Here I made absolutely sure to get Emails that worked.....many times in this kind of situation you might get an email address, but not a working one.....I made absolutely sure they were real and I was not getting the sloff off). So.......I am at home waiting for a script that might or might not come.........what to do...........ACT AS THOUGH YOU ALREADY HAVE THE JOB! was my philosophy. That evening, the next morning, the next evening, and everyday twice a day for two weeks.......I wrote a little Scene Idea....and composed a piece of music for it, recorded the music to a slightly better than 'sketch' level of mix, and sent it to the Directors Email and the Producers Email. Morning, and Evening, Everyday mind you. Important this! Showing the Director what he could expect from me in a real time environment. And after two weeks I was sent a full script for the Film LANDLINE! I was thrilled, but not yet hired....so.....Still the Family thought I was never going to get it, VERY negative, my friends said plainly it was a one in a million chance and that I would probably fail. Hell, even the barristers at the two StarBucks across the street from each other scoffed at me. But...I got a phone call to invite me to the next Location Shoot downtown, be there early. And I was, practically the first one there. Said hello to the crew over tea, let them know what I was there for.....and much hushed like negativity all around me. A little too much to my tastes. But I sat and waited to meet the Director, whom was filming a Betsy Brandt Scene (the scene also had Cubs Great Ryne Sandberg in it). And after waiting all day, no meeting. Come back tomorrow. A little disheartened but understanding, I went back to my little North Shore Apartment (Very little, Big Closet, One room, a half step up from the Blues Brothers Motel) And prepared a set of CD's of past Scene Music to give to the Producer the next day. (Went ALL OUT here, printing high quality graphics tastefully done on the CD's themselves and Photo Glossy CD Cover art, placed them in some really nice (inexpensive) White Boxes for presentation. And the following morning, again, sat in the crew room near wardrobe hoping to get a few minutes with the director in hopes all the music I had been sending him over the past two weeks did a little "reel" speaking for me. I must tell you.....up to the very minute I met Matthew, everyone was negative, loudly whispering that I would never get it, the cinematographer gave me nasty looks, it seemed a futile excercise to me to be here. But at lunch, the Director came up to me, we sat, and he began talking about what he wanted for the music for the film. He spoke about Shirley McLain and Jack Lemmon in 'The Apartment' and that such a score was the 'Tone' for what he was looking for. I asked "Does this mean I get the job?" and he said simply "yes". To which I had to hold back the tears out of happiness and joy. An hour later I met with the Lawyer and Producer and received the contract to sign. (I took this to an Entertainment Lawyer of my own before I signed). And I got my first film.

Its really only a rags to paper towel story so far. I am still living off the money from the film, and it will last me until about spring of next year....to wit....I moved from Chicago to WV in order to concentrate on my music, and to be savvy with what I have and make it last. I still have a few things to learn about Mixing and Mastering and am using the remainder of this year to attune those skills. And I have all the time in the world to devote to composing Film Music, (And a Symphony and Piano Concerto, as trying to get commisions in that area of the Music Business has also been my long pursuit.). So.....the lesson is simply this........DON'T GIVE UP! If your heart really is in working in the film industry....dont let anybody tell you that you won't make it. It is tough, uncertain, and migrant, but if you believe you have the talent for it.....Stay with it. And especially this......Dont tell yourself that you won't make it. You WILL. All the best, and my Brutish Cadenza to you, And I hope we can work together some day soon. Wesley Lawrence Curry II