Interview with Pietro Milanesi

Pietro Milanesi is an LA-based composer, originally from Torino, Italy; a rising talent in film scoring, he worked on several high profile productions such as Disney’s , the latest , the Oscar-winning documentary and the upcoming movies, and the next chapter in the saga. I chatted with Pietro to discuss what heChristopher RobinRobin HoodIcarusCoffee and KareemGhostbusters’s working on and what he has lined up for the future.

What do you do for a living?

The simple answer is I write music! I’m involved in music for media in many ways, including composing and producing soundtracks for film and TV, writing music for commercials, and editing and arranging the music of other composers. I occasionally still engineer, but mostly is for my own projects.

How would you describe what you do in one word?

Multifaceted. In today’s age, composers need to wear many hats and be able to carry a project from inception to the final stage. In the past composers were able to just write and different professionals would take care of the other aspects, but most upcoming composers need to have much more diverse skills. Now, the job involves composing, arranging, orchestrating, sound engineering and producing your own music. You have to be able to do everything, and understand every part of the process, as budgets in both music and film have dropped significantly.

A big part of the job is understanding the business and being able to work well with other people. Making a movie is a group effort, and being able to understand what a director or producer wants is one of the keys to having a career in this field. Understanding what score the movie needs, and how to approach it. Some directors just want you to follow the temp music they initially placed on the movie, some have a clear vision of the score, and some want you to guide them through the process. I’m there to facilitate someone else’s creative vision for their project. And I’m also there to give ideas and feedback, if that’ something they are interested in. But ultimately it’s the director or producer’s decision and vision. The more flexible you can be, the better your chances of succeeding.

What’s a typical work week like?

It really depends. I do most of my work from my studio, but if I’m working with another composer often times I’ll work from their studio for a period of a couple days to entire weeks.

On top of that, I attend meetings and events regularly. I might travel for a film festival. Depending on the projects I have at any given time, my schedule adjusts accordingly. Regardless of the situation, there’s never enough time for everything! A good chunk of my work schedule is dedicated to things that have little to do with writing music, like pitching for new projects, emails, installing and upgrade softwares and so on. Not the most glamorous parts of the job, but they’re just as important. Days off are rare. Sometimes I take a half-day off to recharge my batteries, but it doesn’t happen often that I don’t get at least a bit of work done in a day. It’s also my biggest passion, so it doesn’t really feel like work.

What do you like about what you do?

The aspect I like the most is the pure creative process, when I first get a project and I have a blank canvas to fill with music. I love how a film can be enhanced by music, how it can bring all the pieces of the story together, and inform the audience of the emotional and dramatic realities that are happening without having the picture pointing at them. Providing that score is my passion, and seeing my work enhance a project, whether it’s a movie or a commercial or something else, is the greatest feeling.

I also love the movie-making process in general, seeing all the moving parts come together to create the final product is something that still amazes me. Camera movements, actors’ deliveries, coloring, the editing, there are so many elements that together, create a great piece of art work. I find it very rewarding to get to be a part of that process.

I love working occasionally on songs, like I did recently on a commercial for NTT Network, because it allows me to get in the room with other creatives and they make my music better. On that project I had Maxayn Lewis over to my studio. She’s a legend in the music industry, having worked with artists such as Tina Turner, Ray Charles and Celine Dion. Her voice just brought the music to a whole new level.

What do you dislike?

There is a lot of pressure coming from deadlines and budgets while still try to be creative. This can lead to long hours and lack of social life. As I mentioned earlier, there are many aspects of the work that are not nearly as glamorous as writing music, but they still need to be addressed. The solitude can also be very difficult when you’re writing on your own a lot, which is one of the reasons I still collaborate with other composers. It’s important to take regular breaks, get out and see the world and not cut yourself off completely. It is very difficult when extreme demands are placed upon you.  Those who cope with this side of the career the best and deliver no matter what, are the ones most likely to succeed.

Do you prefer to work alone when scoring?

It’s not that I don’t like to work with other people, but I generally work alone on most things. I find it to be much simpler because my hours can be whatever I need them to be, and I don’t have to rely on anybody else to make sure my music is completed and delivered on time. I work very fast, and I’ve found a way that works well for me to stay productive and keep things moving. It’s a completely different approach when it’s time to record though; I love working with singers and players, seeing what they can add to what I created initially. Often times I leave them enough creative freedom so they can really add their unique touch.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m scoring a movie called What You Find In The Sea. It’s a coming of age story about a girl who spends a summer on a fishing boat. The cinematography is beautiful and the story is compelling, so I’m trying to do it justice with the score. I’m using mostly wood instruments. They seem to work well with the many shots on the boat. I’ll be using mainly piano and strings, and some wood percussions for the most involved moments. It’ll be released later this year. I’m also writing on a number of upcoming seasons of TV shows, such as The Bachelor, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and  Dateline on NBC. Each of them requires very different types of music: The Bachelor asks for very lush and full orchestral arrangements, emotionally soaring strings and big majestic brass. The Kardashians is mostly hip hop, trap or a combination of orchestral comedic music supported by a beat. Dateline is all about minimal tension, eerie synths and drones. The variety helps keep my writing fresh and exciting. Every day is something different and depending on what I feel like writing, I can work on any of these projects.

What advice would you offer someone considering this career?

If it’s truly your passion, go for it. If you’re not sure, try it, knowing that it’s a tough industry and you are in for the long haul. I have friends that work in music production and they rose to success fairly quickly. Perhaps they had a song hit the charts and for a bit, everyone wanted to work with them. However, after a while, their sound was replaced by the new kid making music in his bedroom. Film scoring is not like that. Don’t expect overnight success. It is a slow growing process. Connections are extremely important and it takes many years to build them. If you look at the top composers right now, most of them are in the later stages of their careers. It takes a long time to get there and you really need to network, study, learn, and put in the hours.