frequently asked questions

Welcome to the grand page of FAQs

Got a question that’s not covered here? Head over to the Contact page and let me know what’s niggling you.

1. How much do you charge?
2. Can you work on my film/animation/project for free? Credit and copy of the film (and a beer) is all I can afford.
3. What training do you have to be a film music composer?
4. What equipment do you use?
5. What sample libraries do you use?
6. When we work together, will I have to talk to you in musical terms?
7. How did you start getting clients/find paid work?
8. Do you have any tips or advice on getting ahead in the media music business?
9. Can you listen to my music and give me some feedback?
10. What inspires you?
11. What did you or your teacher do in your music lessons (pre-college) that helped you become a good composer?
12. How the *$@% do you pronounce your last name?
13. Do you do surround sound mixes?

1. Rating: +2

   

   How much do you charge?

   Och! How long is a piece of string? Depends on the project, but as a rough guide, put 10% of your budget on post-production sound: Music 3-4%, Sound 3-4%, Mix 2-4%. Have to say it though... you get what you pay for. ;-)

   Is the project going to be broadcast? Is the film destined for general release? How many viewers will see your production online? Is it a genius idea that'll blow the socks off anyone who'll see it? Is it the most beautiful, heartwrenching story that needs to be told? All of these question need to be answered before we can get to figures.

   We'll also need to talk licenses and that's a whole other discussion. Get in touch and let's chat.

2. Rating: +1

   

   Can you work on my film/animation/project for free? Credit and copy of the film (and a beer) is all I can afford.

   Sell me on it. Pitch me how awesome it's going to be! I'd usually say no... but if it's a cute little sci-fi with aliens and spaceships, it might sway me. Or it's for a superlatively good cause - animals, homelessness, developing world, environmentalism, etc (these are the ones closest to my heart - I'll see what I can do.

   Oh, and I don't drink beer. Mine's a mojito. Or a Hazelnut Soya Latte. :-)

3. Rating: +1

   

   What training do you have to be a film music composer?

   Whilst I don't believe any formal training specifically in writing music to picture is necessarily essential to get into the business, it can certainly give you an edge and a little more confidence in your abilities.

   I have a Batchelors degree in Music from Sheffield University and a Masters in Music Design for the Moving Image from the Media School at Bournemouth University, and formal training in violin and piano.

4. Rating: +1

   

   What equipment do you use?

   On a regular basis I use my Mac Pro, Logic Studio and Behringer Truth monitors with an M-Audio Firewire Audiophile soundcard.

5. Rating: +1

   

   What sample libraries do you use?

   I like to keep it simple - I'm a regular user of Vienna Symphonic Libraries sounds, and like to augment these libraries with a little bit of home-grown sound design every now and again.

6. Rating: +1

   

   When we work together, will I have to talk to you in musical terms?

   No, definitely not, if you don't want to. Music is the language of emotion, and if you know how your and your audience wants to feel when they watch your production and hear the music, then you’re home and dry. In fact, even if you do know musical terms, it’s still sometimes easier to convey what you want from your composer by talking about the emotional journey of your audience.

7. Rating: +1

   

   How did you start getting clients/find paid work?

   After finishing the Masters in composition for film at Bournemouth University, I proceeded to send approximately 200 CDs and VHS showreels to all of the production companies locally in Yorkshire and nationally across the UK that I could find addresses for. Several got back to me with positive feedback, and two of them led to paid work on corporate (non-broadcast) productions.

8. Rating: +1

   

   Do you have any tips or advice on getting ahead in the media music business?

   Ooh, that's a tricky one. The articles I and my colleagues have written on scorecastonline.com are probably the most useful free resource that I can point you to, and I've written posts on my blog that cover this topic. It's a combination of skill, persistence and opportunity I think. And developing a very thick skin ;-)

9. Rating: +1

   

   Can you listen to my music and give me some feedback?

   I'm available to give feedback on music for small fee, depending on what the purpose of the music is. Get in touch with the specifics and we can take it from there.

10. Rating: +1

    

    What inspires you?

    Short answer: Music like this (Spotify link) http://open.spotify.com/user/heatherfenoughty/playlist/5aeNq67zc0vITtDcSMA1sQ .
    Long answer... this could take a while. I'll blog about it sometime :-)

11. Rating: +1

    

    What did you or your teacher do in your music lessons (pre-college) that helped you become a good composer?

    Studying Grade 5 theory at Sheffield Music School was a godsend. Understanding harmonies and inversions and cadences and then being able to hear them too in aural test training was so unbelievably useful i can't begin to describe, and i can't imagine composing without first understanding interval and harmonic relationships described in language.

12. Rating: +1

    

    How the *$@% do you pronounce your last name?

    Like, fen-uh-tee. :-)

13. Rating: +1

    

    Do you do surround sound mixes?

    Are you sure you need one? They’re expensive you know!
    I don’t do surround mixes at this time, but I know plenty of places that you can take the music, sound or mix that I create for you to that will, and they can advise you on Dolby licenses and that sort of thing.