Film Scoring: FAQ's. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What does Michelle do for your film as a film composer?
Michelle specializes in bringing a filmmaker’s vision to life through music. She collaborates closely to understand the heart of each scene and how it connects to the larger story, ensuring every moment feels true to your creative intent. Her scores amplify emotion, add intensity to action, and bring depth to quiet moments—shaping nuance, energy, and pacing so that your film resonates on every level.
Q2: How is “film scoring” different from “sound design”?
Great question! While scoring often focuses on musical elements and mood (textures, melody, harmony, rhythm), sound design focuses on non-musical audio. Most composers often blend them together for maximum effectiveness. Excellent scoring relies on precise control —mood, anticipation, startle, and release, etc. That means expert timing, dynamics, micro-orchestration, and restraint, plus comfort, agility and creative flow in production.
Q3: How early should a composer join a film project?
Involving a composer early—during script development, pre-production, or production—can make a powerful difference. Early collaboration helps shape tone, strengthen storytelling, and align music with the director’s vision from the start. It also avoids reliance on temporary tracks and ensures that emotions, pacing, and key reveals are supported organically. Original, thoughtfully crafted music not only deepens the audience’s experience but also adds significant, lasting value to the film.
Q4: What’s your process from the beginning to final mix?
Script read→ creative call→ lock picture→ spotting session→ theme/sketch approvals→ scoring & mockups→ revisions→ live/virtual recording→ mix, stems, alt versions→ delivery to post. Steps will likely overlap.
Q5: Do all film scores need orchestras?
Not necessarily. The score must musically and creatively bring out the director’s vision for the overall tone, time/place, pacing and meaning. Using the most effective instrumentation as well as budget are taken into account. The most effective score brings out your vision for your story – it is unique unto itself. It may be orchestral or hybrid, or it may call for something entirely different. Michelle’s experience, training and insights are expertly honed and ready to work through these nuanced decisions with you. She is happy to chat with you if you are interested in exploring options.
Q6: Can you work within indie budgets?
Yes—through careful planning, it’s possible to create a powerful score in a range of budgets by prioritizing themes, writing for smaller ensembles, blending live players with hybrid libraries, and scheduling efficient recording sessions. Michelle deeply believes in the creative force that indie films bring and works to make music a seamless part of that process. Even though it’s applied last in the production process, it’s important to invest in and budget for your music score as a defining, fundamental part of the narrative from the start – and to protect those funds – for the sake of your film. Effective, an original film score significantly raises the film’s value – so it’s important to bring your composer on-board as early as possible.
Q7: What deliverables do editors receive from Michelle?
Once all is approved, Michelle will digitally deliver stereo mixes plus stems with all specifications to each scene cue accepted for the film. The editor can drop them in according to frame number and finish audio balances. At this point, the film is complete!
Note: should your film need specific or additional deliverables such as written scores, music for trailers, sync songs, etc., reach out to Michelle. She'll be glad to talk with you about ideas and options.