FIESTA - The Rise Of The Film Music Festival

What an incredible shift the industry, fans and connoisseurs of film music have seen in the last decade. I remember a time when I felt completely lost and isolated with my interest in film music and being a young boy in a pre-internet age I had no idea just how many other like minded people there were or in fact the communities that were already formed around the same common interest.

One thing is certain that the rise of film music is growing at an exponential rate; I mean this in terms of the number of ‘wannabe’ composers splurging their electronic wares across the various social media platforms (mostly for ill-gotten gain) as well as the interest and expansion in composers connecting with their industry and fan base on a more personal level. It would be easy to say that the power of the Internet and social media has made this happen, which to some extent it has; however there is a key underlying principle that must be considered. We are an information thirsty, inter-connected and more open society that appreciates a far greater range of interests than ever before. We are also fortunate in the fact that there are very few borders that hinder achievement and this has spurred fans, enthusiasts and producers on to promoting artistic merit to the masses. A recent growth area has been the number of amateur orchestras performing film, TV or game music around the world; one UK based organisation The Film Orchestra (www.thefilmorchestra.com) is solely dedicated to promoting this music and is now enjoying its second year of developing a programme of ensembles, bands and youth initiatives. Its purpose along with many other orchestras is to continue spreading the important message that live music is essential and that the orchestral performance of a composers work is simply fundamental to ensure the industry maintains its heritage.

A simple search of the Internet will give you an immediate result for a wide range of film music related events taking place on a global scale at anyone time (a good starting point would be: www.moviesinconcert.nl) and the number of premium concert hall venues that now actively seek the film music customer is simply staggering. The Hollywood Bowl hosts its annual medley of concerts, Switzerland opens the door to world premiere live screenings and the UK seems to be in constant demand hosting composer one-offs. Recently the Royal Albert Hall, London played host to a whole week residency for the 21st Century Orchestra ably led by its dynamic conductor Ludwig Wicki. 5 sold out nights for fans wanting to watch Gladiator or the newest Star Trek interpretations on the big screen with a full orchestral accompaniment. Recently the Hammersmith Apollo entertained two sold out audiences to the world premiere of Hans Zimmer Revealed; an intimate albeit loud extravaganza where Hans and friends performed a variety of beloved scores to his adoring fan base and industry admirers. These events are becoming a ‘who’s who’ affair. You can quite simply star spot and this shows you something about the rising profile of composers and their musical creations.

Whilst I can talk about individual concerts or live screenings (which have been happening for a number of years; particularly in the UK with the Kevin Brownlow and Carl Davis collaborations) more recently we have been given an opportunity to become more engaged with the composers themselves, to take part in conference talks, to host symposiums focusing on the industry whilst at the same time enjoying highlights of their repertoires at evening performances. There has been a huge investment and construction of the Film Music Festival market. The question to ask is why?

In simple terms, after many years in the shadows it is now possible to recognise, reward and share in the art form that many film goers often overlooked. The industry and the fans have amalgamated into a hybrid group that wants to raise the profile to the highest possible level and present a more gentile and creative side to the film industry. Visit any film festival in the world that features high profile stars and the chances are you will be cordoned off to a spectator area; visit a film music festival and you will find yourself sharing a beer with a composer, networking with an agent, having breakfast with fellow composers and enjoying a conference talk with like minded friends. There is a great deal to be had from attending this circuit of events and familiar faces turn into long-term friendships at a very rapid rate. This is not to say that you will have the perfect experience at every event, but you will come away with the satisfaction of knowing you have had an opportunity to dissect, digest and diatribe over this one audible common interest. To spend an hour watching composers engage and sign CDs for the dedicated fans shows you how much this is a two way process. The composers love the attention and honour of representing their art just as much as the fans enjoy posting their collection of selfies and autographs to their social feeds within seconds of the event happening. A strange but gentile symbiotic relationship has emerged between all parties involved in ensuring these events are a success (2014 saw some festivals celebrating their 10th anniversary and this is no mean feat in a dangerously precarious economic environment).

There have been failed events; the Soundtracks Festival held in Wales was forced to disband after 4 years due to a cut in government funding and there was the grandiose SOCINEMAD in Madrid which mysteriously disappeared from the circuit. It is a shame to see events fold as the interest is there; it seems that some just do not have the appropriate strategy in place to ensure longevity. So is there a model that offers the best fit approach for any aspiring festival producers? Here are some musings to consider:

Location

Put the festival in easy reach of transportation. It is essential to consider the international audience. You do not want to have invited guests, your audience or even your orchestra making elongated journeys to get to the venues you are using. At the same time maximising what your location has to offer visitors is definitely a beneficial approach. It is a balancing act but nobody wishes to have that long journey to or from a scheduled event; particularly not at 4am in the morning.

Guests

Do you go for the main attraction and spend a big budget on getting a crowd pleaser? Or do you cover all your bases and offer a variety of different composers that will attract a bigger audience, be more insightful as well as being more intimate in the running of the festival. Also, ensure that guests are given the appropriate level of attention; inviting them means they need to be looked after just as much as the A-lister; this is an industry after all where people talk and share their experiences, even more so with the online environment.

Young composers should where possible be made to feel welcome. They are here for an award, to network or simply to admire and learn... one day you may be wanting to invite them back to your festival so it is a good idea to incorporate them as much as possible and give them a smaller VIP experience.

Pricing

Keep things realistic, people want value for money. If the budget has been overspent carelessly then simply inflating the prices will potentially makes things worse. Also, are the locations for the conference talks, signing sessions, dinners and awards reflective of the money being invested in them? Everywhere is different granted, but remember that you are showcasing your town and your event. First impressions count for a lot and they certainly keep the bank balance happy.

If festival passes are being offered then what else does that get the attendees? Discounts, travel reductions, goodie bags etc.. get the creative team together and come up with some ideas.

Buying the pass/tickets needs to be a simple process that is understood by all fans. There are so many websites that will handle your ticket sales for a nominal charge that this will alleviate a lot of pressure in the long run.

Concerts and Producers

Composers, audience members and the press expect quality. Nobody wants to put their name to a mediocre setup so this is something that needs to be set from the foundation stage. So often it is evident that the orchestra does not particularly enjoy playing film music but there is so much to be gained from making them look enthusiastic about playing music in front of the composers. Also, get an expert involved in terms of producing the concerts. The advice available from these industry insiders will be invaluable and will raise the professional aspect of your event to a much greater level.

If there are going to be introductions, speeches and presentations during the concerts these have to be rehearsed (along with an agreed running order). The last thing you need is an audience fidgeting or laughing due to an awkward pregnant pause.

Marketing and Press Access

A quick search of the websites gives you an immediate feel for how the festival may well function. Slick design with interactive media, key information and a regular news feed keeps everyone in the loop. Get a good PR team involved who will ensure your virtual face of the festival is enticing to the industry, audience and investors! Relying on a Facebook and Twitter feed is ok as long as it is linked with your main site, but solely using social media is a recipe for disaster (particularly if you look at the number of likes and followers – use these numbers for your marketing plan!). So much activity is conducted online that is worth investing in advertising space where possible, or at least targeting the social media feeds of industry groups. This is where a good PR team can push your festival in the right direction.

There are more bloggers, reporters, photographers than ever that want to be involved with the festival and whilst it is difficult to accommodate them all you need to try where possible. Get a good press team and PR team together to keep these equally important people in the loop. A bad experience is often remembered for a long time and will get shared amongst the network. An empty press office is a bad image, just as much as a hidden one.

Event Name

It needs to be something that can be marketed well and that fans will be able to share easily. I am a big believer of the ‘keep it simple’ approach and the name has to be straight forward. If the festival is intended for an international audience then ensure it meets that criteria; you do not want to have foreign visitors leave with a bad experience so be mindful of the cultural and linguistic barriers that may be faced by those attending.

Feedback

Do not be afraid to gain feedback from your guests (industry and fans) as this will help shape future events and make things better for everyone. Engage in dialogue, read forum threads and most of all be prepared to admit when things have not gone according to plan.

These are only thoughts that I have had from my own experiences, but there are some things that have stayed with me a examples of excellent presentation and there have been farcical moments that I will long remember. I will continue to travel around the globe with my camera to the various festivals as I love meeting everyone associated with them, I work with a number of esteemed composers regularly, my business enterprise is associated with the composer industry and I also feel the need to promote the art form of music composition as much as possible as long as I have the opportunity to do so. Film music has given me so much pleasure over the years and I would like to pass that enthusiasm onto the next generation.

Where will the next festival be? Who knows but if I can be there I certainly will...

NOTABLE FESTIVALS

Hollywood in Vienna – Vienna, Austria

www.hollywoodinvienna.com

World Soundtrack Awards – Ghent, Belgium

www.worldsoundtrackawards.com

Transatlantyk – Posnan, Poland

www.transatlantyk.org/en

Film Music Festival – Krakow, Poland

www.fmf.fm/en

FIMUCITÉ – Tenerife, Spain

www.fimucite.com