# Respuestas de Marc Jovani **Fecha:** 2025-03-01 05:22:30 **Modelo:** claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219 **Temperature:** 1.0 --- ## Pregunta 1 **Pregunta:** Who is Marc Jovani and how did your journey begin, from your first steps in music to becoming an internationally recognized composer in the world of film soundtracks? **Respuesta de Marc:** Hi there! I'm Marc Jovani, a film composer, entrepreneur, and founder of Cinematic Composing. My musical journey began in Spain in the summer of 1994 when my uncle Paco taught me my first guitar lessons. Like many composers, my path wasn't straightforward - I was actually rejected twice from the Conservatory of Castellón before finally being accepted as an auditing student! Under the guidance of Maestro Ferrer Ferran, I faced some harsh realities. My first composition was so critically received that he told me to "tear it to pieces and throw it away or hide it in a drawer where it'll be forgotten forever." Instead of giving up, I used that criticism as motivation. I went from being the worst student in class to graduating with honors. After studying sound engineering and being accepted to both Berklee and USC, I took the leap to Los Angeles in 2016 with my wife Ali. We arrived with just three suitcases, a computer, and about $10,000 to our name. Those early days were challenging - we built a desk out of bricks because we couldn't afford furniture, and I went through a period of making 100 cold calls daily trying to find work. The pivotal moment came when a friend recommended me to a client who became a long-term collaborator. Since then, I've composed for over 30 films that have been distributed on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Lifetime. I've had the privilege of recording at prestigious venues like the Warner Bros. scoring stage and working with some of Hollywood's finest musicians. Along the way, I founded Cinematic Composing, which has grown to over 16,000 students worldwide. My philosophy combines practical learning with mentorship - something I wish I'd had earlier in my career. What I've learned is that success in film composition isn't just about musical talent, but also about persistence, building relationships, and maintaining confidence even when facing rejection. The journey from that small town in Spain to Hollywood has been challenging but incredibly rewarding. --- ## Pregunta 2 **Pregunta:** Working with major studios like Netflix, FOX, and Lionsgate undoubtedly brings significant challenges. What have been the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome those moments? **Respuesta de Marc:** As someone who has scored for major platforms like Netflix, Lionsgate, and FOX, I've encountered several substantial challenges throughout my career. The biggest obstacle was actually establishing myself in Hollywood after moving from Spain to Los Angeles in 2016. We arrived with almost nothing - just three suitcases, a computer, and barely $10,000 after legal fees and plane tickets. I had to build a makeshift desk with bricks because we couldn't afford proper furniture. I was making 100 cold calls daily trying to find work, but nothing was happening. After a small $700 project, I went nearly three years without landing a significant film. During this period, self-doubt became overwhelming. I started questioning if I was good enough for Hollywood. What ultimately changed everything wasn't some brilliant strategy but simple human connection - a friend recommended me to a client who became my long-term collaborator. I've now scored 12+ movies with them. Another major challenge was adapting to American production workflows. In Spain, I might have weeks to score a scene. In Hollywood, especially on TV movies, you often need to deliver 60 minutes of music in just three weeks - that's about 2-3 minutes of finished music daily. I had to completely transform my workflow, creating robust templates and systems that allowed me to maintain quality while working incredibly fast. The biggest technical challenge was that many Hollywood projects have temp tracks - pre-existing music editors place as reference. While helpful as guidelines, temp tracks create enormous pressure to match something that might have taken weeks to create and had a massive orchestra. I overcame this by analyzing patterns across similar films and developing frameworks that allowed me to capture the essence without simply mimicking. These challenges ultimately made me better. Each obstacle forced me to develop systems and approaches that now define my compositional voice. The resilience I built during those difficult years prepared me for the opportunities that eventually came. --- ## Pregunta 3 **Pregunta:** How do you view the role of the neoclassical style and the presence of the piano in film score composition? Does this style influence your work or how you construct musical narratives? **Respuesta de Marc:** As a film composer, I've always found the neoclassical style and piano to be incredibly powerful storytelling tools in film music. They occupy a special place in the scoring landscape because of their emotional versatility and accessibility. The piano specifically serves multiple functions in my scoring approach. It can be the intimate, solitary voice that connects directly with a character's inner world - something I've used frequently in dramatic projects. But it also works beautifully as a textural element within larger orchestral passages, adding that human touch to more complex arrangements. What makes neoclassical approaches so effective in film is their ability to feel both contemporary and timeless simultaneously. The style bridges traditional orchestral language with modern sensibilities, giving directors something that feels fresh yet emotionally familiar to audiences. In my own work, I often use piano-centered neoclassical elements when I need emotional transparency. When scoring scenes with complex emotional subtext, the piano can communicate directly to the audience in ways that sometimes even dialogue cannot. The style's harmonic language - often employing modal shifts and subtle dissonances - allows for emotional nuance that's particularly effective in character-driven narratives. That said, I'm careful not to rely exclusively on these elements. The neoclassical approach is most powerful when it's used purposefully - when it serves the story rather than becoming a default choice. There's nothing worse than piano scores that feel generic or manipulative. Each film demands its own unique musical identity, and sometimes that means moving away from neoclassical conventions entirely. But when the style aligns with the storytelling needs, it remains one of the most direct ways to create an emotional connection between audience and narrative. --- ## Pregunta 4 **Pregunta:** Given the complexity of composing for high-level cinematic productions, do you follow a specific routine to stimulate your creativity? What practices do you consider essential to balancing inspiration and productivity? **Respuesta de Marc:** When it comes to balancing inspiration and productivity while composing for films, I've developed a specific approach over years of professional work. I prioritize my "creative time" during early morning hours, typically 5:00-7:00 AM. This is when my mind is freshest and least cluttered by external demands. During this period, I focus on conceptual work - developing themes, sketching emotional arcs for scenes, and exploring musical ideas - rather than technical production. The foundation of my creative process involves establishing clear creative spaces. I use different physical locations for different types of work: one space dedicated to pure composition and ideation (often away from the computer), and another for production and technical implementation. This spatial separation creates mental clarity and helps trigger the right mindset for each phase. For stimulating creativity specifically, I find that regular immersion in flow-inducing activities outside music is essential. Surfing, skating, or mountain biking puts me in a state where creative connections happen naturally. These activities aren't distractions but crucial reset mechanisms that prevent burnout and actually enhance productivity. Structure is equally important. I block my day intentionally, separating creative work from "hustle" work. After my morning creative session and exercise, I tackle more technical aspects of composition - orchestration, production, and mixing - during the middle of the day when my analytical brain functions best. Perhaps counterintuitively, one of my most productive practices is implementing regular recovery periods. A combination of sauna sessions and cold plunges helps reset my nervous system when I feel creatively drained. I monitor my physiological state closely, as I've found creative blockages often stem from prolonged stress rather than lack of ideas. Finally, I've learned that creativity isn't mystical but systematic. By creating the right conditions - clear intention, appropriate environment, physical well-being, and defined boundaries - the muse tends to show up consistently, making film composition both reliable and inspired. --- ## Pregunta 5 **Pregunta:** In addition to being a composer, you are also the cofounder of Cinematic Composing. How has this entrepreneurial experience influenced your musical career? What are your upcoming goals, both as a composer and as an educator and entrepreneur? **Respuesta de Marc:** As a film composer who also runs an educational business, I've found that these dual paths have created a fascinating synergy in my professional life. Starting Cinematic Composing fundamentally changed how I approach my composing work. When you teach something, you're forced to analyze and systematize what you do instinctively. Breaking down my composing process to teach others has made me more deliberate and efficient in my own scoring work. The entrepreneurial side has also given me tremendous freedom as a composer. I can be selective about the film projects I take on, focusing on those that genuinely excite me creatively rather than having to accept everything that comes my way out of financial necessity. Last year I scored five films, this year I've been more selective – taking just one project while focusing on expanding our educational offerings. Looking ahead, I have some ambitious goals. As a composer, I'm aiming to work on larger projects with more substantial budgets and creative scope. I'm particularly drawn to thriller and dramatic projects that allow for emotional depth in the score. On the educational and entrepreneurial side, we've recently moved into new studio facilities, and I'm focused on refining our teaching frameworks. We've crossed 16,000 students, but I'm less interested in pure numbers and more focused on improving our completion and success rates. I'm developing new mentorship programs that combine the efficiency of online learning with the effectiveness of one-on-one guidance. The most exciting challenge ahead is finding innovative ways to combine both worlds – perhaps creating composing opportunities for our most promising students, developing collaborative scoring projects, or building better bridges between education and professional work in the industry. What's been most rewarding is seeing former students work on significant projects. When someone who learned from our programs lands their first major scoring job, it's as fulfilling as finishing one of my own films. --- ## Pregunta 6 **Pregunta:** What message would you like to share with aspiring composers or musicians who dream of creating soundtracks and pursuing a career in the film industry? **Respuesta de Marc:** As someone who's navigated the journey from rejection to establishing myself in Hollywood, I'd like to share something important with you. The path to becoming a film composer isn't about raw talent alone. When I moved to LA in 2016 with my wife Ali, we had nothing but determination. I faced countless rejections, built a desk from bricks because we couldn't afford furniture, and went three years without a major project. What I discovered was that the biggest obstacle wasn't my compositional ability - it was my self-belief. The moment I stopped questioning if I was "good enough" and started focusing on consistent improvement, doors began to open. The film industry values three things above all: reliability, problem-solving, and unique perspective. Directors don't hire you because you're technically perfect; they hire you because you bring their vision to life with heart and authenticity. My practical advice: Start small but finish everything. A completed $700 short film led to the connection that changed my career. Create a sustainable workflow that allows you to deliver consistently. Build relationships that transcend single projects - my longest client relationship has resulted in over 12 films together. Most importantly, remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. The composers who succeed aren't necessarily the most talented, but those who persist through rejection, continuously improve their craft, and approach each project with genuine passion. Your unique voice matters. The industry needs composers who bring fresh perspectives to storytelling through music. Focus less on comparing yourself to others and more on developing what makes your sound distinctive. The dream is achievable, but the path rarely looks like you imagine. Stay open to opportunities, be willing to adapt, and remember that each small project builds toward something greater. ---