# Respuestas de Marc Jovani **Fecha:** 2025-03-05 10:55:17 **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:** I started my journey in music during the summer of 1994 in Spain, when my uncle Paco first taught me guitar. Like many creative journeys, mine wasn't straightforward - I initially struggled with piano and was rejected twice from the Conservatory of Castellón. But those early rejections were crucial - they taught me persistence and determination. Eventually, I was accepted as an auditing student, studying under Maestro Ferrer Ferran. Though my first composition was harshly criticized (he literally told me to "tear it to pieces"), I refused to give up. I went from being the worst student in class to graduating with honors, which led to my acceptance at USC's prestigious Screen Scoring program. The real breakthrough came in 2016 when my wife Ali and I moved to Los Angeles with barely $10,000 to our name. Those early days were challenging - we built a desk from bricks because we couldn't afford furniture, and I made 100 calls daily trying to find work. After losing my main client, I didn't work on a major project for nearly three years. Everything changed 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 appeared on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and SyFy Channel. I've recorded at the Warner Bros. scoring stage and built relationships with major studios. Alongside my composing career, I founded Cinematic Composing, which has grown to over 16,000 students worldwide. This educational path wasn't planned, but it's become as rewarding as my composition work. What I've learned through this journey is that success isn't just about talent - it's about persistence, belief in yourself, and the courage to keep going when others tell you it's impossible. --- ## 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 a film composer working with major studios like Netflix, FOX, and Lionsgate, the biggest obstacles I've faced weren't always what people might expect. One of the most significant challenges was actually establishing myself in Hollywood after moving from Spain. When my wife Ali and I arrived in LA in 2016, we had very little money, no connections, and no credit score. I remember building a desk from bricks because we couldn't afford real furniture! Those early days tested my resolve – making hundreds of cold calls to directors and producers with almost no response. The turning point came through persistence and relationship-building. After a small $700 project, a friend recommended me to a client who took a chance on me. That relationship turned into twelve more films and counting. I learned that in this industry, one solid connection can change everything. Another major obstacle has been tight deadlines combined with high expectations. On one project, I had to create 60 minutes of orchestral music in just three weeks – that's about 2.5 minutes of finished music per day. I overcame this by developing efficient templates and workflows that allowed me to maintain quality while meeting impossible deadlines. Self-doubt has also been a persistent challenge. There was a period where I went three years without a major project, questioning if I was good enough for Hollywood. I learned to separate my identity from external validation and focus on continuous improvement instead. The most valuable lesson I've learned is that technical expertise alone isn't enough – relationships, reliability, and resilience matter more. When directors know they can trust you to deliver quality work on time, even under pressure, they'll keep coming back and recommending you to others. --- ## 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 find that neoclassical style and piano both have tremendous storytelling power in film scoring. Their roles are quite distinct yet complementary. The neoclassical approach offers a wonderful balance between traditional orchestral language and contemporary sensibilities. What makes it particularly effective in film is its ability to connect with audiences through familiar musical structures while still feeling fresh. When I need to convey emotional depth without being overtly romantic or when working on period pieces that require historical connection without sounding dated, neoclassical elements provide that perfect middle ground. The piano specifically has become almost archetypal in film music. It functions beautifully as both a solo instrument for intimate moments and as a textural element within larger orchestrations. What I appreciate most about piano in scores is its chameleon-like quality - it can represent innocence, nostalgia, tension, or emotional vulnerability depending on how it's used. In my own work, I often employ piano when I need to establish a character's internal world. There's something about its timbre that immediately connects audiences to a character's emotional state. For narrative construction, I find piano particularly useful for thematic development - establishing a simple motif that can later be expanded into full orchestral moments. The neoclassical influence appears most in my approach to harmony and development. I appreciate how composers like Thomas Newman, Alexandre Desplat, and Dario Marianelli blend classical structures with contemporary colors. This balance allows the music to support the story without becoming overbearing. Ultimately, I believe the effectiveness of any stylistic choice comes down to serving the film's emotional needs rather than showcasing compositional technique. The piano and neoclassical elements persist in film scoring precisely because they provide such versatile storytelling tools. --- ## 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 composing for high-level cinematic productions, I've developed several essential practices to balance inspiration with the demands of productivity. First, I intentionally separate conceptualization from execution. I dedicate my early morning hours (usually 5-7 AM) to pure creative thinking – sketching themes, exploring emotional palettes, and mapping the dramatic structure of the project. This is when my mind is clearest, before emails and notifications hijack my attention. I often use this time away from the computer, working with a notebook or my Remarkable tablet instead of diving straight into DAW work. For actual composition time, I rely heavily on "time blocking" – scheduling uninterrupted 90-120 minute sessions where I work with complete focus. I've found this to be the sweet spot where I can enter a flow state without exhaustion. During these blocks, all notifications are turned off and my space is prepared specifically for music creation. What's absolutely essential is implementing what I call "creative resets" throughout the day. For me, this includes physical activities that trigger flow states – surfing, skating, or mountain biking – combined with recovery practices like cold plunges or sauna sessions. These aren't luxuries but necessities that dramatically improve the quality of my creative output. After these resets, I consistently produce better ideas and make stronger musical decisions. I also maintain different physical spaces for different types of work. My creative conceptualization space differs from my production studio, which helps my brain automatically shift into the appropriate mode for each task. Perhaps most importantly, I've learned that creativity doesn't thrive under chronic stress. While deadlines and pressure are unavoidable in film composition, I manage my energy through intentional recovery periods. This prevents burnout and maintains the emotional connection to the project – essential for creating music that genuinely connects with the audience. The balance is never perfect, but this structured approach has allowed me to deliver consistent quality across multiple productions while maintaining my creative enthusiasm. --- ## 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 Cinematic Composing, I've found these dual careers create a fascinating symbiosis. Teaching forces me to articulate concepts I might otherwise execute intuitively, which has made me more deliberate and thoughtful in my own compositional process. My entrepreneurial journey has actually enhanced my composing career in unexpected ways. Running a business teaches you incredible discipline and time management - skills that translate directly to meeting film deadlines. When you're scoring a film with 60+ minutes of music due in just weeks, those organizational skills become invaluable. Plus, my teaching has connected me with talented composers worldwide, some of whom I've collaborated with on larger projects. Looking ahead, I'm pursuing several parallel paths. As a composer, I'm focused on more emotionally complex dramatic projects that push my creative boundaries. I completed one film this year after doing five last year, and I'm being more selective to ensure each project genuinely excites me. For Cinematic Composing, we're developing more comprehensive support systems for composers navigating the business side of music. Many talented composers struggle not with creating great music, but with finding consistent work. We're building frameworks to help bridge that gap - taking the entrepreneurial aspects I've learned and making them accessible to artists who might not naturally think in business terms. My ultimate goal is creating sustainable career paths for composers. The traditional "all or nothing" approach to film composing isn't the only way. I'm passionate about showing composers how to build fulfilling careers while maintaining financial stability and work-life balance. --- ## 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:** If there's one message I'd like to share with aspiring composers, it's this: your journey is yours alone, and the path to creating soundtracks for film isn't about perfection—it's about persistence and staying true to your unique voice. When I moved to LA in 2016, I had nothing but determination. No connections, minimal funds, and plenty of doubts. I literally built my first desk out of bricks because I couldn't afford a real one. What kept me going wasn't talent alone—it was resilience through countless rejections and the belief that I had something unique to contribute. The film music world can seem impenetrable from the outside, but here's what I've learned: technical skill matters, but your distinct musical perspective matters more. Directors don't hire composers simply because they can write good music—they hire composers who tell stories through sound in ways nobody else can. Don't waste years trying to sound like someone else. The industry already has a Hans Zimmer, a John Williams, a Hildur Guðnadóttir. What it doesn't have is you—your specific musical voice, your unique way of interpreting emotion and narrative. Most importantly, understand that success rarely happens overnight. My breakthrough came after years of struggle, when a friend unexpectedly recommended me for a project that led to a lasting client relationship. Sometimes your big break comes from the most unexpected places. Remember that composition is a lifelong journey. Focus on meaningful progress rather than perfection, and don't let fear of failure stop you from putting your music into the world. The path isn't always glamorous, but if you persist, adapt, and remain true to your voice, you'll find your place in this industry. ---