There are no rules to music in film. It can be subtle and restrained, working on the subconscious. It can be obnoxious and unsettling. It can compliment what goes on screen, go against it, or say something completely unrelated. In the end, as long as the music serves the film, it's my job to write it.

My job a a composer is to work with the director to find the musical demands of a film and then bring together the forces necessary to achieve those demands. Those forces could be anything from a solo guitarist to a full orchestra. It all depends on the demands of the film.

Sometimes that job entails writing every piece of music you hear in the film. Sometimes I'm weaving my score in and out of the film's popular soundtrack. And sometimes I work directly with other artists to direct, record, and sculpt their own musical performances to fit the dramatic arc of the film.

In many cases the budget limits us to only one or two real musicians filling out the rest of the score with synthesized instruments. But as realistic as modern synths have become, they will never be able to provide the musical spontaneity of live players. They are always worth the money.