Become the Composer They Really Want to Work With
Jul 10, 2025
On Monday, I sat in on a seminar between composers Austin Wintoryand Bear McCreary.
It was an hour and a half conversation packed with fantastic info on career longevity, collaboration, and the creative process!
They covered a lot but what really stuck out to me wasn't necessarily about composing or a business hack. It was something much more personal. Something Bear pointed to as the real key...
Enthusiasm.
It sounds so simple, but their discussion created such a clear picture of what that enthusiasm looks like in practice. It’s more than just a love for music. It’s a shared, genuine excitement for the medium you're working in.
They brought up how game developers want to hire composers who are also gamers. Bear said that if you don't play games but you're trying to break into the game music field, you're probably not getting hired without over another composer who deeply loves video games!
This isn't unique to gaming either. A director is looking for a "fellow filmmaker" who "speaks their language."
Ultimately, it's about being a true collaborator with a mutual passion for the project itself.
Think about the last time a project truly excited you! I always found the impulse is often to start coming up with ideas immediately.
I really liked how this seminar underscored the importance of honoring that instinct.
When Austin Wintory first heard the pitch for the game Journey (a wordless story told through gameplay and visual-only cutscenes) he was so inspired by the idea that he went and composed the main theme right away.
That initial, unfiltered excitement can be a valuable asset.
The energy is contagious.
People want to collaborate with the person who is so inspired by an idea that they can't help but bring it to life.
That passion is usually the source of our most authentic and memorable work!
Now, while that initial spark is great to start, sustaining that energy over a multi-year project is a different challenge entirely.
Long-term projects, especially in game development, can test your creative stamina. Austin brought up his work on the upcoming Towerborne.
To create a dynamic and musical score that served the game itself, his team developed a complex system that needed multiple, complete orchestral performances for a single piece of music.
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