Talent Agency First Artists Management Launches UK Composer Assistant And Mentor Programme

1. Aspiring young film and TV composers from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply for the mentoring scheme and opportunity for a full-time paid placement.
2. Composer Mentors for the programme from the First Artists Management roster include David Arnold, Ré Olunuga, and Gazelle Twin.
3. In partnership with Youth Music, C.A.M.P. aims to help increase diversity in the Music for Screen industry.

First Artists Management (FAM)—the international talent agency representing composers and music supervisors—has announced the launch of its inaugural Composer Assistant and Mentor Programme (C.A.M.P.). In partnership with Youth Music, the initiative welcomes aspiring music makers aged 18-25, based in England, Scotland or Wales. With a focus on underrepresented groups, it aims to create opportunities to break into the music for screen industry.

C.A.M.P. is open to anyone making music (regardless of any traditional musical background, university degree, connections or support to work for free) who can demonstrate passion, grit and talent for scoring for film and TV. Applicants are required to submit a written or filmed statement, plus a link to their music, to be assessed by a panel of industry experts. On September 13, ten participants selected for level one will be announced, and two from this cohort will graduate to level two.

Upon entry into the programme, mentees will gain knowledge of the industry, build a portfolio and grow their network – providing important steps to a career in composing for media. Level one, commencing end September 2022, over five weeks, includes an online educational series, practical advice and tips on the industry as well as one-to-one mentoring with experienced composer mentors including David Arnold, Alex Baranowski, Anne Chmelewsky, Benji Merrison, CJ Mirra, Ré Olunuga, Paul Saunderson, Will Slater, Gazelle Twin, and Joe Wilson.

Level one culminates with mentees pitching on a short film, judged by a panel of professional composers. Two candidates will progress to level two of the programme – a three-month full-time paid Composer Assistant Placement, commencing November 2022. Working alongside top-tier talent, the composer assistants will learn the process of scoring on a large-scale production, developing their technical skills, expanding their network and gaining all-important credits.

Hamish Duff, head of FAM’s European office in London, says: “C.A.M.P. is designed to be a platform to encourage new voices to enter into the music for screen industry by firstly demystifying this area of business as well as offering practical tips and opportunities for young composers to go on and create excellent work.

“The programme is also designed to be a resource for other composers, agencies and productions looking for rising young composers and assistants, with candidates joining our talent network for ongoing support.”

The music for screen industry is dominated by white men and a lack of diverse representation runs through the history of top-level film and TV industry award-nominees and winners in this area. The 2021 edition of the Celluloid Ceiling report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film shows that just 7% of the top 250 grossing films featured work from female composers. Research on the representation of other demographics of music for screen composers is lacking, however, various estimates suggest that around 8% of English language films commercially distributed in 2020 were scored by people of colour.

In a 2021 Variety article, Composers Diversity Collective co-founder Michael Abels says: “For our society to become truly inclusive will take a generation. The question is whether we have the focus and understanding and commitment to make sure that it becomes a reality.”

FAM is a leading international talent agency specialising in the representation of composers and music supervisors for visual media. Founded in Los Angeles in 2003, FAM has remained independent and family-owned, with the European office in London set up by industry veteran Duff in 2019 to provide a full transatlantic service for clients. It expanded with the launch of record label First Artists Recordings in 2021.

The FAM composer roster boasts Oscar winners and nominees Carter Burwell, John Ottman and Javier Navarrete, through to emerging talent working on some of the biggest film, TV and game titles including Casino Royale, Pan’s Labyrinth and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. In the UK in 2021, composer Hannah Peel received a Mercury Prize nomination, Blanck Mass won the Best Original Film Score Ivor Novello for Calm With Horses while Eimear Noone and David Arnold were also nominated. Film and TV credits in 2022 include Gazza (Blanck Mass), Hustle (Dan Deacon), Morbius (Jon Ekstrand), Ten Percent (Rael Jones), The Green Planet (Benji Merrison and Will Slater), The Midwich Cuckoos (Hannah Peel), The Pentaverate (Orbital), and True Things (Alex Baranowski) to name a few.

Deadline for applications to the First Artists Management Composer Assistant and Mentor Programme is Friday, August 26, 2022 APPLY HERE