Film music competition

PierreFunck · Post by **PierreFunck** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:12 am

The first International Film Music Competition will take place during the 8th Zurich Film Festival (September 20–30, 2012). The event is presented by the Zurich Film Festival and the Tonhalle Orchestra in collaboration with Forum Filmmusik. Participants are invited to compose a piece for orchestra to accompany a 6-minute short film. Composers from around the world aged 35 and under are eligible to enter. The Golden Eye is endowed with a  CHF 10.000 cash prize.

The winning composition will be announced during a finalist concert on September 27, 2012 at the Tonhalle in Zurich. The five best compositions as judged by a jury will be world-premiered by the Tonhalle Orchestra under the baton of David Zinman.

More information under http://www.filmmusiccompetition.ch

Cheers
Pitt

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:27 am

35 and under? What, are they afraid of us old guys... LOL!

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:17 pm

Ageism?

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 2:14 pm

Actually, James, it is rabidly popular in these types of competitions. If I wasn't making more money composing than they were offering I'd sue them. Darn, I miss having time for the really fun things in life. Oh well, back to loafing...

stubbsonic · Post by **stubbsonic** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 3:49 pm

It's common knowledge that composers older than 35 have an unfair advantage over those under 35. (but as Indiana Jones said, "It ain't the years. It's the miles."-- was it Indian Jones?)

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:10 pm

stubbsonic wrote:It's common knowledge that composers older than 35 have an unfair advantage over those under 35.

Really? And what would that advantage be? Experience? What of someone who got into composing late in life? If they have been composing only a few years, it would be the 35 year old who is being favored simply for his number of years. THAT is called discrimination. Period.

Frankly, I don't give a damn for myself. I've been composing professionally for more than 35 years and think the competitions are dull and stupid, for the most part. I do like a good piano competition since that can be judged on the technical merits, but original (composed) music and any intrinsic value, uniqueness, beauty, inspiration, meaning, and social significance is a completely subjective thing.

"Winning" a composing competition is not unlike winning a farting competition except that in farting competition leaves one more fulfilled. And it is a know fact that men over 35 can out fart men of younger years.

No my friend, the age thing is a bunch of bullsh•• and I am amazed no one has called these competitions out for it. Certainly a foreign competition can skirt the issue and BMI (and I suspect ASCAP, et al) call them "Student Competitions" but I believe may still apply the age limit as part of that. It's the student part that automatically eliminates those 35.5 year old upstarts from participating.

I would love to hear the argument for a 36 year old having an unfair advantage over a 35 year old. It is a made up number. To quote Red...

Oh know what you think it means, sonny, but to me it's a made up bullsh•• word so fellas like yourself can have a job...

Good luck with that.

PierreFunck · Post by **PierreFunck** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:51 pm

Well, I'm one of the organisers of this competition and I can assure you that I REALLY spoke up against an age limit, but, alas, to no avail... The prevailing argument was that it is common practice that composition competitions have an age limit of 35 – but I completely agree with MIDI Life Crisis that this argument is hardly understandable.

On the other hand, I imagine that a lot of people reading this forum are film composers (like me), and a good percentage of them are under 35 (unlike me), so this competition is still a great opportunity at least for SOME forum members, since there aren't that many competitions where the scores of five participants will be performed live by a top-class orchestra.

The actual purpose of my post was to make this competition known to as many people as possible. So I would be very grateful if this thread wouldn't drift away to a fundamental discussion about age limits in composition competitions.

Cheers
Pitt (way over 35 and still a student)

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:13 pm

Perhaps "previously unpublished" or early career I could understand better. An 80year old composer can be in his early career and his life experience should not count against him.

On the plus side, I applaud you for bring composed music for live musicians to the forefront in any way possible. If that means that age discrimination must be present for the boneheaded money folks, so be it. They are actually looking for an investment, not necessarily just a great composer, and it is a known fact that MOST OF THE TIME a 35 year old composer will live longer than an 80 year old composer.

I'm still waiting for the debate on why composers over 35 have an advantage inherent in their age? There is no valid argument for this.

PierreFunck · Post by **PierreFunck** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:31 pm

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:Perhaps "previously unpublished" or early career I could understand better. An 80year old composer can be in his early career and his life experience should not count against him.

I completely agree. (Just an example: I am 48 and working as a film composer since 2007, so I am still in my early career...)

But anyway, please help me spread the news about the competition!

Cheers
Pitt

Michael Canavan · Post by **Michael Canavan** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:06 pm

Yep, and I've never scored for a film but would love to and I'm 45. I don't think there's any merit in spreading the word for a competition that has a ridiculous requirement like an age limit. Sorry if you disagree, but I fit pretty much every argument that MLC presented, but I'm not dying anytime soon.

Not big on competitions anyway though, let's be honest it's going to end up being the guy/gal who sounds the most like a "film composer" ie the slickest most generic contestant will win, not the one who goes out on a limb of any kind..

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:11 pm

Of course entering such a competition sort of screams out that you aren't working as a composer and I much prefer the latter to the former. Besides, I cheat - I age.

skyy38 · Post by **skyy38** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:31 pm

James Steele wrote:Ageism?

Yeah, they want the next Hans Zimmer NOT John Williams....

stubbsonic · Post by **stubbsonic** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:14 pm

Yea, I was only kidding about the age thing. Of course it doesn't mean anything.

But I do wonder why they put that cut-off.

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:54 pm

It either means old folks can't write music or we do it so well that it creates an unfair advantage. Now let's say 18 year old Mendelssohn entered. No unfair advantage there. LOL!

It's discrimination but is of no consequence other than to massage the egos of the promoters. I wonder how old they are?

PierreFunck · Post by **PierreFunck** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 5:11 pm

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:It's discrimination but is of no consequence other than to massage the egos of the promoters. I wonder how old they are?

I think we discussed the sense and – especially – the nonsense of age limits quite thoroughly and objectively until now in this thread. I'd greatly appreciate that the discussion wouldn't drift away to personal offenses against the organising committee of this competition (of which I am a member).

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