Film/TV Composer

WHAT YOU DO: A composer for film or television writes each part for the pieces of music that make up a film or TV show's score, creating music that communicates the settings, actions, and emotions of different scenes.

EDUCATION: A college degree - MFA is best - in music is almost always a must-have for a film or TV composer. In a music degree program you'll study music theory, composition, and performance, plus learn about conducting, scoring, music history, recording, composition software, and music business.

USEFUL SKILLS: Patience, musical talent, creativity. Composers have to be able to imagine what music will complement a movie and then work out how to create it.

HOW TO GET IN: After learning to play as many instruments as you can and studying music theory and composition, train under a professional composer.

CAREER PATH: Spend time as an apprentice to get some experience and develop music performing and writing skills with the help of a mentor. From here you might become a copyist, arranger, or orchestrator, before finding success as a composer.

PAYBACK: Median annual salary: $47,410.

DOWNSIDES: Long hours spent practicing and writing.

FUTURE OF JOB: The number of jobs is expected to increase 10-19% in the 2013-2023 decade, which is average.

NETWORKING: The Society of Composers and Lyricists offers an apprenticeship program: http://www.thescl.com/

Video produced by students at LACES (Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies) working with Gigniks' career media program.

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