Jamie Christopherson creates some amazing music!

I met Jamie right before he walked up to receive the award he just won, at the Hollywood Music Media Awards for  ”The War That Rages Within” song from  won Best Song For Video Game at the .

 

Check out this track he composed for an Armani Code campaign:

https://soundcloud.com/jamiechristopherson/armani-code-demo-v2

 

Jamie is skilled in many sides of the music arts, with a Master’s degree in Music under his belt, he has been focused on his craft for many-many years. Now, he has the great fortune of contributing scores to several popular video games and films. Working on scores for games such as ”Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams”, “The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II”, and “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance”, plus many other titles.

You can hear more of his work: HERE

We recently caught up with the super-busy composer, here’s what he had to share:

 

How do you describe your position at your company.

I’m the president and lead composer at Broken Silence Productions, where we specialize in original music creation and music event services.

 

 

How long have you known you wanted to do what you are currently working on?

I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be a film music composer. I grew up listening to classic film scores and fell in love with the art & craft of composing music to film. Over the years I’ve expanded out to many other media music endeavors (TV, commercials, video games, trailers) but it all comes down to my love of putting music to visuals in original and compelling ways.

 

Why are you passionate about what you do?

I’m passionate about writing music because it has a profound power to capture the imagination and change perception in the listener. Music can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be, but it really comes down to portraying a feeling that cannot be expressed with words alone.

 

How did you overcome your own doubts and the doubts of other people?

I have overcome my own doubts by putting one foot in front of the other. I’m in awe of many composers, both past and present, but the key is to try and draw inspiration from their music instead of comparing my music to theirs. It’s really important to try and develop one’s own style and voice.

 

What were some bumps you hit to get where you’re at now?

I’ve hit many, many bumps along the way, and presume that I will always hit bumps at every point along my career path. They include things like coming in 2nd place for many gigs and dealing with “pigeon holing” as for what style of music I can write. This is certainly not a business for the weak of heart. You have to be in it for the long haul, and be willing to do whatever it takes to keep going.

 

What is one thing you did wrong in the past that you can share with people?

One thing that I did wrong on a project early in my career was to present an incomplete demo for a producer. I got fired the next day. So now I won’t present any music until I’m completely confident with how it sounds and sure that it’s on a level that non-musical people can comprehend and relate to.

What is a way you got your name out there?

I’ve been involved with many high profile projects over the years, so my name has been out there in various ways. The music that I write and who I am as a composer is always changing. For example, earlier this year I wrote 13 heavy metal songs for big AAA video game called “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance”. While I had never written heavy metal on that scale before this game, now I’m known as the heavy metal composer in certain circles.

 

Is there anything that almost stopped you from doing this?

I’ve never faltered on my path from wanting to do what I’m doing. But there certainly have been tough times when the stress and workload can seem unbearable.

Is there anyone in your profession that you admire and/or model yourself after?

I highly admire the work of Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, John Williams, Thomas Newman and many other people working in the business today.

How do you continue to perfect your craft?

I write music on a daily basis, and try to look at each new composition as a training exercise in honing my craft. While it’s the big ideas that set the tone of a piece, the nuances are what really matter to make the piece stand out.

How do you envision the future of music?

Music is music and will always help people feel emotion and experience new feelings.

 

What’s some advice you can share for anyone who wants to pursue what you are doing?

My best advice is to practice, practice, practice. But while you practice, try to listen to the inner voice that tells you something sounds right. Usually this is the best way to go.

You have a nice online website. How much of your business is driven by your website?

I’ve had a website for many years, and it’s highly important. Without a website, it’s like your homeless on the web.

 

Where can people go to find out more about your projects?

You can follow my current music projects and activities at:

http://www.jamiechristopherson.com

 

 

Thanks a lot Jamie, for sharing your wisdom!

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