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Raphael Fimm: »My music should also work without the film«
The start into working life is exciting, exhausting - and often completely different than planned. In the series “My first year in the job” young professionals tell how they experienced this time. This time: Raphael Fimm, 29, composes music for feature films, podcasts and documentaries.
»When I was 17, I saw› Cinema Paradiso ‹, my favorite film to this day.
When I was sitting in the cinema back then, I felt for the first time how deeply film music can touch me.
Ennio Morricone, the composer of the soundtrack, is still a role model for me.
Immediately after graduating from high school, I got a scholarship to study media composition.
After a year at the private university, I had my college certificate as a composer.
But I didn't feel ready to start my own business yet.
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In order to secure myself financially for the future, I started studying mathematics.
Because of all the studying I couldn't get around to composing - and realized how important music is to me.
I took online courses at Berklee College of Music, got my first international assignments and gained confidence in my skills.
After graduating there, I quit math and started my own business.
At the moment I mostly write music for independent projects.
Films in a loop
I ended up watching hundreds of times every film scene that I put music on.
First I go through the film with the director.
We analyze what happens in the scenes, what the mood is like, which lines of dialogue, cuts and tracking shots I emphasize musically.
When I start composing, I sit at the piano a lot, play melodies that I have in my head or improvise.
As soon as concrete ideas come up, I watch the scene again and again and try on the keyboard how I can incorporate the music.
Later on, I fall back on leitmotifs that run through the film.
My claim to myself is that the music should work without the film.
Sometimes I find it difficult to access a scene.
Then the words of the House of Cards composer Jeff Beal help me.
He once said that in every film you can find an inspiring moment, such as an interesting camera angle.
I often come up with new ideas from this point of view.
The music for my projects often comes from the computer; the budget for independent films is rarely enough for studio recordings.
I can record entire soundtracks with orchestral sound libraries.
Nevertheless, I try to have at least part of every project recorded, even if it's just a solo violin.
For me it is a nice feeling when my music is played.
Sundays are free
Monday to Friday I usually work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturdays I finish earlier, on Sundays I take time off.
I only end work when I have a feeling of closure.
As long as ideas are still buzzing through my head, that means for me: I have the energy and creativity to keep going.
There is a lot of competition in film composition.
The work ethic applies: ›You can only get far if you live for your job.‹ That's why I put a lot of pressure on myself in the beginning and worked through every day until I went to bed, including the weekends.
I only realized that this lifestyle wasn't working for me when I got sick.
After a year of self-employment, I got pneumonia and intestinal inflammation.
It took me a few months to completely recover.
That my body no longer obeyed me was completely new to me.
Since then I have known how important it is to find a reasonable balance in everyday work - and I take my time off on Sundays if possible.
Average earnings: 1,800 euros per month
I don't dream of a life in LA I feel good in Vienna and I get international assignments here too.
I strive to be able to make a living from film composition so that I don't have to worry financially.
This year I'll be paying an average of 1,800 euros per month.
That is not enough in the long term.
more on the subject
Talents and career choice: should I have become a painter? By Helene Flachsenberg
Financially, a South African cinema film was my greatest success: ›Zulu Wedding‹, for which I received 15,000 euros at the time.
And with my soundtrack for the animated film ›Le Constructeur du Malheur‹ I was nominated for a Hollywood award.
The thought that I had to work towards a breakthrough used to make me very insecure.
Now I don't put any more pressure on myself.
I don't expect that one moment that will change everything anyway.
I tend to believe that my network will continue to grow until I have enough jobs for a year in advance. "
Have you just started your career yourself and would like to tell us about it? Then write to us at SPIEGEL-Start@spiegel.de.
