It’s Not Just The Music

After a surprise meeting with an old friend at the @AmberRunUK gig in Oxford, I couldn’t help but write a blog post about music. But it’s not what you might expect.

This friend is a professional music composer, with almost 60 TV and film credits (including many of the BBC’s blockbuster series).  He’s successful and wealthy.  He has so much work he has to turn people away.  Now you’d think that’s because of his talent (huge) and his creativity (unquestioned).  But he made a really interesting comment.  He told me that he consistently writes and produces one hour of music per week.  Yes, PER WEEK.  We all know that musicians can take years to produce an album that’s usually less than one hour long.  So how does he do it? And, more importantly, why does he do it?

He does it because that defines his value.  He knows that makes him distinctive.  With TV producers running to tight deadlines they need trusted delivery.  No-one would question his talent for writing music that meets the brief.  But it’s not just the music.  Even in the complex and creative world of composing, it’s about results.  Being able to deliver on time and on budget is what gets you the reputation that brings you the work.

So why the blog post? It’s a universal truth.  He’s in the creative industry, and you might expect some different rules. But that’s not the case.  Fundamentally, all business is about results.  And the combination of talent and results is what makes us #standout.