Articles
Notes on film scoring, orchestration, and much more.
9 Years as a Video Game Composer: What I Learned
Aug 5, 2026
Jay Lee, co-author of Behind the Score, looks back on nine years as an in-house game composer and shares what the job is really like, from daily workflow to creative challenges.
Leitmotifs in Iconic Film Soundtracks
Aug 2, 2026
How leitmotifs shape film storytelling — from Wagner and Max Steiner to John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Asian cinema.
Motivic Development in Film Composition
Jul 21, 2026
How composers take a short musical motive and transform it across a film score — with examples from Psycho, Inception, The Lord of the Rings, and The Godfather.
Recommended Books for Film Composers (2026 Update)
Jun 23, 2026
A list of essential books for film and media composers (2026).
The Musical World of Studio Ghibli: Joe Hisaishi’s Musical Genius
Jun 3, 2025
Joe Hisaishi’s musical language across Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle — themes, orchestration, and the craft behind Studio Ghibli’s sound.