7 Questions Every Filmmaker Should Ask Before Hiring a Composer

Working with Composers| Filmmaker Resources

October 15, 2025•11 min read

7 Questions Every Filmmaker Should Ask Before Hiring a Composer

You've found a composer whose reel sounds great. Their pricing fits your budget. Seems like a good personal connection.

So you hire them, sign a contract, and three weeks later you're getting mockups that completely miss the tone of your film. You're confused about their revision process, and you're realizing you should have asked more questions upfront.

Hiring a composer isn't like booking a vendor or crew member. It's choosing a creative collaborator who'll be with you through one of the most vulnerable parts of filmmaking as you turn your locked picture into something that grabs the viewers attention and doesn't let go.

The right questions before you sign anything can save you from sleepless nights, wasted money, and a score that doesn't serve your story.

Here are the seven questions I always advise directors to ask composers:

Question 1: "Why do directors typically hire you?"

This is the most revealing question you can ask. Skip the portfolio deep-dive for a minute and just ask them why filmmakers choose to work with them.

Why it matters: How composers answer this tells you what they think their value is. Do they lead with "I'm cheap"? Do they talk about their technical skills? Or do they understand what directors actually need? Are they focused on relationships and partnership?

What you're listening for: Self-awareness about their strengths and what they bring to a project. The best answers focus on collaboration, communication, and serving the story, not just "I write good music for films."

Red flag answer: "Because my music is amazing" or "I'm cheaper than other composers." The first shows ego, the second suggests they're undervaluing themselves (and probably you).

My green flag answer: "Directors tell me they hire me because I ask a lot of questions about their story before I touch an instrument. I'm not trying to make them use my sound. I'm trying to find the right sound for their vision. Also, I'm extremeley organized and hit deadlines, which seems rare in this business."

Follow-up questions:

What do past directors say about working with you?
Can you connect me with a recent director for a reference?
What type of filmmaker do you work best with?

This question gets past the sales pitch and into what they actually understand about the job.

Question 2: "What's your process?"

Simple question. If they can't answer it clearly, walk away.

Why it matters: Every composer has a different workflow. Some send sketches weekly. Some disappear for a month then dump everything on you at once. You need to know which type you're hiring. You also need to find someone who can be flexible when needed

What you're listening for:

Clear milestones and timeline
Communication frequency
Revision structure
How they handle feedback
What they need from you and when

Red flag answer: "I just kind of feel it out as I go" or vague responses about "letting the creative process unfold."

My green flag answer: "We start with a spotting session where we mark every cue. I will create a roadmap for you of key dates we need to hit on. I deliver sketches within two weeks, we do revisions check-ins on an agreeable schedule, then final production and delivery. The whole thing takes X weeks depending on the amount of music."

Follow-up questions:

How long does your typical project take?
When do you need picture lock?
What's your communication style during the process?

If they can't articulate their process, they probably don't have one. That's a problem.

Question 3: "What do you need from me to do your best work?"

This question flips the script and shows what kind of collaborator they are.

Why it matters: A good composer knows they need certain things from you to succeed. An inexperienced or difficult composer thinks they just need a video file and a check.

What you're listening for:

Locked picture in H.264 1080p mp4 format (for example)
Temp music, sound FX, and dialogue in in separate audio file
Clear communication about tone and emotion
Reference films or temp music discussions
Timely feedback on sketches
Understanding of your festival/distribution timeline

Red flag answer: "Nothing really, just send me the video and I'll handle it."

My green flag answer: "I need picture lock in X format, because re-timing music for editorial changes eats up time we could spend perfecting the score. I also need you to respond with feedback within 2 days so we stay on schedule. And it helps if you can point me to a few films that capture the emotional tone you're going for, not to copy, but to understand your taste."

Follow-up questions:

What slows down your process the most?
Have you ever walked away from a project? Why?
What makes a director easy to work with?

Their answer tells you if they've thought about collaboration or just see themselves as a service provider.

Question 4: "How do you handle revisions and feedback?"

You will need revisions. This is part of the process. How does this composer handle that reality?

Why it matters: Ego ruins film scores. You need someone who can take feedback, advocate for their ideas when appropriate, but ultimately serve your vision. You are hiring them for their professional opinion and expertise, but you are still in charge!

What you're listening for:

Revision policy (how many rounds included)
How they process critical feedback
What happens when there's creative disagreement

Red flag answer: "I usually nail it on the first try" or getting defensive about their artistic vision when you ask about revisions.

My green flag answer: "My contracts include X revision rounds because scoring is an iterative process. If something's not working, I want to understand why: is it the emotion, the pacing, the instrumentation? Sometimes I'll share if I think a direction might hurt the scene, but ultimately it's your film. I've had projects where we went through five versions when budget allowed for one cue before it clicked."

Follow-up questions:

Can you give me an example of tough feedback you received?
How did you handle it?
What's the most revisions you've done on a single cue?

If they can't talk about past revisions without getting defensive, working with them will be exhausting.

Question 5: "What's included in your fee, and what costs extra?"

Money gets weird when expectations aren't clear upfront.

Why it matters: That $3,000 quote might only cover composition, not mixing, not stems, not live musicians, not rush fees. You need to know what you're actually getting.

What you're listening for, a clear breakdown of:

What the base fee covers
Number of cues or minutes of music
Revision rounds included
Mixing and mastering
Stem delivery
Live musicians (or all virtual instruments)
Rush fees if timelines are tight

Red flag answer: "We'll figure it out as we go" or unclear pricing structure.

Green flag answer: "My fee covers the composition, virtual instruments, mixing, and delivery of stereo files. It includes X revision rounds and covers up to Y minutes of music. If you need live musicians recorded, that's additional because of studio time and player fees (these go right to the players an studio). Rush projects under four weeks have a Z% uplift. The composer retains all songwriter rights and the film retains a portion of publishing."

Follow-up questions:

What if I need more music than we initially planned?
Do you charge hourly for additional revisions?
What's your payment schedule?

This should all be in the contract, but ask before you get there. For more context on what hiring a composer, check out my complete guide to hiring an indie film composer

Question 6: "How do you work with others on the team?"

Your composer doesn't work in isolation. They're part of your post-production audio chain.

Why it matters: The composer, sound designer, dialogue editor, and mix engineer all need to play nice together. Some composers are territorial. Some sound designers hate composers. You need to know if your composer can collaborate.

What you're listening for:

Experience working with sound teams
How they deliver files for mixing
Communication with sound designers
Understanding of the final mix process

Red flag answer: "I just deliver the music exactly how it should be in the film. What happens after isn't my problem" or any hint of ego about their audio being untouchable.

My green flag answer: "I always deliver to your editor or sound editor so that they can balance the music with dialogue and sound design. I stay in touch with the sound team during final mix in case they need adjustments. Sometimes we need adjust if score is competing with final sound design or foley. Happy to attend the final mix session if you would like as well."

Follow-up questions:

What format do you deliver in?
Have you ever had conflicts with a sound designer?
How do you handle notes from the mixer?

Music that doesn't integrate with the rest of your audio is just expensive noise.

Question 7: "Can you walk me through all of your terms and the agreement?"

This is about rights, ownership, credits, and what happens if your film succeeds.

Why it matters: You need to know who owns what, who gets credited how, what happens if a streamer or distributor calls, and what your actual legal obligations are.

What you're listening for:

Clear ownership structure (work-for-hire vs. licensing)
Backend participation expectations
Credit requirements
Usage rights (festivals, distribution, marketing)
Cancellation terms
What happens if things go wrong

Red flag answer: Vague or defensive about contract terms, or "we can figure that out later." or "I don't do agreements, I don't like dealing with that"

Green flag answer: "I typically retain ownership and license the music to you perpetually for your film. That means I could collect backend royalties from streaming and theatrical, which doesn't cost you anything as those payments come from the platforms. You get full usage rights for the film, festival submissions, and marketing. I ask for proper composer credit on screen and IMDB. If the film gets distribution, I'll provide any additional paperwork they need. My contract also covers what happens if either of us needs to exit the project early."

Note: this is only one example, and responses are going to vary based on your, yes, your budget. Terms are greatly changed when we are talking micro-budget vs. fully funded films

Follow-up questions:

What if we want to release a soundtrack?
Can we use the music in trailers and marketing?
What exactly is the composer credit you require?

All of this should be in writing. If a composer is reluctant to put terms in a contract, that's a massive red flag. Professional composers have contracts. Always.

The Questions You Shouldn't Ask

While we're here, let's talk about questions that don't actually help:

"What software do you use?" Unless you're a composer or musician, this doesn't matter. Logic, Cubase, Pro Tools—they all work. The tool doesn't make the artist. Focus on their work, not their tech.

"Will you work for free for the exposure?" Exposure doesn't pay rent. And unless you've were accepted to Sundance or TIFF, or already have major streaming distribution you can't guarantee much exposure. If budget is zero, propose deferred payment or backend points—real compensation tied to success. Don't insult professionals by suggesting festival screenings are payment.

"Can you just recreate my temp music exactly?" Temp is reference, not a blueprint. Asking composers to copy copyrighted work is legally risky and creatively insulting. If you're that attached, license it. Otherwise, describe the emotion, then let them create something original.

How to Actually Use These Questions

Don't interrogate your composer like it's a deposition. Have a conversation! You are both lovers of film and will be spending a lot of time together, albeit likely on Zoom!

Good approach: "I've been thinking about process alot; can you walk me through how we'd work together from getting started to delivery?"

Bad approach: "QUESTION ONE: Why do directors hire you. QUESTION TWO: What is your process. QUESTION THREE..."

These questions should flow naturally in your initial meetings. You're trying to understand if this person is:

A good fit for your project
Easy to communicate with
Professional and organized
Someone you actually want to spend months working with

Chemistry matters. You can have a composer who answers every question perfectly but you just don't click. That's okay. Keep looking.

The Gut Check

After asking these questions, sit with your gut feeling.

Do you trust this person with your film? Do they seem genuinely interested in your story? Do they communicate clearly? Are they excited about the project?

If something feels off, it probably is. If everything clicks, you've probably found your composer.

Honestly, that genuinely interested and excitement are two of the biggest things in this whole blog