Interview: Music Producer + Composer Kallie Marie

Kallie Marie graduated with a master’s from the Leeds College of Music and last year, studied at BMI’s New York based Composing for the Screen Workshop. The coronavirus brought the entertainment industry to a standstill for now, but new names like Kallie are at the center of people taking over for the next generation of contemporary producers who also work with film music.

How was the BMI film music workshop?

It was wonderful! I got to meet a lot of other lovely composers and industry folk and it was really great to be part of that cohort.

Truthfully, exposing your work to someone for criticism sounds scary. What skills did you pick up?

Confidence really.  I was so concerned going into it that I didn’t know if I would fit in not having the traditional scoring chops that some of my colleagues there had. I am not classically trained on an instrument, and I don’t read music particularly quickly. After doing this I feel I have a unique offering, as Rick Baitz (our fearless leader/mentor) really helped me understand my strengths better, and that when it comes to the printed score, partnering with others on accuracy really helps things along.

We had a great string session at Shelter Island Sound with the legendary Steve Addabbo and amazing string players. It was the kind of session that in the past I had only ever been part of as the engineer, not the composer. It was confidence building to write music, prepare the score, and on the day hand it to these string players, and then hear it back right away. I learned that day, also that my tendency to over prepare did in fact serve me quite well. I had joked with Rick, going into the workshop, that, no I wouldn’t be scrambling at the end of every weekend to finish my assignments, as I was always the person who handed my work in early back at university. Right before the session, about a day or two my computer died rather abruptly. Luckily I had already sent my Pro Tools session over to Steve, and along with the score, and had printed copies, and the session on a drive ready to go with me. And this, this still blows my mind, in the midst of it all I did the session, and then crowd funded a new computer. (That was a really overwhelming, emotional and affirmational experience on and of its own.)

Rick asked me after the session, “How are you so calm?”  So, now I know that I have non-musical assets, soft skills that I bring to the table, and that was a good thing to realize too.  I think the workshop also helped me understand some genre’s of film that I hadn’t had the chance to write for yet, but would like to. Like, action for instance. If you don’t get the music right, action becomes comedic REAL quick! So that was a good learning experience too. 

With Hildur Guðnadóttir living far away from Hollywood in Germany and winning an Oscar nonetheless, how do you think one can make it big in film music and not be physically in LA?

Gosh, I don’t know! If you find out tell me! I guess these days it really is easy to be anywhere while you work, as long as the communication is clear and good.  I think you don’t have to be in LA/Hollywood to get the work, if people already know who you are.

This is a huge argument with some people claiming you need to fly to LA sometimes or you’ll never be hired and some going as far as saying one must live there. And others believe it doesn’t matter. How do you feel?

It’s hard to know really. I am originally from Southern California. So I always assumed that after grad school, I would move back to SoCal and start this career producing bands in and around LA, and writing music for Film and TV.. but I ended up in NYC and have been here for almost 13 years now. I have continued to try gigs/projects out in LA, but nothing has come up yet. (The same with gigs/projects around the globe, England and the UK mostly.) I guess at this point I feel that if I make enough of a name for myself, then yeah maybe some one will want me out in LA. I was there briefly in 2008 after moving back from Leeds, England and I couldn’t get any traction, and didn’t have a car. I often wonder if it was just a bad time with the big economic crash of 2007/08 and the lack of car, or what. I’ve probably thought about the geographic location of my career more than any other element in my career. It still daunts me. NYC has always given me a chance, from day one, and so I’ve just hit the ground running here, and kept running.

I read an article the other day about new celebrity chefs not using public relations anymore to make their restaurants popular in Manhattan or book TV slots. The changing world, including Yelp giving power back to the people not the critics, has impacted them where it is all DIY. How do you do your own publicity to promote your music?

Gosh, I guess I don’t really do much publicity other than Twitter and Facebook? Thats not really publicity though, it’s social media, which is slightly different. I think I’ve spent a long time establishing a voice and a presence online, but as far as promotion goes, its really only been the last few years actually, where I’ve gotten a little bit of press, and I think/hope that is helping. Talking to people like you, and continuing to evolve that voice is part of the opportunity I’ve been given to promote myself, and I am really grateful for that. 

How has Patreon worked out for you?

Patreon has been great.  At first I was intimidated by it, but I had a great meeting with some other Patreon creators before I started, and read Amanda Palmer’s book as a primer going in to it, to try to clear my head and reshape my thinking, because mindset is key.  At first it was motivating me to write. My Patreon made me accountable to something.  As its grown a bit, its helped sustain me. People don’t realize how much a tiny bit can help, and how collectively it all adds up. There have been so many times that after that rent check clears, my Patreon comes in and I am just like, “Wow thank heavens for this. I can afford my metro card and keep going.”

I think its given me confidence that people believe in me, have an interest in what I am doing and creating, and has helped me get an idea of who my audience might be. I am not only accountable to them, but they are investing in me. When people invest in you, believe in you, you can’t give up. You can’t throw in the towel.  Thats a really powerful thing.  I’m so grateful every month that they’ve chosen to join me on this wild adventure, and that they are sticking around.  I can only hope that it remains meaningful to them, and that more join us so we can do more together.

We hear about Patreon and Only Fans for people in other professions and very little about musicians doing it.

I think it can be really great for musicians, as long as they get out of the Kickstarter mindset. Patreon isn’t a Kickstarter, and while you could use it similarly, there’s more than one way to use it. It can be per thing (make a record), or a subscription which helps keep an artist going whether its during writing, keeping equipment working, or while on the road. It really depends on what you’re doing as a music based creator. 

What types of projects would you turn down if offered in the music world, and which are you looking for?

Gosh, I’ve never really thought of turning down work. Haha, I am always so eager to find it. This really has me thinking though, and the only work I could see myself turning down was if some one asked me to co-write a song that was somehow racist, sexist, homo/transphobic. I wouldn’t want to help write a song like that, that would have lyrics that would be hateful and harmful. Work that I am looking for: So many things!

I am always looking for artists and bands to produce (think of me like a personal trainer for your band/project). I love going through the process of creating a record and it’s so beautiful when artists trust me to help them reach their creative and sonic vision. I am equally as eager to write music for film, TV, and games. I love being part of a massive creative project, knowing that what I create is part of a collective goal. It’s so satisfying seeing the end project and taking this massive journey with a group of people. I love the community aspect of it, and I love knowing that my music has a purpose. I guess this is why I am a composer for media because I like to know my music has a home, a purpose.

Although I do write for myself, whenever I am composing and producing my own music, I am always hit with imagery in my mind. Sometimes its dancers (as I also enjoy writing for choreographers, and used to be a dancer), but most often it’s scenes.. images, colors, visuals. They just come up while I am creating sonic spaces. Why? I’m never happier than when I have musicians to record/produce/write with/for OR a project to write music for. Music and people are two of my favorite things. 

Are you someone who thinks it is better to be obsessive about work to perfection, or to walk away from it and get inspired by a break at work?

I am obsessive about my production value, and I will work at that tirelessly. I take frequent breaks when I work alone at my home studio, and if weather permits often leave for little strolls to the river or the local tea shop. I think that allowing the body adequate rest, and taking care of our hearing and physical limitations are things to be aware of. We have to have down time to be affectively creative and productive. Sometimes I get writers block and just realize I need a walk, or I just need a day off with friends. It recharges me to be inspired by nature and by people. I am however a perfectionist about my work, and hold it to a high standard, and I hope it shows. I hold the artists I produce to a high standard, and I am hard on myself too. 

Since life feels like a giant job interview anyway, what do you want to tell people finding this article about why they should hire you?

Oh, well… hire me if you want some who is bringing a lot of soft skills to the table along with being skilled at their craft. I am passionate, but everyone says that. I like people and I am always interested to see what others are creating. The project, the music, what ever it is that we are creating together, if we do it right, will have a life of its own, and that’s the best possible outcome. I guess I could also say this, hire me if you have heard what I do, and like what you hear.. this is just a taste. There’s so much more flexing I would like to do, but I don’t always have the opportunities to be part of these things yet, and I can’t wait to see what can be created next. Hire me if you’re a band and your songs need disciplining, and getting into the studio seems daunting. Lets make some noise!