Interview with Anastasia Devana Part 2
How did you transition from studying to paid work and how valuable would you say your time at UCLA was in moving your career forward?
I didn’t really wait to start looking for gigs. Once I fully committed to the composing career, I started looking for work right away, while I was still in school. So you could say I didn’t really have a transition period. As far as the UCLA program, I’m really happy I did it. Some classes were hit and miss, but overall I feel like I got some great “starter kit” knowledge from it, and it was really worthwhile. My favorite part of the program was getting multiple opportunities to record our music with the top Los Angeles studio musicians.
What is your studio set up, for example, software, orchestral libraries etc? Do you work from home or in another location?
Currently, I have a home setup – my studio is basically a spare room. Nothing too complicated on the equipment side: a single computer with Logic Pro X (my DAW of choice), and Vienna Ensemble Pro, which hosts my libraries. As far as libraries, there are a ton of different ones that I use and love, but some of my favorite companies are Cinesamples, Soundiron, 8dio and AudioBro.
What are the advantages of using Vienna Ensemble Pro on a single computer? I know people used it for working across multiple computers a lot.
The main advantage for me is cutting down on the load times. I have a fairly large orchestral template loaded into VE Pro, which makes opening Logic files really fast. This comes in especially handy when I’m working on multiple cues on the same day. Otherwise, I would have to wait about 15 minutes for each file to open, which can really add up.
With your sound libraries, are there ones that you go to for brass and others for strings or are you layering strings from different libraries for example?
For brass my personal preference is Sinebrass by Cinesamples. I usually use Symphobia string ensembles for sketching, and LASS for the final versions (it’s a really flexible library with lots of articulations, divisi, true legato, etc). Of course, nothing beats live strings, whenever the budget allows.
How do you approach scoring a computer game? Is there different software involved compared to working on a film?
Creatively speaking, scoring video games and films are quite similar. In both cases, the composer is helping tell a story of what this film of video game is about. The process of defining the style, mood, creative approach, themes, instrumentation, etc – are all the same for both mediums.
But there are also differences, of course. The main difference being that once a film reaches the “locked cut”, the timeline (sequence of events) is set in stone, and the music is composed to underscore this timeline. In video games, it is the player who defines the timeline (most of the time), and the music needs to “adapt” on the fly to what is happening in game. This kind of “adaptive” approach involves some additional planning as to how the pieces of music are going to transition and interact with each other and with the player’s actions.
As far as software, it depends on the project. For big video game studios, it has been customary to simply ask the composer to provide music loops, and then an internal team would implement them into the game. With smaller indie studios, often the composer will also implement the music. And even here, there are different options. I prefer to do my own implementation as much as possible, since it gives me a lot of control of how the music is actually going to sound and function in the game. Plus, I have an extensive programming background, so I really enjoy playing around with code and technology in general. The choice of software usually depends on the project and development team, but some of the tools that are used quite often are Fabric, FMOD and Wwise.
When working on a film, what is the average time between starting to write the first cue and the recording session?
There really isn’t a hard-and-fast rule here. I often hear around 8 weeks is about the average, but sometimes the timeline is a lot shorter or a lot longer (if for example the director wants to bring the composer on board in advance of the post-production). For my last film, Mischief Night, I believe I had about 4-5 weeks.
What is the most challenging part of working on a film score?
It really varies from project to project. It’s all a lot of hard work, but at the same time it’s really fulfilling and exciting work. If I have to think of something especially difficult, I guess I would have to say the dreaded “writers block”. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s not a pleasant place to be in. Eventually though, you always break through, and even that becomes a satisfying experience.
Do you work on your own or do you have an assistant, orchestrator etc.?
Currently, I work on my own for the most part. Every now and then I get some help with part preparation for recording sessions, and on some projects I get the soundtrack professionally mixed. It all depends on the scope of the project.
How do you keep healthy while spending so much time in the studio?
The balancing act can definitely be challenging, but I do what I can. One of my favorite parts about living in Los Angeles is permanently great weather, and all the different outdoor options. As the schedule permits, I try to get out for some hiking, surfing, and swimming. I also go for walks on most days, and lift weights 2-3 times a week. And I love fresh healthy food, so I prepare most of my meals at home.
Many thanks to Anastasia for this interview, look out for other interviews in the near future!
Many thanks to Anastasia for this interview, look out for other interviews in the near future!