The Reel World (Reference)

I believe I've read ALL the contemporary books (and "older" ones) on the "film music" subject (well, except for one, abbreviated as OTT), and I must say, REEL WORLD is EASILY one of my faves, for its "real/reel" world details (the author's experiences on a variety of projects, down to interaction with directors, dealing with time constraints, showing pre/post-orchestrated pieces, etc.), great interviews (composers like John Williams, Mark Isham, Hans Zimmer, Carter Burwell, James Newton Howard, Wendy & Lisa, Marc Shaiman, and more...score mixers, music editors, agents, etc.), and overall balance of technical/monetary AND creative/artistic details. This list (I could go on, lol) includes other unique things, like "Arnold" and his horrifying "chasing the temp" battle--right down to conducting patterns :-) Oddly, it's one of the ONLY books that stresses the importance of actually WATCHING films (which I do, as regularly as possible, as it is--and now I have an actual excuse to give my wife, lol!), and that contains constructive comments about DEMOS. Even the detail of how to approach dealing with cues that play across the transition between two reels (where beginning on odd or even) was super interesting. A must read!(BTW, the book often cites "extra content" at a website, but that content has since been moved to Jeff Rona dot Com slash Reel-World.)

This book is very well written.I gave it 5 stars because it gives you a very well rounded look at the film scoring industry. This book is not focused on one narrow facet of film scoring but covers the full range. This seems to do a better job of acquainting a nube to the industry. This does not mean that the book is lacking in specific detail.Topics covered range from working with directors and producers to equipment in your small studio for getting the job done.You can tell that this book is written by someone who has extensive experience in the field. This is VERY different from reading a book that is written by someone who has researched a given field.There are plenty of great real world examples detailing challenges on particular jobs, solutions that were used and how it all came together in the end.There are also several useful interviews with other film professionals in the industry.Job well done! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!

Jeff covers literally everything that you want to know about scoring music for television/film/etc. It's well-written and contains not only his experiences but those of other accomplished film composers. The only very minor point -- the information on technology is slightly dated. Given the speed at which applications and tech has developed in just two or three years this doesn't diminish the value of this book. Highly recommended!

I browsed Amazon for a number of film scoring books, and chose this one because it looked very practical and helpful -- and I was right!! If you're even thinking about a career in film music - big leagues or no - this book is a MUST. Rona covers every nook and cranny, from the spotting sessions to setting up a studio, and the different jobs (not just composer!) that are offered in film music. He's been "through the system" so to speak, and knows what he's talking about! Five stars!!!

I found every topic concerning the fantastic, amazing and scary reel world covered in profound analysis and description. Great and helpful book!

great read and lots of information about music in films.

THIS book is WONDEFUL. I've liked Mr. Rona for years, and he describes his process in detail.

Well done.

Jeff Rona gives an insightful and honest account of his work in the film soundtrack business, detailing the challenges and ups and downs. Seems like a dream job if you're thinking about a career shift, but prepare to be poor for a few years before you hit it big!! Seems like a lot of it is a combination of talent, skill, being a good listener, taking it on the chin, and plain old being in the right place at the right time!! Just like work really!!!

I have used this book as a resource for teaching film music for years, and find it as one of the most useful, comprehensive, clearly-written and compelling technical descriptions about the complex world of composing film music available. It's usefulness is compounded by Jeff Rona's direct and easy-to-read writing style together with his incredible experience as a top working composer. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone - not just composers or film music aficionados - but anyone that wishes to expand their awareness of music's facet to film's magic.

WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN GOLD, I AM HALF-WAY THROUGH.

Insightful, worth the read. It clearly states that theres isn't one right way to do things in the beginning of the book, and that kind of lightens the mood, because it's true, but nice to hear from someone who is experienced. This book will mean something different depending on who reads it.- Jakob / Berklee Student

Ich bin - leider - kein Musikkomponist, aber sehr interessiert an dieser Kunst. Ich glaube, dass Studenten dieses Buch einfach einmal durchschauen sollten, denn es gibt hie und da wohl Tipps, die hier "gratis" gegeben werden, die sonst im richtigen Berufsleben teuer werden könnten, weil man es erst Jahrzehnte später realisiert.Mein Fazit: Empfehlenswert.Englisch: Es ist wohl in englisch geschrieben, aber in einem normalen gut verständlichen - überhaupt nicht abgehoben. Und nicht vergessen: Wer Musikkomponist werden will, muss unbedingt englisch beherrschen - oder man will nur regional Filme vertonen...