MSH Conference: Evolving into a working Film Composer

George Christopoulos
11/08/2020 18:00 – 21:00

In this seminar for film composers, George Christopoulos discusses the current situation of the film industry, its attitude to music in film, the usual practices in hiring composers and the ever-increasing difficulties film composers face as they enter the industry today.

The course is primarily aimed at young film composers, gives a “reality check” and is also a preparation tool for a successful step into the industry. The following topics will be discussed: How has the film industry changed in the last twenty years? How does a film composer have to position himself and market himself, what mistakes should he avoid? Which requirements are desired, what role does the combination of different skills such as mentality, talent and attitude play today? The seminar also deals with the often preconceived ideas of what a composer should achieve in a production and how these should be correctly evaluated and contractually agreed with the film producers and filmmakers. In addition, the importance of collecting societies is pointed out and industry differences between North America and Europe are discussed.

Tuition Fee: 50 € (incl. 19 % VAT) or
MSH conference: 150 € (incl. VAT) for any numbers of MSH conference events or
Flaterate: 1600 € (incl. 19% VAT) for any of master classes, workshops, MSH Conference and special events
Student Discount: 20 %
Working Language: englisch
Location: Hotel ibis Hamburg St. Pauli Messe, Simon-von-Utrecht-Straße 63, 20359 Hamburg

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George Christopoulos, born in Athens, studied graphic and multimedia design. His collaboration with international entertainment production companies led him to various multimedia projects, shows, installations and other corporate and art events around the world. He first entered the world of film music in 2009 with the first film music concert of the Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi (In the Mood for Love, House of Flying Daggers) in Gent. Since then he has produced several film music concerts worldwide and worked with two of the best conductors in the industry (Sir Dirk Brossé and Ludwig Wicki).

In 2010 he founded OTICONS Ltd. a Talent Agency that represents internationally film music composers from all over the world. The agency currently represents more than thirty composers of more than fifteen different nationalities. Among them are the Oscar-winners Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (“Finding Neverland”) and Rachel Portman (“Chocolat”), the internationally celebrated composer Shigeru Umebayashi and other acclaimed with major credits composers like Tuomas Kantelinen (“Legend of Hercules”), Jacob Groth (“Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and Reinhold Heil (“Cloud Atlas”). Today the agency unique specialty is consulting and facilitating international co-productions. Except being an agent and manager of film composers George Christopoulos and his agency started since 2013 getting involved on the production of feature films as consultants, with a focus on A-list international co-production projects. In the recent years he became the resident Film Music consultant of the Mannheim-Heidelberg Int’l Film Festival and gave master-classes to numerous other international film and music festivals like the ones in Hawaii, Istanbul, Cologne, Hamburg, Krakow, Espinho etc. He has also been a guest lecturer in universities in many European countries. In 2014 his company founded the OTICONS FACULTY International Film Music Competition, a contest that runs annually and since then had more than 500 participants from all over the world. George Christopoulos is also a voting member of the European Film Academy and the World Soundtrack Academy.