Meet the Committee

Andrew Kremer

How did you get started and what advice would you give to a composer starting out now?

I was working as a session bass player at the time, and the guy from the flat downstairs knocked on my door asking if I was a musician. It turned out that he worked for CDP and they had been let down by a composer for one of their jobs. He explained that they were desperate and if there was any chance of doing something for them the next day, he would be extremely grateful as they needed something to play the client. I had my basses, a four-track, a drum machine and a Roland U20 and I put down 30 ideas. I remember they laughed when I played through the DAT tape at the meeting the next day, they had never had anyone walk in with so many different ideas. I did however get the gig and they chose the very last idea, the one with me singing.......'Better deals with Courts Electrical'.....scary huh? So, my advice to you.....play bass and get to know your neighbours!

What was your first job?

'Courts Electrical' for radio and 'I'm Online', a short-lived magazine, for television.
 
What ads are you most proud of?

I am proud of them all, although there was a Canon ad last year ('We Speak Image') which was particularly enjoyable for many different reasons.  They hadn't done the shoot, so I did my demo from the storyboard which is something that I now prefer doing. Sometimes the way an ad is cut, especially when temp music is used, tricks you into making musical decisions which are not right for the project. It is also much better to be involved from the early stages of a project.

What’s your training and what training do you need these days?

I am self-taught although I did an MMus in composition at Surrey University a couple of years ago which was one of the best decisions I have made. I have also just done the Logic 101 course and despite having been a Logic user for years , I have learned loads of things that will definitely improve my workflow. Technique in terms of using your equipment and instruments is always going to help, but the bottom line is imagination (oh yeah, and getting the gig).
 
How do you put a price on your work?

Becoming a member of PCAM and using the PCAM guidelines has made a big difference to the way in which I do business.
 
Would you ever work for free?

I think the question that needs to be asked is this: think about how much money is involved in putting an ad campaign together. Now are you really going to tell me that an agency does not have a few hundred pounds at the very least to pay for a demo fee?
 
What software do you use and what’s your favourite piece of kit?

The recording side of things is based around Logic 8 and the beast that is the MacPro but I have lots of more unusual instruments that I like to use such as waterphones, hang drums and many other things found on my travels. I am in the process of building my own studio so I think that is about to become my favourite piece of kit.
 
What single thing do you wish you had known when you started out?

Cold-calling and sending out unsolicited demos is a complete and utter waste of time.