Prominent film and television composers gathered in Ghent, Belgium, to address the mounting challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence and shifting industry economics. Speaking during the World Soundtrack Awards Film Music Days, held Oct. 8–10, industry figures discussed the importance of human performance, legal protections, and the preservation of career pathways for emerging talent.
Human Emotion Versus Generative Algorithms
Simon Franglen, composer for "Avatar: Fire and Ash," underscored the distinction between live musical collaboration and algorithmic generation during an industry panel. Franglen recalled the scoring sessions for the upcoming blockbuster, noting that the production featured hundreds of live musicians performing together in a single room. He questioned whether automated systems could ever truly replicate the spontaneous emotion produced by live orchestral performers.
Other panelists echoed the sentiment that human contact remains indispensable to the craft, even as technology shifts production expectations. Martin Phipps, known for scoring "The Crown," pointed out that working with artificial intelligence requires specific expertise, suggesting that prompt engineering remains a distinct skill set requiring human direction. Phipps noted that while someone must oversee these tools for the time being, the ongoing enthusiasm of some directors to generate music independently remains an area of observation among screen composers.
Collective Advocacy and Legislative Demands
The gathering brought attention to the structural labor challenges facing screen composers. Unlike several other primary department heads in production, composers based in the United States and the United Kingdom confront legal hurdles that restrict collective bargaining and unionization. Addressing these gaps, the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) has taken an active stance on regulatory policy.
ECSA, an organization representing over 30,000 composers and songwriters across 57 member groups, received the WSA Industry Award following a roundtable at the event. ECSA President Helienne Lindvall emphasized the group's ongoing lobbying efforts to give musical creators a direct voice in high-level policy negotiations. In response to commercial generative models, ECSA has focused on influencing the European Union's AI Act around three primary pillars: authorization, fair remuneration, and catalog transparency.
Lindvall specifically advised musicians to exercise caution regarding online platforms like the AI music engine Suno. She warned creators to carefully examine standard terms of service before submitting compositions, noting that uploading original work can grant platforms sweeping, perpetual rights to exploit their music commercially.
Protecting Career Entry Points for New Talent
Beyond copyright considerations, industry participants warned that the automated replacement of entry-level scoring tasks could eliminate vital training grounds. Franglen stressed that established figures built their foundations on modest assignments, referencing Hans Zimmer's early work on the 1980s game show "Going for Gold" as an essential stepping stone that enabled later career breakthroughs.
To ensure pathways remain open, Darrell Alexander of the agency Cool Music highlighted the value of assistant and additional composer roles, calling them the most effective practical environments for newcomers to study under experienced mentors. "Heartstopper" composer Adiescar Chase similarly shared her proactive decision to require an assistant on subsequent seasons of the Netflix series, deliberately creating space within production budgets to foster the next generation of creative talent.
Sonic Palettes and Bespoke Sound Design
Panelists also shared contemporary approaches to composition that move away from conventional scoring techniques. Discussing Kristen Stewart's "The Chronology of Water," Paris Hurley revealed she skipped traditional scoring to picture. Instead, Hurley built customized sound banks from scratch, often capturing sounds from her own body and transforming them to suit the film's distinct tone.
"Slow Horses" composer Daniel Pemberton explained that developing unique sound libraries is central to his creative workflow. While Pemberton acknowledged that engineering an exclusive palette demands extensive upfront time, the resulting presets give the television thriller a singular sonic identity that cannot be replicated with standard instruments.
As regulatory bodies deliberate on intellectual property protections within emerging technology laws, music organizations plan to continue their advocacy efforts across European policy forums.
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Source: Variety
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