🫢 How I Got a Job Offer from the Clone Wars Composer

In 2022, Clone Wars composer Kevin Kiner offered me a full-time job.

Here's how it happened:

In 2018, I landed a gig preparing sheet music for Ocean Way Studios, an orchestral recording studio in Nashville (where I was living).

I got paid a small amount, but mostly did it for the chance to watch a live orchestral session for a score Kevin had written.

I won't lie--my first encounter with Kevin was pretty awkward.

I showed up too early to the session, so understandably the first thing he said was:

"I'm sorry, WHO are you?"

During the 3-day session, I sat quietly in the back of the studio, watching Kevin and the team work to crank out the multi-hour score.

Honestly...

I was uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Everyone in the studio knew each other, and the work was so fast-paced that I found myself keeping quiet and burying my head in note-taking.

But on the last day, to my surprise, Kevin sat down next to me and invited me to follow along to the music with the concert score.

He asked me about my goals, and gave me the incredible advice about honing my mockup chops. A year later, when I moved to LA, Kevin was the first composer to invite me to meet up.

And in 2022, years later...

I got a surprise call from Kevin offering me a full-time job as an assistant.

(It was a tough choice, but I knew that assisting Kevin would take away my time to create videos and compose for my clients, so I turned it down. Even after, though, we chatted for 30 minutes, and he was proud and thrilled that I'd continued down my path and listened to his advice.)

My experience getting to know Kevin over the years has taught me this:

Even when you're in doubt, stick it out.

Don't be discouraged if things aren't panning out as quickly as you'd like.

You have NO IDEA what chain reactions you've set in motion with every new connection or creation.

Be willing to play the long game, love the process, and in time you'll see your efforts rewarded.