Time to start taking myself seriously.

Recently, I picked up The Complete Guide to Game Audio and I must say, it’s an amazing book.  It’s answered just about every question I’ve had that I couldn’t find in an article, forum, blog, or otherwise, and I highly recommend it.  But this isn’t a book review, this is a realization. The realization that I wasn’t taking myself, or my future as a career composer / sound designer, seriously.

In fact, I was treating it as a pipe dream — something that would be nice to have, but not something I could ever get.  And that was effecting everything I was doing outside the actual music and sound design.

Once I realized it, I made a vow to myself and the world (via my Twitter account):

[Dave Matney] will be living entirely off money made through music and sound design by 2013.

On January 16th, 2013, I will be turning 30, and I don’t want to be the 30 year old that doesn’t at least have a foot in the door toward the career of his dreams.  The career I’ve been working toward since I was six years old when  I first started writing goofy little songs on my mom’s piano. (Sure, I wanted to be a rock star, but, in 1989, I didn’t know people even made video games, I just thought they existed.)

So, I need to make some changes.

First off, I’m done working for free.

I’ve advocated working for free in the past, despite all evidence to the contrary, and I’m now realizing that I was wrong.  With few exceptions (Open Source projects, for example, where everything is strictly voluntary, or one-time personal favors), no one should ever work for free. Even if you’re working for a church or other non-profit, you can still get a letter of charitable contribution, which is a tax write off.

So, it comes down to this: If the person I’m doing the project for is getting paid, and/or if anyone else working on the project is getting paid, I am getting paid. I understand each project is different — students don’t have the kind of money a corporation has, and some projects pay on the back end instead of up front — but the fact of the matter is I have worked twenty-one years of my life toward this goal, and I deserve it.

Second, I’m done taking on new work until my demo reels are complete.

I have enough experience, and almost enough footage, to put together a demo reel.  So, as I polish off my plate I will begin the process of putting together my demo reels, both for sound design and music.  I need to show the world that I am worth what I am charging.

Finally, I will be overhauling my site, and blogging regularly.

My brother and I have been kicking around ideas for this site since I started it, and that’s been keeping me from moving forward with business cards and such, as I’ve been waiting to get everything properly, and uniformly, branded.  So, when I roll out my completed demo reel, I will roll out a new site.

In the mean time, and even after then, I will be blogging regularly.  Not every day, but I will promise at least weekly updates.  I won’t be don’t weekly links, and sometimes my weekly updates will be slightly anorexic, but there will be a weekly touch down from me.  Probably every Friday.

All in all, I think these are the best moves for me, my family, and my career. And, like I said, by my 30th birthday, I will be living entirely off money generated from music and sound design (and, if possible, game design and game writing, but that’s not my focus.)

Here’s to moving forward. ►►

Related posts:

1. Guerilla Marketing for Modern Composers: First Things First
2. XACTing Siphon Spirit
3. Global Game Jam, 2010
4. Recommended Readings: Related Links from Around the Web (July 22, 2009 ed.)
5. Oh, wow… you’re still here.