Inhale film music during the WSA Industry Days at Film Fest Ghent

Film Music Industry Days

During the WSA Industry Days, students, young professionals and established names in the industry have the opportunity to debate, network, discover and be discovered. Through a mixture of seminars, composer talks, panel discussions and masterclasses, they get a glimpse behind the scenes while scrutinizing the current state of affairs in the film music industry.

Film Music Seminar with Gabriel Yared

At the Film Music Seminar of the 47th edition of Film Fest Ghent, students have the unique opportunity to learn from a distinguished master in the world of film music, Gabriel Yared. During an extensive conversation with curator Dr. Martine Huvenne, the French-Lebanese composer, who will also receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Soundtrack Awards this year, will provide insights into his methodics and artistic practices for the silver screen. Yared is an Oscar-winning composer who has built an impressive oeuvre during his decades-spanning career.

How does Gabriel Yared compose music for films? What are the differences between his various collaborations such as those with Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Robert Altman, Xavier Dolan and the late Anthony Minghella? Why is it necessary to be involved from the very beginning of a project? And why does Gabriel Yared prefer to begin his composing work after reading the script and discussing with the director, and then later with the picture? And so many other topics to discuss! This seminar, organised by Film Fest Ghent in collaboration with KASK - School of Arts Ghent, will take place on Thursday the 22nd of October (10 am - 12.30 pm). Buy your tickets here.

Composer Talk: Scoring documentaries with Nainita Desai

Each year, Film Fest Ghent invites emerging composers to talk about their oeuvre and their place within the industry as a composer, a producer or simply as a person. Last year, the audience got acquainted with the now world-renowned and Oscar-winning Hildur Guðnadóttir. This year, it is time to meet Nainita Desai, who impressed the world with her original music for the documentaries For Sama and The Reason I Jump. With a few Netflix, HBO and BBC documentaries in the pipeline, Film Fest Ghent will once again present a composer on the verge of a big breakthrough.

She will delve into her immersive approach to scoring documentaries, her eclectic background as a sound designer collaborating with directors including Werner Herzog, Anthony Hopkins and the late Bernardo Bertolucci, orchestra Maestra and how world music, found sound, electronics and the human voice fuel her emotive scores. The Composer Talk with Nainita Desai will take place on Thursday, October 22 (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM). Buy your tickets here.

Panel talks, masterclasses and Q&A's

During a variety of masterclasses (23 October 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm) and panel discussions (24 October at 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm), composers and professionals such as Alfonso G. Aguilar, Dascha Dauenhauer, Nainita Desai and Lesley Jackson (UK Film Music) will adress topics such as the remarkable relationship between composer and director and diversity within the film music industry. During moderated conversations they will discuss the current state of affairs and clarify the tricks of the trade. During the Q&A sessions with virtuosos Alexandre Desplat and Gabriel Yared (24 October 12:30 am - 1:30 pm), there is ampt time to learn everything you need to know about these illustrous film composers.

InMICS - Composers Lab Showcase

Together with six partner organizations and higher art education institutes, Film Fest Ghent has given shape to the International Master in Composition for Screen, a professional master for international students wishing to work as composers for audiovisual media. The InMICS Composers Lab started two years ago in October 2018 here in Ghent. This year the circle will be completed as the first generation of InMICS composers will graduate at the 47th edition of Film Fest Ghent. During the Composers Lab Showcase (24 October 9:00 am - 11:00 am), they will proudly present their work at Kinepolis Ghent. An excellent opportunity to discover the Desplats, Santaolallas and Umebayashis of tomorrow.