How to Choose the Right Score for Your Film

Steven and Jennings scoring the feature "Faith" - 2025

Hey, Steven here. I compose for films and commercials, and looking back, there are a few lessons about picking the right score I wish someone had drilled into me from the start.

So here are five quick thoughts that might save you some of the detours I had to take.

This is my personal "how to" when I work with new directors and producers:

1. Start with the story, not the playlist (and definitely not temp tracks)

Don’t begin by scrolling Spotify. Begin with the story.Ask:

What should the audience feel in this scene? Tension? Relief? Intimacy? Distance?

Once the feeling is clear, the right score usually follows.

2. Think emotions, not genres

“I want jazz” or “let’s try classical” is where people get stuck. Genres put you in a box. Instead, describe the emotional arc: Should this scene feel safe, uneasy, or unresolved?

A thriller doesn’t always need big strings — more often than note a near-silence with just a pulse says a lot more.

3. Let the dialogue lead

The score’s job is to support, not compete. If the music is pulling focus away from the words, strip it back. The best scores carry the story without being noticed.

4. Don’t underestimate silence

Silence is a weapon. A pause before a reveal, or holding a quiet moment, can land harder

than any cue. Sometimes no music is the boldest choice.

5. Sort the rights early

Everyone’s been there: you find the perfect track, then legal kills it...

Clear your music early or work with someone who can handle the supervision side. Saves you stress (and saves the project).

The Takeaway?

The right score isn’t about what sounds “cool.” It’s about what feels true to the story. Start with the emotion, respect the dialogue, and use silence wisely.

That’s what I help with — making sure the sound side of your story, score included, is the half you never have to worry about!

Pro tip I stumbled on by accident:

Try scoring a scene in reverse. Start with the emotional aftertaste you want the audience to leave with, then work the cue backwards into the moment.

It flips the usual logic — but the results can be haunting. That’s exactly what happened when a mixed-up email led Jennings and I to write what became the main theme for Faith, coming to cinemas Fall 2025.