Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Breining.
Hi Lina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I was always surrounded by the arts. My mom is involved in the local theatre scene, so I was used to being surrounded by other creatives from a very young age. I started on violin and later switched to piano in middle school, where, around the same time, I developed an interest in filmmaking. In high school, I took a film class where I was able to write, direct, and animate my own projects. It wasn’t until I needed music for my own film that I realized that I could create my own soundtrack for my projects, combining my love of music and storytelling into one medium (film). In college, I attended the University of Texas at Austin, where I double majored in Music Composition and Arts and Entertainment Technology (music technology). Having the double major gave me equal training in my composition and technical chops, which has served me well in the professional films that I’ve composed for. At UT, I took a film scoring class, which eventually led to me being one of a select few students chosen to collaborate with filmmakers from AFI (the American Film Institute). The film that I collaborated on with AFI is currently finishing up its rounds at film festivals, which is super exciting!
Currently, I’m in my last semester at NYU, where I’m pursuing my master’s degree in Screen Scoring. New York has so much to offer- I’ve done my best to take advantage of being a student here and to get the most out of living in such a vibrant city. Another perk of being at NYU is the connections that I’ve made during my time here. This past summer, I had the exciting opportunity to be on the music team for the 76th Annual Tony Awards. It was such an extraordinary experience getting to meet so many Broadway legends!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The pandemic and the recent writers’ strike have made it a difficult time to be an up-and-coming artist in the film industry. Then there’s the usual imposter syndrome and burnout, which I think are both something that all creatives experience at one point or another. However, I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I need in order to take care of my mental health and, therefore, my creativity. Knowing when I write best, when to take breaks, and go for a walk, whatever it may be, in order to reset. As an ambivert, I need to balance socializing with my personal time. Lastly, I love the idea of being a perpetual student. Just because graduation is around the corner and school is coming to an end doesn’t mean learning has to. Another thing I’ve learned is to seek advice from fellow composers! In my experience, if you’re kind and personable when you reach out, people are more than happy to talk to you if they have the time. A composer I admire, Jongnic Bongtemps, recently gave me some great advice. He said that if you only think of the end goal as being a film composer, you’re going to have a hard time. Being a composer is a long and difficult road, but if you can change your mindset and think of it as “What do I have to give? What can I do in order to have a musical life?” You’re going to get so much more out of the journey. As long as you really love music and you’re still able to contribute to and be a part of the music creation process, you’ll be happy, and that’s what matters most.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
My name is Lina Breining, and I’m a film and media composer from Austin, Texas. I specialize in creating orchestral music for film and animation. I love writing melodies, and lately, I’ve been fascinated with combining synths with orchestral sounds to enrich the overall sound of the orchestra. My ultimate dream project would be scoring a Pixar film or an action/adventure/fantasy film!
Most recently, I wrote an orchestral piece last semester for a short animation in collaboration with NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The piece is a four-minute-long orchestral piece that I wrote in about two weeks… three weeks if you count notating the score and parts. The collaboration was one of the most successful collaborations I’ve had yet. I find good communication to be one of, if not the most important, aspects of collaboration. With this project, communication with my director was seamless. He had a clear vision, and he knew what he wanted for the score. He also trusted me enough with the score to give me some freedom, which allowed me to bring something new to his vision. For the score, we collaborated with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra. Having real musicians play the score breathed life into the music while working on the project and also reiterated my love of scoring for animation! I’m currently scoring another animation in collaboration with SVA (The School of Visual Arts), which has inspired me to be highly imaginative with the music. Animation knows no boundaries.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The film industry is changing so rapidly. Streaming services, the writer’s strikes, and the rise of AI… all evoke new questions and complications. AI lacks the human aspect of collaboration that goes into a project between the composer and director, which is not something that technology can easily replace. Perhaps it could speed up the workflow and be used as a tool, but I think the art form itself will still need humans to create it at its core. I’m also hoping that diversity and inclusivity in the industry will continue to grow and become the norm. I’m hopeful and am excited to be a part of the change!
Contact Info:
- Website: Linabreiningmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linabreining/
Image Credits
Chandra Xu
