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An Inspired Chat with Risto Miettinen of Hollywood

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We’re looking forward to introducing you to Risto Miettinen. Check out our conversation below.

Risto, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
Composer’s normal day – good question?

Is there such a thing as a normal day? It depends on what’s happening?
I work with various clients in different timezones. And most gigs are deadline based, some might have a strict time, i.e. 12 pm EST and others might be send us the music in a day or two.

So if there’s something I need to send in at a strict time that’ll take priority, esp. if it’s for the East Coast with the time difference. On the other hand gigs for Europe are the other way around. I’ll send my music usually in the eve PST time and might hear back by the time I go to bed or 1st thing my morning.

Once all deadlines have been met. I’ll put some time aside for a few min of youtube nonsense or catch up on shows I’m watching. It’s good to keep up on the latest series and movies, I’ve found it helpful to be able to reference the latest season of Squid Game or Last of Us from time to time. Filmmaking does have a “keeping up with the Joneses” element. I think it’s important to know what’s going on.

Then I’ll check what tracks I’ve got notes on and what the next deadline is. Answer any emails I need to or send off any music that isn’t urgent. Then onto making more music, usually tracks I’ve got notes on.

I’ll try my best to sneak in a break to go hiking during the afternoon. And by the evening, I like to start writing new music. I.e. If there’s a new scene in a film I’m working on or time for a fresh library track.

Human beings are not alike when they are at their most productive. I’m a evening person and that’s when the ideas start flowing. Something about the city calming down and sensing everyone else going to bed, makes me feel more creative .

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a film composer writing music for film/tv and whatever Star Trek styled Holodeck media will become in the future .

In this day and age I’m focused on bringing humanity, depth and emotion to the music. AI is very much on the horizon and I think as human artists we really need to step our game and show what we can bring to the table.

I’m just finishing up a production music project of a crazy mix n match of genres for advertising. Mixing and matching traditional African music and EDM, then Mongolian throat singing meets 80s Hip-hop to Trap rap with some clarinet to Country music with some glitchy electronic elements.

I think this is very important in terms of branding too, saying to companies and directors work with someone who can create something unique and help you stand out. We’ve all had those moments, when the score of a film, a song or a movie stood out to us. Almost all of us working in the creative industries want to be a part of those moments.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
That’s a tough one. Short answer is – life. But it’s trickier than that. Life is this everchanging evergrowing organism, sometimes taking us routes we want to go, sometimes routes we don’t want to.

Everyone has moments when they grow closer together whether it be in romantic relationships, friendship or work and then drift apart at times too. I’d say the best bonds happen when there’s a common denominator, ie being in the same class in school. We’re going through the same experience together, but once we graduate life will take us in different directions. That’s a bond breaking moment and I don’t know if that kind of kinship can ever be restored.

When it comes to work, working as a composer with different directors and music libraries. The best bonds are formed when we’re all on the same page w the direction and push each other by getting good ideas for the music and project. The best is when the project turns out well and is successful.

A bond breaker can be when we all work hard and we start out enthusiastic but by the end of it we don’t see eye to eye and the project didn’t turn out that well. In that case time can be a miracle healer, sometimes both parties need time to reflect and after a while we might be able to come back to the table realize what went wrong and we could work together again. There are cases when that can make us even stronger collaborators.

The lack of a common denominator tends to break bonds and time can do wonders restoring them. Sometimes a bond broken can become the common denominator.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
To Reserve judgement

When we’re smoothly cruising through life it’s easy to get arrogant and cocky, but when we fall down that’s when we find out what we’re made of. Usually, the easiest route is to blame everyone else but yourself.

The toughest thing is honest self-reflection. I think we all struggle with it. What could I have done better, what did I miss? We can all be victims of circumstance at times, but how did I contribute to those circumstances?

Then there’s empathy, speaking for myself, I’d say I’ve become a more empathic person from suffering. Whether that be a relationship ending, family bereavement or experiencing a rejection of my music as a composer. All those being very different degrees of suffering.

When I encounter someone else not giving me their best behavior, it’s easier to understand, this is probably a moment not to be too judgemental, but to understand that person is going thought something. Best to reserve judgement. It enables me to be a better supportive partner, friend or colleague.

But we are all works in progress, hopefully trying to become better people through the knocks of life.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I think the whole “work hard” is a myth. Everyone I know works hard. But that doesn’t always guarantee success. I’d say in all areas of life, from relationships to film composing.

It’s figuring out the right moves that’s the hard thing and most important. In film composing and library music for example having up to date sounds (synths & samples) is very important. I’ve known composers who work very hard on their music, but if they don’t have the right sounds their music hasn’t gone very far. Or if they produce a genre that isn’t very popular and wonder why they haven’t gotten many film/tv placements.

Assessing your own situation is very important. It’s more assess and work hard, even though that doesn’t sound very sexy as a slogan.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Of course. Very often composers are in that situation. I’d say that applies to many people who work behind the scenes in film and tv. There’s so many last minute situations. We need a cue of African drumming music by tomorrow. Can you do it?

The audience watching the show will have no idea that a piece of music was a Hail Mary throw. But without it, their viewing experience would’ve been a lot worse. And we all love the feeling of being mesmerized by a film or a tv show.

And so many times the audience has no idea how things came together. Who they should praise? Sometimes it might not even be a standout piece of music, but without it the film or show might feel completely different.

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Image Credits
Madison Truscan

Gui Bittencourt

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