Interviewdatum: 10. Februar 2022.

Jay Kriegsman ist ein unglaublich faszinierender, liebenswürdiger und lebensfreudiger Komponist. Er geht meisterlich auf alle Nuancen ein, setzt sich intensiv mit jeder Thematik auseinander und kreiert dabei Klänge die fühlen lassen. Seine Bandbreite scheint dabei grenzenlos zu sein. Was bedeutet, er scheut sich auch nicht vor Herausforderungen. Er scheint offen für alle Erfahrungen zu sein, liefert bei einer Zusammenarbeit dabei selbst unglaubliche Erfahrungen den anderen gegenüber. Die Offenheit, die Genauigkeit, der Ehrgeiz und das Zuverlässige sind seine ganz großen Stärken.

Filmemacher Dwight Darko über: Jay Kriegsman habe ich direkt in mein Herz geschlossen. Er hat sofort meine Wünsche verstanden. Gleichzeitig war es mir wichtig Ihm künstlerische Freiheiten zu geben und diese Freiheiten gleichen meinen eigenen Geschmack. Ich hätte mir keinen besseren Komponisten für meinen ersten Film „Serienkiller“ wünschen können. Jay ist mein Favorit und ich wünsche mir zukünftig noch ganz viel mehr von Ihm hören zu können und hoffe irgendwann auch auf eine weitere Zusammenarbeit.

Links zu Jay Kriegsman’s Musik:

https://www.jaykriegsman.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4yeqF4zUkdjJn76YzDyfXg

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jay-kriegsman/1564521072

https://music.amazon.com/artists/B093LCZ39P/jay-kriegsman

https://listen.tidal.com/artist/24591449

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNiCCQAdcCwmW0ce6Bxy6yg

INTERVIEW!

OBZ: How did you get your start in music?

KRIEGSMAN: I began as an artist writing songs and pitching them all around Los Angeles to no avail. I knocked on countless doors and wasn’t really getting anywhere with it. Eventually people I met started asking me to help them craft their songs and to create the musical bed and the production to go with it. Everyone around me seemed to like my vision for their projects so I ran with it.

After producing lots of indie songs and artists, I got an opportunity producing a song for a pop artist signed to Interscope Records. When I was given the song to work on, I had no idea who had written it and my only goal was to make it come to life. Eventually I got a phone call from a blocked number and it turned out that this particular song had been written by legendary songwriter Diane Warren. To my shock, she liked what I had done with her song and offered me more projects to produce. We still work together on songs to this day. She is a very special person and means a lot to me.

OBZ: How does such a process of creating a composition work for you?

KRIEGSMAN: I’ll start by saying everyone’s creative process is different and you must find what works for you by trying many techniques.

I have always felt my role as a composer and producer forces me to be like a chameleon and adapt to every situation differently.

I find on some projects, I’ll start at the piano and simply come up with musical ideas I feel could work. On others, I will sing, hum, or beatbox into my phone to get an idea down fast and try to capture that lightning in a bottle. If it’s a pop project it might be a word, a phrase or a melody that drums up inspiration and I’ll run with that. There have also been plenty of times I could be sitting in a room, taking a walk or even handling business in the bathroom and an idea will strike.

OBZ: When scoring to picture, how big is the topic of sitting down with the filmmakers? Is that important for your work and is it a decision? Or do you prefer unlimited creative freedom.

KRIEGSMAN: For me, sitting down with an artist or a director is the single most important thing I can do when creating something. Understanding where the other person is coming from and their vision is vital for putting it all together and successfully completing a project. Communication is key when producing a song including the feedback you receive and it’s vitally important when composing music to picture.

OBZ: What is the most important thing if you want to be a composer? What should you definitely be able to do? How do the beginnings look in general?

KRIEGSMAN: A very important lesson I try to live by is ‘keep it simple’. When things get too complicated, and the waters get muddy, you’re going to have trouble seeing through to what you really are supposed to be after. I try to trust my instincts and go with what I’m feeling in the moment with what is on screen. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong, but the key for me is to just keep moving.

OBZ: Why do you think music is so important to the film?

KRIEGSMAN: Music sets the mood of an entire feature or can represent a character in many different ways. Most people don’t think about it but if you try to watch a movie without music, the acting may be great, the sound efx may be thrilling, but without music, the energy or feeling will be missing. I always say, imagine any Clint Eastwood Western without music. It would be a lot of walking, breathing, sweating, hoof stomping, gunfire and snorting which would be incredibly boring! The moment you add a touch of Morricone or Elmer Bernstein, and all of that is transformed into something cool and sexy and makes everyone watching wanting to be that character.

OBZ: What can we expect from you shortly? Are you already planning any special projects?

KRIEGSMAN: I recently finished producing a couple of great songs for Diane Warren that I hope will be out soon. I just wrapped on a short film by director Dwight Darko called “Serienkiller” that should be out this year (2022). I’ve also been working closely with film composer Marco Beltrami on a couple of his projects that are very exciting.

Even with all of this, I am always looking for the next thing so I tell people to feel free and reach out!

OBZ: What role does Hollywood composer Marco Beltrami play in your life? What kind of person is he?

KRIEGSMAN: I’m so incredibly grateful that I get to learn and develop under someone like Marco. He is gracious and generous with his time and very supportive of me towards the development of my career. In the short time I have been working with him and Buck, I have grown and learned a tremendous amount and cannot wait to continue to learn more. Marco’s experience, knowledge and influence is something I cherish every single day.

OBZ: What are your dreams / goals as a film music composer?

KRIEGSMAN: I want to continue to learn and improve as a film composer and as a record producer and to work my way up onto bigger and bigger projects. One step at a time, with one foot in-front of the other!

OBZ: Where and what is the best place to find information about your work and other things?

KRIEGSMAN: Feel free to reach out to me at www.instagram.com/jkriegsman or www.jaykriegsman.com

OBZ: Now you have the opportunity to say anything you always wanted to say. Criticism, tips, thank you to friends and family. Just everything! What do you want to share? Or is it still too early?

KRIEGSMAN: I’m thankful everyday for the support my family gives me as they allow me to do what I do best. They hold me up when I’m down and encourage me to keep moving forward all the time. I always say to myself, remember to be kind to others and respectful, and if you say you are going to do something, do it and follow through on everything. Be reliable.

www.instagram.com/jkriegsman or www.jaykriegsman.com

Film Composer & Record Producer

Name: Jay Kriegsman

Location: Los Angeles, CA

© Jay Kriegsman

© Dewey Darko.