We were lucky to catch up with Dani Martinez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dani, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was an English major throughout my entire undergraduate career. I distinctly remember seeing my peers’ faces light up when they would discuss their essays, or after they had devoured an entire novel in one night. I had always enjoyed reading, writing, and discussing literature, but I began to get a bit concerned that I didn’t have that same innate and unconditional love for the material.

One day, in the summer of 2019, I read Mary Oliver’s poem “The World I Live In”. In short, the poem challenges the reader’s fear of the unknown, and poses the question: “What’s wrong with Maybe?” I remember it all hitting me at once. I did have that same love for art that my classmates had; I simply was not focusing on the kind of art that ignited something in me. Something that had always been there and which I loved creating since I was 3: music. Or, more specifically, music that told a story.

In that moment, I remembered during various impending essay deadlines, I would find myself instead writing songs in practice rooms. Instead of finishing a novel that was required reading, I soaked up film soundtracks and obsessed over composers.

So really, I guess I have two answers to that question. The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was when I wrote my first “music stories” as a child at the piano. But the second time (the time that it really stuck) was when I rediscovered that love years later.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a composer and songwriter for visual media. I mainly write original scores for films and am also a recording artist and producer of my own songs. I was classically trained on the piano and clarinet from a young age, and am also a self-taught vocalist, guitarist, and bassist.

I take pride in my individualized approach with directors when working on their various films. My priority when composing a score is to elevate the film’s story and to serve the director’s vision. This means a lot of back and forth communication between me and the filmmaker, and lots of careful revisions of each cue. I also consider myself a professional problem-solver; oftentimes, a scene may not be working the way a director wants or a cut may feel awkward. That is where my music can work as glue for the story, making it feel more cohesive as a project and even guiding an actor’s performance.

I have composed for dozens of short films, various documentaries, and other forms of media. I believe my music really shines when it supports offbeat, intimate, and sometimes quirky stories, in genres ranging from coming-of-age dramas, comedies, and even horror.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A major lesson I had to unlearn was not to be consumed by imposter syndrome. In May of this year, I will be earning my Masters of Music in Screen Scoring from NYU Steinhardt. When I joined the program, I remember being surrounded by peers who had exclusively studied music in their undergrad programs, many of them having focused on film composition. I remember initially panicking that I would not have the resources to succeed in this program, as someone who had virtually no formal composition training.

However, I remember talking to the founder and director of my program, Dr. Ron Sadoff, about my worries, and he told me, “You wouldn’t have been accepted into this program if we didn’t believe you could thrive here.” Hearing Dr. Sadoff’s words changed my perspective on everything. I was not less equipped for this industry than my peers; I was just differently equipped, with a unique point of view.

Also, it’s important to note that some of the imposter syndrome I’ve experienced is an inevitable result of being a woman in an extremely male-dominated field. But as I’ve unlearned this tendency to question my ability, I’ve realized that there’s no need to make that a negative thing. If anything, recognizing that reality makes me work harder and deeply appreciate my successes.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a composer for visual media is seeing a director light up when they finally hear your music fitting into their project. Watching a story truly come to life when being supported by my music is incredibly gratifying.

Directors spend hours upon hours with their stories, especially when they also wrote the screenplay. For months, or even years, that story is like the director’s baby, and they understandably feel very protective of it.

At a certain point in the post-production process, the director has no choice but to hand the story off to me, making me responsible for its success. Of course, this is a lot of pressure, but once a certain level of trust has been established between me and the filmmaker, I feel confident that I can enhance the story to the level they’ve dreamed of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://danimartinez.art/
• Instagram: @danimartinez.art
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4j1kItO36M8xXlAz6BjdR2?si=jMeeas4_QEW1BcYYrVlW4A