We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natasha Frank a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Natasha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Being a professional composer is really the only job I have ever wanted to do, apart from a brief stint ages (4-6) where I wanted to be a palentologist, haha! Creating music is something that comes naturally, and I am at my happiest when I can sit with a cup of tea and write. Getting totally in that creative zone is a kind of zen and also a rush at the same time, I absolutely love it. Of course there are struggles and challenges that I face, like with any job, but I do have a real sense of purpose and fulfillment in writing music.

I do sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I were not doing this…probably a philosophy professor!

Natasha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Sure! So I am a media composer, meaning that I write music for film/TV/ video games/ VR…you name it. I am originally from London but I am based out here in Los Angeles. I am happy to say that I am a two-time BAFTA scholar and in May 2023 I won the BMI Composer Award, which is regarded as the most prestigious prize for young composers in the Western Hemisphere- previous winners have included composing legends such as Phillip Glass and John Adams.

I have worked on the music team of numerous large-scale projects including Netflix’s One Piece Live Action (2023), The Exorcist: Believer (2023), Red, White and Royal Blue (2023), Death Stranding II: On The Beach (Playstation 2025), to name a selection. Additionally, I have composed for a multitude of independent films with prominent directors from all over the world.​

I am really excited to share some of the films I have worked on that are coming soon, I just released the Soundtrack for the film “Cartes”, working with the brilliant Rhym Guissé. Here I really got to showcase a dark and elegant score which is highly emotional. The story centers around Aliyah a young Malian-American who goes to great lengths to keep her family’s immigration status a secret. When crafting this score I worked closely with Rhym to find a sound-world that really worked for us, experimenting with instruments like the Kora and vocals to find sounds that took us deeper into her story.

This is one of my favorite things about my job, I love sculpting a palette of sounds that are unique to that film, and I love the collaborative aspect that goes with this.

Other than that I am a graduate of The University of Oxford and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and in my spare time you’ll find me playing the banjo.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

The greatest resource that I wish I knew earlier is power of mentorship, this for me has been more useful and rewarding than any book or video. There is something extremely special in having someone who really knows their stuff, invested in your success. I have had wonderful teachers and mentors who have been key to growing my voice as a composer and professional, each one guiding me through the weird and wonderful world of being a creative. I really hope I can give back to a young composer in this way one day.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Overthinking my writing. I have learnt that I need to approach writing with two different brain states, first 1) write boldly, don’t doubt or second guess, just put on the page what feels right and keep going. Then 2) put the critical brain into action, take out what doesn’t help the music and edit edit edit so the cue is as strong as it can be. I find that if I conflate these two parts of my process, things move more slowly and I trip myself up. I have to trust my gut first and foremost, very often our first instincts are the right ones!

Contact Info:

• Website: natashafrankcomposer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashafrankcomposer/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcOAaS-195zSWPAYkXKFpg
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2fRb31SRsmhXMcqqGJECcj.