Often, those who tread off the beaten path are misunderstood or mischaracterized and so we asked folks from the community to reflect and tell us about the times they’ve been misunderstood or mischaracterized.

Tai Schiavo

All the time, actually. I’ve found that producers and directors tend to label composers as doing a single style after hearing one of their scores, which has led to a lot of funny conversations.

The first time I ever spoke with director Sean Michael Burt, he had heard my score for Dinner Time and was looking for a similar, yet different sound for his upcoming film, Dreamer. He went and listened to my other scores to hear more of my style, but after hearing the rest of my music, when trying to describe my style, he said, “I guess you just write good music” (‘good’ was definitely generous for the music he was referring to back then).  Read more>>

Eliza Fisherman

I’ve always had a complicated response to professional feedback. The first response is usually protest, the second confusion. The feedback I received invariably went, and probably will always go, right over my head. Understandable— if I knew about the mistakes professionals were pointing out in my work, I wouldn’t have made them to begin with. Read more>>

Gingsu

Given that we often struggle to make sense of our own place in the world, both sonically and thematically, the fact that we don’t always make sense to others should come as no surprise. Much of our development as a band hasn’t happened in spite of being misunderstood, but rather largely because we’ve embraced creating music on the outskirts of stylistic convention. Compared to most mainstream hard rock groups, we definitely lean more into progressive territory; however, we prefer to implement the “jargon”, so to speak, a bit differently from the modern artists to which we find ourselves frequently compared. When the intro of one of our songs kicks in, like that of “Law of the Tongue” or “Hurry Up and Wait”, the listener likes to think they know where the train is going – until they arrive at literally the next section and are met with some element pulled directly from an unrelated genre. Read more>>

Vyolet Jeun

There have been times when I have overheard crew members misjudging or mischaracterising me, but it has never bothered me. My goal has never been to be liked by everyone, but rather to ensure that I treat everyone with respect and cause no harm.

My leadership philosophy has always been centred on bringing out the best in others because I believe that a good leader is loved and trusted by the team, but a great leader is someone who makes everyone believe in the project itself. Not just in film, but in every field, leaders must decide whether they wish to be a good leader or a great leader. I have chosen to be a great leader. Read more>>

Anthony Avaylen

If you’re familiar with the world of Country Music, you know that if it’s not cowboy hats, honkytonks, and 90’s twang it “ain’t country.” This has been a debate for generations, and many would never consider my company, Avaylen, to be part of the Country Music scene — especially given its Southern California roots. But that’s never been my goal. My goal has been to reimagine Country Music through the lens of Avaylen — blending surfer and skater influences with bold graphics, sharp lines, vibrant colors, stylized typography, and a gritty, modern aesthetic. In short, I like to think of it as Country Music with a beach-inspired twist. Read more>>

Steven Leach

Absolutely. Misunderstandings and mischaracterizations are almost inevitable when putting yourself or your work out into the world. Everyone comes from different perspectives, experiences, and personal tastes, so they will interpret things differently.

One example could be when I put a lot of passion and energy into a project, only for someone to criticize it in a way that feels unfair or like they missed the point. Maybe they don’t understand the intention behind it, or they’re judging it based on their own preferences rather than its actual quality. At first, that kind of feedback can be frustrating—it’s easy to feel defensive. Read more>>