Musicians tend to daydream about scoring for movies. Ignacio Zas, the multi-instrumentalist LA based composer lives this dream every day. His works can be seen and heard in radios, advertisements, TV-shows. We took the time and talked about his interesting job and life. Read on for some interesting thoughts!
And while you are at it, listen to one his scoring work here:
Music Authentic: Welcome to Music Authentic! Let’s begin with our site-traditional question: How did you sleep last night?
Ignacio Zas: Thank you for having me! Oh man, actually had kind of a rough night, my neighbors were having a holiday party which kept me up for a while. Nice to hear people having fun after so long of not having in person gatherings though! Hope you slept marvelously well 🙂
Music Authentic: You live in LA, what is it like there now? Are things getting to a more or less normal level or still everything is heightened?
Ignacio Zas: Things are better now. Restaurants and pretty much every business require vaccinations and mask use which has led to cases going down significantly. It’s definitely more relaxed now, though people are still being safe for the most part.
Music Authentic: You left Uruguay years ago. What are the things you miss the most? I’m sure the music scene is quite different…
Ignacio Zas: My family and friends! That’s always been the most important thing to me, so it’s definitely what I miss the most. The food too, and obviously my beautiful city, Montevideo. The music scene is wildly different and while I do miss some of it, I have to admit LA has so much to offer that I really can’t complain.
Music Authentic: Speaking of other: Jack Black and his School of Rock played a significant part in your journey. Who was the most unexpected person you met during your formation period?
Ignacio Zas: Absolutely! I was and still am obsessed and forever grateful for that movie. Hmm, it’s honestly hard to say because there have been so many, but meeting Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers was definitely a huge deal for me. I grew up listening to them and watching their music videos and live DVDs. He was very sweet and nice when I talked to him; I really had to contain myself to not fanboy too hard!
Music Authentic: What made you drawn to scoring? Most indie and upcoming artists are dreaming to have a placement in a series… As a multi-instrumentalist, what are the key differences between expressing yourself in a song and in an advertisement/short video?
Ignacio Zas: Well, one of the things that drew me in initially is how inspiring it is to write when reacting to a visual element. There’s so many ways in which that can be interpreted, that’s the beauty of it to me. Every composer is going to react differently to a given scene, and hearing different interpretations of a sad, happy, exciting or eerie moment is what I love. I also think it allows for certain sonic experimentation that would otherwise not be possible in the context of a band. Or at least in most bands. There’s an aspect of it that is very interesting to me as well, which is the fact that you can anticipate certain things with music. It has the power to warn you something good or bad is about to happen or it could also trick you! A lot can be achieved with a few notes.
Music Authentic: When I watched your entry for “Westworld Scoring Competition” I started to wonder: do you get the complete visuals or needed to be right there on the spot?
Ignacio Zas: In that case I did get the full visual and scored to the picture. It was a great deal of fun, especially when having to live up to such an amazing score like that show has.
Music Authentic: As an in-house producer and composer, how much creative freedom do you have?
Ignacio Zas: I would say that is job specific. Some jobs allow me to get a little “out there” and explore sounds that are a little riskier while others require me to stay within the boundaries of a creative brief, which is also a great exercise and can be very rewarding.
Music Authentic: Your work with “COX” last year had a nice traction. Do you think it was because of the right topic in the right time?
Ignacio Zas: In part yes. It was also a piece that paid homage to the people that had been putting their lives on the line day in day out, and I think that’s what resonated with a lot of people. It was also a time of isolation, not being able to see our families and friends, and I feel like a lot of people felt like they could relate to how those nurses felt on the spot.
Music Authentic: Let’s have some fun! Would you compose a travel score for the upcoming Mars exploration if Elon Musk called you?
Ignacio Zas: I absolutely would! Sounds to me like I could go all Bowie on that one, which is an opportunity I would never pass on. Hope there’s a Major Tom in the crew!
Music Authentic: Analogue or digital?
Ignacio Zas: Love both for different reasons, though my workflow is largely digital (for recording) given the time constraints of my work.
Music Authentic: Do you think music should be the part of the early age education?
Ignacio Zas: I absolutely do. It makes us smarter and better people all around!
Music Authentic: When you look at producers like FINNEAS coming out as a solo artist and performer, can you see yourself touring in the future?
Ignacio Zas: Never say never. At the time I feel like I need to score some movies first 😉
Music Authentic: Before we go, what was the greatest unexpected takeaway you learned and could share to your readers and fans?
Ignacio Zas: Well, this may seem obvious to many, but I guess being patient and letting things happen when they’re supposed to. Artists tend to rush through things sometimes, and I feel like a lot of the missed opportunities I had actually ended up benefitting me in the end. Learn from your mistakes and for god’s sake, BE HUMBLE.
Music Authentic: Although our time is up for now, keep us updated on your new projects!
Ignacio Zas: Working on a lot of upcoming spots for the Holidays and Super Bowl! So hopeful some of my music will be heard then. Thank you very much! Until next time!
Check Ignacio Zas‘s works and say Hello to him:
on his website: www.south-music.com
on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ignaciozas/