We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandon Maahs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Despite the artistic requirements, writing music for film is a very conventional “trade”, so it’s pretty common to go to “trade school” (i.e., a film scoring degree) and then apprentice (intern for an established composer in L.A.) and learn the technical ins and outs that way. I didn’t want to do that. I loved film and I loved composing music, and I’ve always listened to film scores like most people listen to pop music. So I decided I’d learn by experience rather than from a classroom… or making minimum wage getting coffee for a middle-aged man. I’m almost 30 and just now have some of the skillsets my peers out of grad school do, but I also have more credits, and more experience, than many of them do. Some of that experience is from failing with no safety net. Sometimes that’s the best way to learn a lesson.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a film composer who’s been working from Dallas, Texas. Most people who pursue a career in film will make the move to L.A., or at least one of the big cities like New York, Chicago, Austin, etc… Growing up as a millennial, the internet had really globalized the creative industry over the last 20 years, and I was able to connect with people all of the world as I moved into a professional career. I am very much a student of the internet. I am definitely an advocate that now, more than any time before, there should be no financial or educational barriers to pursuing something you love. Learn as you go. Try and fail. Cut your own path through the thicket.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oak Lawn is my favorite part of Dallas! The community is inclusive and caring, and the food is PHENOMENAL.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to dedicate my Shoutout to the Dear Jack Foundation. They’ve been amazing in supporting me as a musician and cancer survivor.

Website: www.brandonmaahs.com

Instagram: @brandonmaahs

Twitter: @brandonmaahs

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