If you want to survive in the film industry, it's not about fighting for your visions because that's a given. It's thinking about how much is your vision going to cost, and then, what are the consequences, because you may have $100 million, but the reality is that $100 million needs to make $500 million to be a success.

Cliff Martinez

Categorized in : Thinking Reality Fighting

Composing demands a degree of isolation.

Cliff Martinez

isolation demand degrees

I live in Topanga Canyon, which is like a faux-rustic enclave in Los Angeles. I love the sounds of all the critters outside - the frogs, owls, crickets, and birds. Some of the birds around here are pretty accomplished musicians. You can learn a lot from them.

Cliff Martinez

musician owl bird

I actually don't see that strong of a connection between my background as a rock 'n roller and my early films. In a way I think your musical identity in film work is determined by the jobs that come your way.

Cliff Martinez

strong jobs thinking

It's very important that you never depend on money to fulfill your creative vision. If you do that, you're doomed to fail.

Cliff Martinez

vision important creative

I work at home but average 15,000 to 18,000 miles per year on my Honda.

Cliff Martinez

home average years

I was in the Chilli Peppers at the time and I asked myself, would I be able to wear a sock on my genitals at the age of forty and they proved me wrong because I guess they're still doing it.

Cliff Martinez

peppers able age

I know so few people who actually give music their undivided attention, so I've been trying to just park myself on the couch between the speakers and listen.

Cliff Martinez

trying giving people

I got fed up with being in bands. I spent a couple of years touring the country in a smoked filled band, doing lots of drugs and being really unhealthy.

Cliff Martinez

couple country years

Pop music is a fashion, and fashions come and go. The public retires you as their tastes change.

Cliff Martinez

pops fashion taste

The more I come to understand music, the more I feel like a numbskull because there is always more to learn.

Cliff Martinez

feels

I'm kind of conservative. I like to build on what I've done in the past and try something new.

Cliff Martinez

done trying past

I don't want to be typecast as the 'ambient guy' or someone who only does electronic scores. I think most of the work that comes my way is because people feel they know me musically.

Cliff Martinez

guy people thinking

For me, the work begins with a rough cut of the film. I can't do much with the script. I've tried to write music to a script prior to seeing the film, but I've found it turns out to be a waste of time.

Cliff Martinez

waste cutting writing

I guess I'd like to have my cake and eat it, too. I want to be known for having a recognizable style. I believe having your own personal identity is what makes you competitive. On the other hand, I would like to be versatile and be challenged to go in new directions.

Cliff Martinez

cake believe hands

I've never tried to work chronologically. I don't think I have the discipline to do that.

Cliff Martinez

discipline thinking

I've always been very left of center and the radio never had much diversity and film did.

Cliff Martinez

diversity film radio

I don't like to write any music to a script. Experience has taught me that's generally a waste of time.

Cliff Martinez

waste scripts writing

Censorship has kind of disappeared in a way because everything is accessible online.

Cliff Martinez

censorship kind way

When you've finished the film and everybody's already made back all their money, everybody just leaves you alone and I'm very happy. That's what it has to be like.

Cliff Martinez

very-happy film made

The way that I make films is that I sit down and I think, "How much money could I get with less consequences?" And that's how I start. I'd rather have less money and total autonomy than more money and start having to answer to things, because then I'm not being true and the money men are not being true.

Cliff Martinez

answers men thinking