Music Meets Film, part of Discovery Campus, the international education programme at Industy@Tallinn & Baltic Event, will return in November. The programme brings together film, music and video games professionals, with workshops, lectures and discussions focusing on the creative collaboration between directors and composers.

Over the past few years, Music Meets Film (MMF) has become a recognizable platform and a highly anticipated series of events. As on previous occasions, also this year eight emerging composers have been selected to take part in the programme.

Hanna-Greth Peetson, the project manager of Music Meets Film comments: “We are grateful for the growing interest from both composers and our partners. When selecting the participants, we value both their existing work as well as the motivation for attending the program. It is inspiring to hear their potential and read their goals and see how we can help to achieve them with this programme.”

The selected participants are Anna Ljundberg (Sweden), composer with a classical background and roots in folk music, Frida Feline Nilsen (Norway), composer, music producer, and director working at the intersection of film, music, and contemporary art, Ilari Heinilä (Finland), composer, sound designer merging punk rock spirit with the sweet allure of electronica, Jakob Juhkam (Estonia), composer and multi-instrumentalist known for blending rock, jazz, minimalism, and electronic textures, Katla Heimidottir (Iceland), composer and sound artist studying New Media Composition at the Iceland University of the Arts, Madis Kreevan (Estonia), composer and sound designer has worked across film, television, theatre, and advertising, and Martin Nowacki (France), composer and pianist, trained in jazz piano and film scoring and Nicolò Braghiroli (UK), composer, orchestrator, conductor and music supervisor.

Check the profiles of the selected Music Meets Film participants here

Three days full of inspiration and practical knowledge

The three-day programme from 19-21 November includes lectures and masterclasses by award-winning professionals and industry-leading companies and partners that offer practical tools and guidance for the participants’ careers and help navigate the industry.

“Music Meets Film is built around two guiding principles: inspiration and practical knowledge,” Peetson adds, “We design every session with a clear focus on tangible outcomes, whether it be how to read and negotiate a contract, advice in the relationship between directors and composers, career and craft development examples from established composers or how to adapt techniques from composing for different mediums for your own work. Music Meets Film is where composers can flourish and directors and producers can find their next creative partners,” she adds.

The selected participants will have an opportunity to attend the Director–Composer Lab: Composing the Cut, the central workshop of Music Meet Film. In collaboration with the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, this workshop led by Emmy-nominated composer Miriam Cutler examines the director–composer relationship through a lecture on collaboration and scoring practices. In the closed sessions, Music Meets Film participants work with young directors from Baltic Film School to score short film clips, concluding with a feedback discussion that demonstrates the interplay between music and picture in filmmaking.

The on-spot workshop starts with an open lecture on November 20 that can be attended by anyone with the ITBE accreditation or day ticket. Mentor Miriam Cutler will dive into the director-composer relationship and give practical insights on how to best work with each other.

Open sessions for composers, sound designers, directors, and producers bringing diverse insights and inspiration

Addition to the closed workshop, Music Meets Film will hold several events that are open to guests with accreditation or day ticket, including the panel discussion “Immersion Through Music: Shared Tools of Film and Game Scoring” with composer Liina Sumera, film director and game developer Nicola Piovesan and music supervisor and video game developer Natasha Skult. The discussion explores how film and video game music intersect and differ, highlighting shared creative tools, unique approaches, and practical insights for storytelling across both mediums. The panel will be led by Thea Zaitsev (Tier Music).

One of the highlights of the programme is the masterclass by BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated composer Atli Örvarsson, moderated by Estonian composer and professor Ardo Ran Varres. The masterclass takes a close look at Örvarsson’s approach to scoring and the creative use of space in music. Through case studies on Rams and Silo, he will provide behind-the-scenes insights into his process and collaborations, offering valuable guidance for composers, directors, and producers.

The programme also includes a practical discussion on composer legal agreements Dialogue on Contracts: What Should and Shouldn’t Be In a Contract with attorney-at-law Priit Lätt and composer Helena Tulve. Check the full schedule and the details here

Music Meets Film's main sponsor and partner is Tallinn UNESCO City of Music.