Meet Dani Martinez | Composer and Songwriter for Visual Media

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

Hi Dani, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
I’m really lucky to say that so many different parts of my life grant me joy. I would say what has always sat at the forefront of that joy are the people in my life. My friends, family, colleagues, collaborators, students, and even on occasion, strangers. Don’t get me wrong–I am a textbook introvert–my energy comes from my time alone, reading, watching movies, writing music with my cat Louis nearby. But I am also well aware that life is pretty boring, and even meaningless, when you take out human connection.

Making music and telling stories are some of my most profound sources of joy, and while the simple act of creating and experimenting artistically make me immensely happy, the true magic comes when I’m able to share that joy with others. Sometimes sharing comes in the form of collaborating with a film director and bringing their story to life, or simply sharing a song I wrote with a friend. This love for sharing is one of the reasons I am an avid movie-theater geek. There is nothing like the joy I get when hearing an audience’s collective gasp after a twist is revealed, or a chorus of sniffles at the end of a tear-jerker.

Life is far too short to not lean into the small joys you encounter every day. Even on my worst days, I’ve found there is always something that has made me laugh, smile, or at the very least, take a breath.

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 composer and songwriter for visual media. I have written original scores and songs for dozens of films, and also am an independent recording artist with a solo pop/rock act. I have composed music for many genres of film, but I believe my music really shines when paired with offbeat stories, in genres ranging from horror to coming-of-age dramedies.

When collaborating with a film director, I always prioritize their story, and discuss what I can contribute that no other facet of production can. I take pride in my close collaboration with filmmakers. There’s nothing like watching a director’s eyes light up when they hear your cue for the first time, paired with their picture.

Getting to where I am today was not easy, but if I had the chance, I wouldn’t change any of my experience. I have a Bachelors degree in English, and had the realization fairly late into my undergraduate career that analyzing literature was not really creatively invigorating for me. I found myself staying late in practice rooms when I should have been writing an essay, and writing songs when I should’ve been reading a 19th century novel we were set to analyze the next day.

However, the experience I had on a completely different career path from where I currently am was not a diversion. It was not a waste of time that set me off course. Instead, it was something that pushed me into the position I am lucky to be in today. I believe something that sets me apart from other music-makers is this fervent dedication to storytelling. This dedication would not be as essential to my fundamental artistic values if I had not spent so much time learning about those minuscule details of storytelling.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not have had the courage to take the leap and pursue a career in the creative arts if it were not for my parents. From a very young age, I was privileged to have a mother and father who allowed me to be me and encouraged my creativity. I come from a family of artists: my parents met while doing theater, and they instilled in my sister and I a love for music and the performing arts from the moment we each took our first breath. When I told my parents I was going to pursue film scoring, they were both excited and unsurprised. They said that they didn’t want to ever tell me what I should do with my life (because that was for me to figure out), but they always knew that music was what brought me the most joy. They were happy that I had come to that conclusion myself.

I can honestly say I do not think I would be pursuing a music career in any capacity if I didn’t have them as parents, so this shoutout is dedicated to them!

Website: https://www.danimartinez.art

Instagram: https://danimartinez.art