Meet Johan Macaraeg | Film Composer

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

Hi Johan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Music has always been a part of me from as long as I can remember. I started with piano when I was 5 years old. This then led to learning drums and guitar which eventually led to my love of music composition. I also happened to love film, at a time I also was debating the idea of studying film. When I realized that film composing was a thing, I was so intrigued by it and I never looked back. The whole process of the film scoring process is something I truly enjoy. Getting to work on different types of films, exploring new ideas and collaborating with other people is always something special.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets my art apart from other people is my culmination of difference experience and inspiration. I grew up being exposed to different types of music and film and I think that definitely helps me in my field today. I feel like my personal experiences throughout my life also influence my writing. My inspiration may come from playing around with new sounds or from just going out on a walk on a sunny day.

I’ve always been intrigued by film music but as there was no film scoring degree in the Philippines, where I’m originally from, I took up music production instead. In hindsight, I’m also glad that was the case because I got to come from a place that is different from a usual music conservatory. As a film composer, you have to be able to adapt to whatever comes so my background of many different things (which might not be conventional) eventually became a really useful skill to have!

There are so many lessons I’ve learned along the way. One of the most important things is being able to be collaborative and always being open to trying out things outside your comfort zone. I value the art of collaborating with different types of people immensely. From discovering new ideas, to learning new skills, and honestly just being around people from different sorts of backgrounds and cultures always motivate me to propel myself forward and not be afraid to explore new things.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The wonderful thing about being in Los Angeles, is the diversity of things you can do all over the city. You’ll always find new and unexpected things you can do in this town. From the diverse museums you can visit, I suggest visiting the Academy Museum, The Broad, The Getty, and maybe even the Petersen Museum, there’s always something new to explore. I’m personally a big foodie myself so I would also suggest trying out all the different spots LA has to offer. My personal faves as of late are Bacari in Glendale, UOVO in Studio City, Spoon and Pork in Silver Lake, and The Window in Venice. As a musician, I would suggest getting lost in all of the different synthesizers in Perfect Circuit in Burbank! If there’s a movie being shown in 70mm in Universal Studios, that is also an experience one won’t forget!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s so much people to thank and that I’m truly grateful for. I’ve been lucky to have a supportive family, friends, and colleagues. Our profession can get crazy at times to say the least, and having people you can fall back on and unwind with is something I don’t take for granted for. To all the directors and producers I’ve worked with over the years, I appreciate you all for believing in me even from an early age. Extra shoutout to my parents, girlfriend, grandparents, and mentors Dallas Crane, Jeanine Cowen, Garry Schyman, and professors at my time at the USC Screen Scoring program. Thank you so much and I’m grateful for you all always.

Website: https://www.johanmmusic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johanm.music/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johan.macaraeg

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@johanmmusic

Image Credits
Christian Amonson