Meet Sam Rad | Composer for Film, Television and Video Games

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

Hi Sam, why did you pursue a creative career?
I have always been making music growing up. As a teenager, I started to notice how much of an impact music in film and television had on me. From then on, I knew I wanted to explore screen scoring as a career and learn as much as I can. There was no other profession that I felt was such a natural fit for me since that is what I am the most curious and passionate about. If I were in any other field, I think that I would have tried to find as many ways as possible to make music. So, I thought I might as well go for it!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think the fact that I grew up listening to and making music across a variety of genres really paved the way to screen scoring naturally for me. Versatility is such an essential part of the job. From improvising to composing, arranging/orchestrating, producing and songwriting, all of these individual fields intersect in screen scoring, which is super exciting. This variety within the process keeps things fresh and interesting. On one project, you could be working on orchestral composition, and then on another one get into songwriting or produce tracks with other artists. On the next one, you could be doing all of it. Being open to approaching screen scoring from the perspective of not just a composer but also a producer and songwriter is definitely what I think helped me get to where I am today.

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?
I would definitely take them to Shabuya in Westlake, Blueys Café in Santa Monica and Hae Ha Heng Thai Bistro near Koreatown. All of these places are such a vibe and have some great tasting food! Generally, I love checking out new cafés in Glendale and am always happy if I can find time to explore beaches in Malibu.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Definitely my parents, sister, and close friends who have been incredibly supportive on this journey. I feel very lucky to have people in my life that will always be there to give support and thoughtful advice. In addition to that, I am of course deeply grateful to have learned so much from professors and fellow musicians at Berklee. They continue to inspire me every day.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samradix

Image Credits
Christine Polz, Nissan Zangilevitch