With AI and temp tracks increasingly setting the tone and influencing creative decisions, the search for space for truly original scores has become more relevant than ever. At BMIM Special 2025, four music professionals came together to explore this question: composer Nainita Desai, music supervisor Francesca Barone, creative director Jacob Wiltshire (PUSHER), and composer/artist Tessa Rose Jackson. It turned into a lively and honest conversation where humanity, collaboration, and AI all played central roles.
Originality isn’t a coincidence, it’s a conscious decision
The panelists agreed: original music is never a coincidence. It results from bold choices, intuitive responses to visual material, and close collaboration with directors, editors, and creatives who are willing to let a story truly sound like itself. Nainita Desai explained, “As a composer, you constantly need to ask yourself: what does this story need that hasn’t already been said? That means you have to be willing to stray from the obvious.” For Desai, the magic lies in the unexpected: music that doesn’t merely illustrate, but adds.
AI as a tool, not a trademark
AI featured prominently in the discussion, not as a threat, but as part of today’s creative landscape, and at times a helpful tool. Still, there was a healthy dose of skepticism. Jacob Wiltshire noted that AI is helpful in the early preview phase: “You can quickly simulate a vibe or sketch out a musical direction. But that’s not the same as the real thing.” For PUSHER, which operates in the trailer and advertising space, speed is essential, but never at the cost of quality. “AI can be a shortcut now and then, but it’s still the human creator who brings meaning and refinement.”
AI can be a shortcut now and then, but it’s still the human creator who brings meaning and refinement.
Francesca Barone added that originality often comes from the collaboration itself. “AI can speed up your workflow, but the conversation between director, supervisor, and composer is what makes a score unique. That can’t be automated.” As a supervisor, she also sees the risk of sameness. “So much music sounds alike because we keep referencing the same things. More than ever, we need to encourage creators to follow their own signature.”
Personal meaning as creative fuel
For Tessa Rose Jackson, authenticity is not a strategy, it’s a necessity. She shared that she always looks for a personal entry point in her work: an emotion, a colour, a memory. “I often start with something that has nothing to do with music. A scent. A feeling. Something that moves me. That’s where the sound begins.” In her work on the game Life is Strange: Double Exposure, she showed how a composer must stand fully within the story while still offering something unique. “Ultimately, I want to make something that feels like a voice, not like an imprint.”
Collaboration means daring to listen
A key insight from the panel was that creativity thrives in dialogue. Nainita Desai emphasized the importance of staying open to input without losing yourself. “True originality sometimes lives in the compromise. Something new can arise when you mix different worlds.” Francesca Barone stressed the importance of bringing composers in earlier, before the picture is locked. “That way, you’re not just filling in music for something that’s already fixed – you’re helping shape the emotional tone from the beginning.”
The real challenge: daring to be different
Where AI offers efficiency, originality offers surprise, and that requires courage. Jacob Wiltshire observed that clients increasingly ask for something different, but still want to feel safe. “It’s our job to create a space where sounding different isn’t a risk – it’s an asset.” Francesca closed with a clear call: “Originality isn’t a luxury. It’s what makes music meaningful. If you really want to move someone, sometimes you need to go against the grain.”
As Tessa Rose Jackson put it:
Originality isn’t about inventing something new. It’s about creating something real. Something you can feel.
Panel Report Scoring Originality
Text: Marije van Zoest
Photos: Birgit Bijl