Stock audio can be a frustrating arena. When you don't quite have the budget to work with a composer or get the rights to the perfect song, stock music can really save you. On the flip side, it can be overwhelming sorting through platforms like the Vimeo Music Store looking for the perfect cue, and even when you find it, there aren't a lot of options on how to shape it to perfectly match your scene.
Filmstro is a very useful tool for overcoming that problem. The company works with an army of composers to write cues that are sorted into categories in their app. To make it even more useful, those cues are written to be manipulated with Filmstro's proprietary tools to change the momentum, depth and power of the music in sync with your picture. The app even has an auto keyframing interface, so you can just sit back, watch your scene and turn the sliders up and down to manipulate the score in precise time with your edit.
Filmstro Premiere PanelCredit: Filmstro
Filmstro has been working hard to extend their usability, with the biggest new feature being direct integration into Premiere through an accessory panel. While it's not been too difficult to work with Filmstro directly from its app, having integration directly within Premiere will be very useful since you can start previewing the soundtrack before your edit is even locked, and you could potentially massage the edit to work with the music. For instance, you might let a shot play longer, if the music is really helping it, than you would without score, so integrating into an edit system is a really useful tool. Using the panel in Premiere feels very intuitive; once a cue is chosen, you then enter an edit mode so you can keyframe the variables in perfect time with your picture.
Filmstro Mobile AppCredit: Filmstro
Filmstro has a monthly pricing model aimed at the busy production company turning around a lot of projects, with a variety of subscription tiers depending on the work you do and the outlets it's intended for. To aid the independent filmmaker, they now have a "Project Pass" one-time price, where you can purchase a month of access while you are working on a particular project. Even if you are planning on working with a composer at the end of the process, having a score that you can massage while you edit could be invaluable, and the freedom to purchase for a shorter duration is definitely appreciated. They have also launched a Filmstro app to help mobile filmmakers quickly add scores to videos from their phone's camera roll before uploading to social platforms.
You can download the app and sign up at Filmstro.com.
