I'm a BIG FAN of arrangers for film score roughs, and for an occasional low end project (usually, a non-profit).

In fact, I have had people, including my friend and superior studio musician Rory ask me why not use a rough (he was listening to a rough for a film for a car manufacturer).

He was right...in that case, I could have pulled it off.


But, my full scale scores are almost always done with mostly live players...rarely even use work stations. Samples are sometimes used when the budget is tight.

I pride myself in the quality of our scores, and have access to enough high end business to make that happen.

Arrangers are GREAT for getting the ball rolling, though.


Russ
(disclaimer: This is the way I do it, and it is not my intent to say that this is the only way to produce film scores or to knock arrangers, those who play them or the projects done on them)


SO THERE! (LOL)!