Marie Douglas on Composing for Film, Freelance Music Careers, and Building a Sound That Blends Everything

Guest: Marie Douglas Titles: Composer; arranger; educator; musical director; conductor; freelance creative Episode Theme: What it takes to build a career as a Black woman composer and why preparation, musical range, and real relationships matter in film, TV, and beyond. Why this matters right now: Composers shape how stories feel, but they are still one of the least visible roles in entertainment. In this episode, Marie Douglas breaks down how she found her way into composition, what filmmakers should understand before hiring a composer, and why Black women need to be seen, supported, and heard in every part of the industry, including the score. Marie Douglas is an award-winning composer and educator whose work blends classical, hip-hop, trap, spoken word, and electronic influences. Raised in Atlanta after being born in Buffalo, she came up through church, marching band, and a deeply creative household before stepping into leadership at FAMU and later earning a doctorate in composition. In this episode, Marie talks about learning trumpet, becoming a drum major, navigating music as a Black woman without many visible role models, and building a freelance career through preparation and in-person relationship building. She also shares real talk on contracts, pricing, DAWs, and the difference between digital and live music-making in screen work. Growing up in Atlanta and early musical roots (00:02:20) Band, trumpet, and finding leadership (00:05:29) FAMU, leadership, and musical discipline (00:08:47) Contracts, composer rates, and protecting your work (00:19:28) DAWs, composing, and Marie’s creative process (00:26:38) How a composer career can start from band and church (00:03:04) How filmmakers should approach and budget for composers (00:22:20) DAWs and the basics of modern music production (00:27:48) Freelancing and advocating for your value (00:25:27) “You were right, keep going.” (00:33:28) Marie Douglas is a composer, arranger, educator, and musical director whose work spans live performance, freelance composition, and screen-based storytelling. Raised in Atlanta and rooted in a musical culture shaped by church, marching bands, and Black Southern traditions, she developed a sound that moves across genres while staying grounded in craft. She has contributed to a Grammy-nominated album, worked with Live Nation’s Big Femme Energy live experience, and continues to create music for artists, projects, and collaborators looking for bold, fusion-driven sound. Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch the full episode on YouTube @TruJuLoMedia. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it. Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources. Support the show and help keep these conversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch. Keywords: Marie Douglas, Sista Brunch Podcast, Black women composers, composer for film, TV composer, freelance composer, women in music, Black women in Hollywood, music for film and television, DAW, digital audio workstation, Logic Pro, FAMU Marching 100, music educator, Grammy-nominated album