Quotes by Bill Conti

“When the audience and the performers become one, it is almost nearly divine, where this oneness can actually meet in some, not physical place, but in some spiritual place, in the middle, not the performers performing, not the audience receiving, but all of a sudden that contact is made and it becomes wonderful.”

“Making a living is not a career. It might be for an accountant, but its not for someone who says I want one thing. The guy who feels that his career hasnt happened yet. The guy who has that kind of hunger, who wants money and fame.”

“Theres a higher place that I have no illusions about reaching. Theres a sophistication and aesthetic about composers who only write only for the musics sake.”

“Mozarts job classification was to write music, which he did for ballets and operas. He got paid to do that, and taught on the side. He wasnt a waiter. He didnt sell mutual funds. Those are all noble professions, but if you want to be a professional composer, then youre writing dramatic music for film and television.”

“All you have to do is open up a little bit and then youll be experiencing a part of that persons soul. Its just there -- in the presence of a beautiful painting, a creation, something created by someone else. This is insight into not who they are physically, but who they are on this other plane, so, what makes it magic, always, is to hear music performed live.”

“Music is anti-intellectual. Its non-literal, and you have to find out what makes the director happy. You want to let someone hear what youre thinking about. Because if you get to the stage, and the director says I wasnt thinking like that, then your score wont be in the movie.”

“In the back of your mind, when you say you want to write music for the movies, youre saying that you want a big house, a big car and a boat. If you just wanted to write music, you could live in Kansas and do it.”

“Rocky III”