Students who attended this week’s Reach Higher lunchtime talk were given a rare and eye-opening insight into the world of music for film and advertising, thanks to award-winning composer, Andy Huckvale.
Andy is a professional composer, producer, and musician whose work spans commercials, film, and television. During the session, he shared striking examples from his career, including adverts where subtle changes in musical key completely transformed the mood of the same visual footage, from calm and playful to tense and dramatic. By stripping music away and then rebuilding it again, instrument by instrument, Andy demonstrated just how powerfully sound shapes storytelling.
What resonated most strongly with students, however, was Andy’s honesty about his journey. He spoke openly about getting into music at 14, playing bass in bands, touring the US, signing a record deal, only later to be dropped by the record label. He described working at Blockbuster Video while trying to keep his music career alive, and the moment his first advert earned him more than a year’s wages. Alongside successes, he emphasised the many rejections that come with the industry, explaining that in one year he might win 5 commissions but lose 45.
Students were fascinated by Andy’s breakdown of how the advertising music world actually works: the layers of clients, agencies, production companies, and music houses, the competitive demo process, and the need for resilience when your work isn’t chosen – even when you love it. His message was clear: rejection is normal, and progress comes from persistence and being a bit thick-skinned.
Andy also shared practical advice that students found especially powerful. Talent alone, he argued, is rarely enough. What matters more is being reliable, finishing what you start, meeting deadlines, staying curious, and being open-minded. He described himself as a “jack of all trades” who succeeds by combining skills, saying yes to opportunities, and keeping relationships alive within the industry, “because you never know when you might need help from someone you worked with previously.”
Perhaps the most memorable takeaway was his encouragement to keep going even when confidence is low: some work only reveals its value later, and growth often happens after the uncomfortable moments. His mantra, “finish things… do it anyway,” struck a chord with many students navigating their own paths across many subjects.
We are extremely grateful to Andy for sharing his experience so openly and for giving students such a vivid glimpse into the creative industries – not just the highlights, but the hard work behind them.