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QCC - You hit it on the nail w/ some additions and summation --
Addition to QCC's tv and film opportunities -
Another venue in the film and TV composition world is sound production. Now it isn't easy and many jobs are centered on the coasts (NYC and LA) but it is better than relying on composition
In sum, it is a matter of taking the following steps -
STEP I -
Get very good at what you do and EXPAND into others areas. And aside from your speciality be good at a few other things (that means, don't treat keyboard harmony, improv,ear training and dictation as things you must get through --- I recall applying to be an accompanist for an intense pre-school accompanist position. Guess what I was asked to do? Harmonize a melody, improvise to a given accompaniment, sight read mostly. I didn't do too well on some of these because I never took serious training in improv, harmonization etc until recently). Another thing about this, don't be a snob - I know of a singer who was asked by a very famous tv program to stay on to do vocal sound effects after doing one gig. Guess what she refused because she thought it "beneath" her training.
concurrent w/ STEP I, STEP II
Get to know yourself --- yes, for composer - pianist teaching piano may be a good fall back but if you don't like it you will be just as miserable if you were doing another job you hate - eg a law file clerk. Figure out your interests. You may be surprised that it may only be composing. This means you have to look outside music (just think of Charles Ives who a trailblazer in music AND insurance!).
STEP III (this can start as you are in the later stages of STEPS I and II, eg your skills are getting good and you have done some exploration, expirimentation which has given you 2 -3 roads to pursue)
Get yourself known. Go to concerts and workshops and have a business card ready. If you have a website fantastic --- but you tend to get more publicity if you treat it as a blog (I believe flint does this with his updates on his compositions). An excellent example is Roger Bourland's website where he is chair at UCLA's music school, writes for film, video and tv, an essayist and blogger.
Get yourself aligned with the people who can help you and be in an environment that will benefit your composition. Join composer/music licensing publishing organizations. Join ensembles or composer consortiums IN school. Assist with other composers concerts. Set up you own group. Contact charities, event planners, businesses etc for possible funding and performance/composition opportunities. BTW, moving to LA, NYC (or some of the large cultural centers in the rest of the world) for the opportunities is not possible for all (and not entirely necessary), but there are cities with large, active arts communities.
STEP IV
Get a life. Not in the perjorative sense, but depending on your temperament, it may mean just ensuring you spend time with friends, take a vacation, relax, or do something non-musical you enjoy. Also, take in stride the times you cannot spend as much with composing and, possibly, music.
Ok, this became a HUGE post (a good deal of the advice I need to follow much more). Sorry.
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