Jake Warren: Songs For The Big Screen
Jake Warren is a London-born, Los Angeles–based songwriter and producer signed to Peermusic. His music has been featured across Netflix, HBO, Hulu, CBS, Peacock, and major brand campaigns for PlayStation and Toyota. Known for creating songs that feel both artist-driven and soundtrack ready, his work has appeared in trailers, promos, and hit shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Love Island, Love Is Blind, Sweet Magnolias, and All American.
We talked to Jake about his approach to writing music, production and aspects of his workflow.
Creative Process
When you’re writing with soundtrack in mind, do you approach song structure differently than you would for an artist release?
My start in custom taught me about structure — pacing, edit points, scoring to picture. Later, through production albums, I learned how to balance release and soundtrack use.
That discipline shaped me, but these days I focus more on writing songs that feel whole on their own. If the vibe is right, the arcs usually fall into place.
I’ve learned that you can master technique, but you can’t manufacture inspiration.
How do you prepare your tracks so they’re useful for editors while also resonating with listeners?
I’m conscious of both from the start. Editors like having contrast and space, but as listeners we resonate with real songwriting.
At first the technical and creative felt like two different worlds — now they’re one.
Early on, the technical and creative felt separate — I had to train my ears to really hear what was coming out of the speakers, and for a long time it felt like voodoo.
Over time I found the technical side becoming more instinctive, which freed me to stay focused on feel.
At first the technical and creative felt like two different worlds — now they’re one.
How do you weave shifts in mood or intensity so they feel natural?
I try to follow what the song is asking for. In the beginning, I thought in terms of “sections” and tried to engineer contrasts.
Over time I learned it’s more about staying tuned to the flow. I’d rather have a track that feels linear but carries a strong vibe than something technically correct with no point of view.
A track with vibe will usually outlast a track with formula.
How do you stay aware of soundtrack trends without losing sight of artistry?
I’ve found trends useful as context, but I don’t put too much weight on them.
Around COVID, when soundtrack and commercial music merged, I started leaning more into pop sensibility than rigid trailer formulas.
I’ve seen how quickly trends come and go — taste tends to transcend trends.
Industry Context
Have Sonnox or other plugins shaped your productions?
I use Sonnox plugins mainly for tone, vibe, and space.
Sound selection usually comes first, then I’ll shape it — darken it, add harmonics, push it back in the stage.
The foundation has to be solid, but the focus is on feel. Once I started hearing mixes as 3-D spaces, they began to breathe.
There’s an amazing Fab Dupont walkthrough of the Sonnox Oxford Reverb where he explains early reflections and absorption like putting up materials on the walls of a room.
That helped me understand how the ear perceives sound in a real space. Since then, my mixes have felt more natural, deep, and wide.
The foundation has to be solid, but the focus is on feel. Once I started hearing mixes as 3-D spaces, they began to breathe.
The Fab Dupont Oxford Reverb Video
How do you reinterpret briefs to align with your style while still delivering?
I usually put my own spin on a brief so my creative itch is satisfied. Earlier in my career I was more literal, trying to tick every box.
When you’re trying to forge a career it can feel like you have to do whatever is asked of you.
Over time I’ve sensed my role is to lean into what comes naturally, to have something to say, a point of view. In a crowded space, that’s hopefully what makes one song stand out from the rest.
Do certain genres lend themselves more naturally to your style?
I don’t really think in terms of genres I’m “good” at. Taste drives most of it — we can’t escape it.
The more awareness I’ve brought to why I like something, the more I’ve been able to fold it into my own music.
The foundation has to be solid, but the focus is on feel. Once I started hearing mixes as 3-D spaces, they began to breathe.
I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting, asking why a sound feels modern, retro, or just pleasing. Because I write, produce, and mix myself, I’ve learned the importance of being clear about each choice.
A great production often comes down to a few strong, intentional decisions. We can’t escape our taste. The more we understand it, the stronger our music becomes.
Future Outlook
Do you see new opportunities for songs that “transcend soundtrack”?
I think so. I’ve found people often notice when a track was written just to tick boxes.
The ones that connect tend to be authentic first, soundtrack second. I’ve seen songs land big placements and barely move the needle, while others take off because the soundtrack gave them a moment — no dialogue, just the track carrying the scene. When that happens, the audience leans in.
The songs that last are authentic first, soundtrack second.
Where do you see your balance between artist work and soundtrack heading?
For me, the line between the two has softened over time.
My role now is to create music that can live in both worlds — artist-first, soundtrack ready — without compromise.
The strongest music lives where commercial and artistic overlap.
Jake Warren’s music lives where storytelling and sound meet; crafted with intention, guided by instinct. His reflections remind us that lasting songs aren’t built on formulas, but on feel. Whether for screen or speaker, that’s what keeps listeners leaning in.