#WFH Diaries: Jordan Passman of Score a Score
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt lives across the globe, we're checking in with creative people to see how they're coping. Here's an update from Jordan Passman of music company Score a Score.
Give us a one-line bio of yourself.
Jordan Passman is the founder and CEO of Score a Score, an award-winning music company specializing in original music for marketing.
Where are you living right now, and who's with you?
Hancock Park, Los Angeles, with my beautiful wife Dorianne, our 2-year-old son Leo, and our 7-year-old shepherd/retriever rescue Tina Turner.
What's your work situation like at the moment?
We're contributing to a lot of Covid-19 response content for brands, which is helping our clients spread positive and supportive information during this challenging time. These spots frequently move forward with emotional yet uplifting underscores, which is one of our specialties. On top of that, we're incredibly humbled and grateful to be busy with new work and renewals of previous music licenses. We've remained focused on being extremely quick on responses, accommodating flexible deal structures and delivering resonant music solutions. We've found this approach works really well as part of the creative process in today's WFH environment.
Describe your socializing strategy.
The most socializing I do is with my wife and son—reading books, cooking and baking, building blocks, Play-Doh, walking our dog, and visiting our parents from 10 feet away while we sit on the curb and they sit in their cars. In a given day you can reach me via phone call, Zoom, Houseparty, FaceTime, WhatsApp, email, texting, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
How are you dealing with childcare?
My wife is taking the majority of M-F time with Leo. She's the most incredible mother, and he's very happy that we never leave him!
What are you reading?
I'm an Audible 2X speed "reader" and usually go for business books. Right now I'm actually rereading Traction by Gino Wickman and Good to Great by Jim Collins.
What are you watching?
HBO's new docuseries, Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children—with original music by Score a Score's composer Jeremy Bullock, by the way! It's about the 30 African American children and young adults who disappeared or were murdered in Atlanta between 1979 and 1981. Heavy but important.
What are you listening to?
If I'm being completely honest, it's the original Jungle Book soundtrack on repeat, because my 2-year-old won't have it any other way. It's a great reminder to "look for the bare necessities and forget about your worries and your strife."
How are you staying fit?
I've started running in my neighborhood to get my exercise fix. And mentally, I end every night with a cup of "peaceful slumber" tea.
Have you taken up a hobby?
My wife started baking Challah on Fridays, and so I've been trying to perfect Challah French Toast on Saturday mornings for Leo.
Any tips for getting necessities?
We have avoided the markets by pre-filling our Instacart orders before we need them, and then working to lock in a delivery time at any opportunity we have.
An awkward moment since all this started.
You know when this all started and there was a viral link going around with a fake headline that "Trump tests positive for Coronavirus," but then when you click it's a photo of a naked man? Well, that link was shared before being clicked on in our team Gchat, and we all had a good laugh.
Best work email you got since all this started.
We actually track what we call internally "Happy Scoring Moments." If I had to pick one, here's an email from a composer after notifying him of a new music placement:
O.....M.....G!!!!!!!
Thank you SO MUCH!
Holy crap, I nearly fell off my chair reading this—even counted to zero a few times to make sure I wasn't misreading, lol!
An aha! moment since all this started.
My personal mantra is that I will try to do the best I can for me, my family, my work family and the universe right now. Gratitude is the attitude. And I can't stop thinking about this Warren Buffett quote: "Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked."
What's your theory on how this is going to play out?
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. I am an optimist and believe wholeheartedly that times of adversity create opportunity. There is more hunger for content than ever, and nothing can stop creatives from creating.
