Her Story
About Erika
Erika Flores is a film composer specializing in music for media in the entertainment industry. With roughly 6 to 7 years in the field, she balances her creative work on short films and features with a full-time production role, having previously contributed to television shows such as The Rookie and Muppets. Her path began at community college as a music major before she transferred to earn a bachelor's in communications focused on the entertainment industry at Cal State Fullerton. She is currently pursuing a certificate in screen scoring at UCLA Extension. Erika is an Academy Gold Rising alum and maintains memberships in the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Academy of Scoring Arts, the California Post Alliance, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Through the California Post Alliance she advocates for keeping post-production work in California. She attributes her success to the support of her family, particularly her husband, and values respect for people, time, and craft along with kindness in both her professional and personal life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Erika
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to my family, like my sister, mom and dad, and especially my husband, who's been my support and encouraging me to pursue this creative field. And being there when I have when I need a shoulder to cry on, or whenever I have like a stupid question that I need to talk it out with someone. My husband and my family are always there.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You're probably going to fail doing something you hate, so just do something you love and go for it. If you do fail, at least you were pursuing what you loved. If there's a passion that you have, just do it. It might take you a few months, a year, or like me, 10 years to finally pursue your career, but eventually you have to just pursue your dreams. Even if it doesn't work out, you'll find a way to make it work.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities: A lot of people don't utilize social media, and social media is a growing landscape. Not enough film composers or creatives are utilizing it to the fullest. Challenges: Navigating social media and AI, and the state of the industry. There's a lot of work that's being outsourced to other states, and we're just trying to survive it here in Hollywood.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Definitely respect, like respect for people, respect for their time, and respect for the craft. Showing up on time shows respect to the director and the crew, and meeting deadlines on time is a form of respect. Being kind to others, I really take that to heart.
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