Days in the Life of a Film Composer

Here's an awesome poster designed by Yen Tan for the short film LOVE BUG (2009) which I scored last year.

I found this today while surfing the internet. It's a German DVD web site that has copies of MR. HELL (2006) for sale. They have retitled it DEAD HELL and the two pictures on the front cover have nothing to do with the actual movie.

It's pretty strange to see a film you worked on make it overseas. I'd like to buy a copy and hear it in German.

I bet it's good.

UPDATE:
I found this as well. It's a link to MR. HELL in Spanish. I think it's somewhere in South America. Somebody in the comments mentions that this film is called MR. INFERNO in Venezuela. I guess the distributor is finally getting the film out to the global market. The few comments that were posted here make fun of the film so I guess foreigners aren't liking it any better than US audiences.

Here is episode "eight" from the web series CELL.

I'm not sure how many projects one has to edit before they can officially be called an editor but I'm starting to feel like I definitely am one. I've written a little bit about my developing love for editing in the past year and it's rapidly appearing that 2010 could be a breakthrough year for me as far as my editing career is concerned.

I just wrapped up editing two trailers for the new feature length documentary FISH: GLOBAL SUSHI (2010) which chronicles the exploding love of sushi around the world and how that affects the dwindling population of blue fin tuna throughout the world's seas. The director, Mark Hall, is somebody I worked with last year. I edited and scored a short documentary for him entitled MISSION ON SEVEN (2009) which just won a Platinum REMI award at WorldFest Houston. Mark had been working with Sandra Adair (SCHOOL OF ROCK, A SCANNER DARKLY) for the past several months editing the assembly cut when she unexpectedly had to take a job out in LA cutting the next Will Ferrell film. That left Mark without an editor.

My brain was already set into motion...

Cutting a feature length documentary is a HUGE leap from cutting a short subject doc. My confidence was high so I let Mark know that I was interested in taking over the editing duties on FISH if he was interested. We really worked well together last year on the short doc and each really enjoyed working with one another.

It's true I probably don't have as much experience behind Final Cut Pro as some of the editors he's talked to, but you can't ignore my fifteen years experience as a filmmaker. Editing is such a congruous craft to scoring. There are so many similarities. I definitely feel like I know exactly what I'm doing and my experience leading me to this point has certainly helped make the case. There is also a HUGE benefit to having your editor and your composer be the same person.

So for the past few weeks I've been editing the two trailers for FISH. Once they were locked I took them back to my studio for scoring. We just posted them online a couple of nights ago ready for viewing by investors and producers in LA and Austin. I would very much like to edit the assembly cut but there are a few more hoops to jump through before Mark can make that decision. We'll have to wait and see what happens in that department.

Before I could get too relaxed upon finishing up these trailers, I got an email from Harry Lynch (RIDE AROUND THE WORLD) offering me an assistant editor position on his new documentary. We've already had a few conversations about it and it appears that I'll be working part-time as an assistant editor on his new doc about energy while at the same time working as a part-time assistant editor on the sushi doc. Then in July jump from editor to composer and spend six weeks scoring the energy doc and then if all stays on schedule with the sushi doc I'll score it as soon as I wrap up the energy doc. That should pretty much wrap up the remainder of my year.

Upon hearing of my recent influx of job offers as both an editor and composer, a close friend of mine commented that I've become a double threat. It's strange the unexpected events which occur in your life and the roads they lead you down. I never intended to become an editor. It all started when I used iMovie to cut together home videos of my family. A filmmaker friend viewed it and thought, "Hey, that's good, would you edit this presentation video I need for my school?" Then I edited a few little projects for myself for fun and another filmmaker friend hired me based to edit her short film. Next thing I know, I'm somewhat "in-demand." When did that happen? I'm not complaining and I'm certainly not going to fight it. I've really developed a love for it and hope to continue doing it. I don't ever want it to replace composing but if I find myself devoting a portion of my year to editing then that's a good thing.

Besides, if I'm editing a project it will most likely mean that I'll be scoring it next.

I guess I need to change the title of this blog to "Days in the Life of a Film Composer (and Editor)."

The last couple of years have been strange. Simply put...2009 wasn't pretty. It was a tough year for me. I hadn't had to work that hard to scrape up projects since I first started my career. I had my share of projects to work but it was slim pickings and the income wasn't that great. There were a handful of months peppered throughout the year where I felt like I was struggling just to get by.

The most frustrating thing was that I had potential projects surrounding me but I couldn't get any of them to pull the trigger. I think at one point during 2009 I had counted twelve potential projects that I was in various stages of talks with the respective filmmakers. I just needed one to give the green light! It was frustrating not to have a major project to work on but it was super-encouraging to have so many "in the pipeline.". Still, almost-projects don't pay the bills so it was challenging to keep a positive outlook.

When I talked to others in the industry it was pretty much the same story. If you lived in LA, Austin, NY or wherever, things were tough for everybody in 2009. I'm not sure if it was the economy or bad-timing or some other unforeseen factor but it was definitely widespread.

As 2010 approached something happened. Like a light switch that had been flicked on, everything changed in a near instant. I was first hired to score the documentary STRIVE & THRIVE (2010) out of Alaska and then a month later I was hired to score the documentary RICHARD GARRIOTT: MAN ON A MISSION (2010). Ahh, relief! Solid work for months!

But the projects didn't stop there...

During the time I was composing the scores for these two feature length documentaries, I picked up the scoring assignment for a new web series called CELL (2010) and I scored a short documentary film about Richard Rainwater. I also composed a song for an upcoming musical. By the time the end of February rolled around I had already composed more music in 2010 than I did during all of 2009!

Talking around with my friends and colleagues the same seemed to hold true for everybody. 2010 was already infinitely better than 2009.

What's the latest? I'm still working on the web series CELL and was recently hired to edit and score two new trailers for a feature-length documentary entitled FISH: GLOBAL SUSHI (2010). We just finished it last night in fact. Then I got an offer today from Harry Lynch (RIDE AROUND THE WORLD) to be an assistant editor on his next feature length documentary about energy which I will also score later this summer. On top of all that I'm still in the running for another major narrative feature that's slated for release next year (It's between me and another composer). I'm also waiting on the final cuts of another short documentary and short narrative film which I will compose the music for early this summer.

When I look back at all these projects the one thing most of them have in common is that they are mostly documentaries! That's certainly fine by me as I'm a huge fan of docs and always have been. Why is it that so many docs are in production? I don't know if it's more attractive to invest in a doc these days than a narrative film but the docs seems to be flourishing while narratives seem to be struggling. I don't really know but I don't really care either. For now I just have to say "God bless documentaries!"

Here are episodes "six" and "seven" from the web series CELL.

Since ARTOIS THE GOAT (2009) was released on DVD last month, a new crop of reviews have started to sprout up on the internet. So far they are all positive and a few even manage to single out the music.

Here's an interview with Richard Reininger (producer) on "Movies On a Big Screen...The Blog!"

Here's a nice review by Jette Kernion on Slackerwood.com

Finally, here is an audio interview with Richard on the "Sheep and Goat Radio Hour with Randy Springs"

And although it's not necessarily a review, KMFA recently blogged about my score for ARTOIS.

I'll continue to post more as I find them. If you're interested please join the ARTOIS THE GOAT Facebook page...and don't forget to order the DVD!

After nearly two years since I completed the score for THE CHILDREN'S WAR, it will finally be receiving its world premiere here in Austin with a subsequent screening planned in Houston. I'm really excited to have this film released. It's a very powerful and emotional film featuring stories that need to be told. I'm very proud of the score and can't wait to hear it and see the film in a theater. The DVD release is expected this summer.

Here is the trailer:



Here is the information for the Austin and Houston screenings. I'd love to see you there if you can make it.

Please join us for the premiere of the feature documentary film The Children's War, Life in Northern Uganda. A Q&A with filmmaker Andy Krakower will immediately follow the screenings.

5/15/10 Saturday, 4:00pm, Austin, TX
Alamo Drafthouse - 1120 South Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Buy tickets today, seating is limited!
A release party will immediately follow. Details about the reception will be sent at a later date.

5/20/10 Thursday, 8:00pm, Houston, TX
Angelika Film Center - 510 Texas Street (at Smith street) Houston, TX 77002
If you plan to attend, RSVP to akrakower@thechildrenswar.com, seating is limited so please respond today. Tickets are free thanks to a generous sponsor.
A reception will immediately follow at the Angelika Café for all audience members.

Leave your checkbooks at home and come join us. Learn about the conflict in Northern Uganda from the ones who have lived through it. Come celebrate the release of The Children's War.

For more information visit www.thechildrenswar.com

"In The Children's War, we have an invaluable documentation of the horrors, but also of the courage slowly bringing the Acholi people back from the abyss."
Jan Egeland, Former UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and author of "A Billion Lives"

This is my very first professional film score. I started TWINKLE, TWINKLE (1999) back in December 1998 six months after arriving in Austin. I had just graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Although I had scored a short film while I was at school, this was my first paying gig as a film composer.

That was almost twelve years ago. It's strange to revisit it. I haven't seen it in probably five or six years at least, probably longer. I'm still very happy with it. All of the typical signs of a newbie film composer are there but I thought it represented admirably where I was at that time in my career. I'm particularly fond of the finale and especially the closing credits. The MIDI technology sounds a little dated but compositionally and cinematically I think it's really good.

I remember it was during this project that I picked up one of the most valuable and important lessons I've ever learned in my career. I had just been selected as the composer for this short film and I couldn't have been more excited. I loved the film, I had my as-of-yet unused studio set up in my apartment in Austin, and I couldn't wait to be scoring a real film again. I received the work print and started on it almost immediately. The whole day I toiled and troubled my way through some ideas which were all completely thrown into the trash by the end of the day. The next day was the same story. I wrote idea, after idea, after idea, before hating them all and tossing them in to the trash. Another day like this followed and I started to get depressed, insecure, and very unsure of myself.

"What did I get myself into? I can't do this? I'm no good!"

Toward the end of the third day, I went in to the bedroom to seek solace (yet again) from my wife. After three days of hearing me mope and groan and bitch about my swelling insecurities, my wife, practically yelling at me, cut me short before I could get the first word out, "Just go in there and DO IT!"

"Yeah, but..."

"NO! Just go in there and do it! Just DO IT! Go!! Get in there and get it done! You have to get it done so just get it done!" She pointed her finger toward the door. She was done.

Head hanging low I headed back into my room and I just did it. Within twenty or thirty minutes the first cue was finished. By the end of the day, I had the second cue finished. My wife helped instill in me one of the most important obstacles a film composer must hurdle...writer's block. In this business there should be no such thing. There is no time for it. There are no excuses, there is no sympathy, and there is no looking back. You just have to go in there and do it.

Since that moment I've never had to deal with the "blank canvas" syndrome. I've never had writer's block and I've never doubted myself (OK, I still doubt myself all the time, but I don't let it get in my way). You don't know how many times when I'm working on a new film score that I can still hear my wife firmly speaking in my ears, "Just DO IT!"

It's very nice.

Here is TWINKLE, TWINKLE (1999) written and directed by Bing Yao.

Twinkle, Twinkle | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

This past weekend MISSION ON SEVEN (2009) took home a platinum REMI award for its category at WorldFest Houston. This is the short documentary film I edited and scored last year. It's about the film archive based on the seventh floor of the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Several major collections including Cecil B. Demille and Robert DeNiro are housed in this archive.

Here is a picture of director Mark Hall holding the award.

click to enlarge

I also recently found out that ARTOIS THE GOAT (2009) won the award for Best Comedy at the First Glance Film Festival in Hollywood, California. Congratulations Team Artois!

When a film wins an award at a film festival it's not often they actually receive a material object to commemmorate the honor. Sometimes you'll get a small plaque or certificate but a lot of time it's in name only.

This year, SXSW has certainly taken the crown for coolest festival award I've ever seen. This isn't merely a humdrum trophy or cheap certificate. They made the Audience Award for Spotlight Premieres out of a Thingamagoop 2!

Brady posted a picture of it on the MAN ON A MISSION (2010) Facebook page and then yesterday I had lunch with him and got to see the award itself. It's super-duper cool. One was awarded to the production company with offers to purchase more for $200 each if other memebers of the production wanted one. I'm SO tempted to get one but it's probably a bit too much for my bank account.

How cool would that look on my awards mantle?

My second week editing trailers for FISH: GLOBAL SUSHI (2010) is just about wrapped. I'm currently exporting all of the FCP files for Sjon to color correct this weekend. Mark and I finished up the edit on the three-minute trailer a couple nights ago and then spent a day or so tweaking the audio, adjusting the lower-thirds, and cleaning up the subtitles. I've exported a QT file to take back to my studio for scoring.

At the last minute Mark decided we should also do a quick thirty-second or one-minute teaser that focuses more on the environmental issues of the film. This film is really about the globalization of sushi but there are consequences and an impact on the environment that the film goes into as well. It didn't take me long to cut together a quick one-minute teaser focusing on these issues. I've exported the QT file and will score that as well.

After a quick color-correction and scoring I'll assemble all of the pieces together so we can export the final trailers and send them out into the world. These are going to be more for distributors and potential investors so I don't think it'll be made available to the public for a while. Hopefully it'll generate business interest and send home the finishing funds needed to complete the picture.

Mark has already talked to me about staying on part-time to log new footage and do some transcriptions. I'm inclined to do that. I love this project and I'm really enjoying wearing the editing cap for awhile.

Speaking of editing, I just saw this morning that MISSION ON SEVEN (2009), which is the short doc I cut and scored for Mark last year, has been listed on IMDB.com. Very cool.

Here is episode "five" from the web series CELL.

ARTOIS THE GOAT (2009) is now out on DVD! This award-winning festival favorite represents some of my best scoring work to date. If you haven't already I highly recommend buying this film and adding it to your DVD collection. It'll go a long way to help support two extremely talented Austin filmmakers (Kyle and Cliff Bogart) who are still broke today because they spent every penny they had on this amazing film. I wouldn't be pushing it if it weren't truly a great film.

You can order the DVD directly from Indiepix Films and it will ship out immediately. It will be available from Amazon.com on June 8, 2010.

Order today and enjoy!

I've finally posted audio selections from my score for RICHARD GARRIOTT - MAN ON A MISSION (2010). They can be found in the player widget on the right-hand side of the blog. I'm also including a separate widget here. Enjoy!

For the past week I've been editing footage for a new three minute trailer for the feature documentary film FISH: GLOBAL SUSHI (2010) which is the next big project from Mark Hall. He and I worked together last year on his short documentary MISSION ON SEVEN (2009) which I just found out won a REMI award at WorldFest Houston this year.

I've been talking with Mark about FISH for well over a year. We've been discussing having me score the film when the time comes and so along the way he's had me come by to take a peek at some footage and keep me abreast of the film's progress.

Sandra Adair, editor on ME AND ORSON WELLES (2008), A SCANNER DARKLY (2006), SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003), WAKING LIFE (2001), and many other films, has been the editor on FISH for the past several months but recently had to go on hiatus to cut the new Will Ferrell film out in Hollywood. That left Mark temporarily without an editor to cut the new trailer he needed to start shopping it around.

Since I've been so close to the project for so long already and since Mark respects my skills as an editor as well as a composer, he's hired me for two weeks to cut together the trailer. I'll cut it, score it, and deliver it to Mark who'll take it to get some minor color correction and sound mixing before sending it out into the world.

I just wrapped up the first week and I think we're pretty close. I went through several versions of the trailer before finally getting the right balance we were looking for. I've got a short list of things to do on it when I get back to work on Monday but overall I think we're very close to being locked. I'm sure by Tuesday or Wednesday I'll start to score the trailer which should only take a couple of days to complete.

I've been having a lot of fun all week long working on the edit. The footage is absolutely fantastic and I'm really into the subject material. It makes spending the long hours required to cut together all the footage down to a cohesive three minute trailer wholly enjoyable. I'm taking a break in Houston for the weekend but I'm already looking forward to getting back to FISH on Monday.

La-La Land Records has just announced the release of a new CD featuring Nelson Riddle's complete score for BATMAN: THE MOVIE (1966). I wrote the liner notes which goes into brief detail about the world premiere held here in Austin back in 1966. It was a really fun album to write notes for and it's a fantastically wonderful score. I'm very proud of this one.

Check out the track listing and even audio samples on La-La Land's website.

(click to visit La-La Land Records)

Thursday afternoon the Pflugerville Pflag published a recent article about me and my work composing the music for RICHARD GARRIOTT - MAN ON A MISSION (2010). James Rincon, a staff reporter, come out to my studio last week and conducting a brief interview. It was fun and always a pleasure to talk to somebody about my work.

I first saw the published article online. It was great! This is only the second major newspaper article about me that I've seen. James did an excellent job writing it up and included some great quotes from Mike Woolf (director) as well.

You can check out the online article HERE.

Yesterday I saw my next door neighbor outside and she said she saw my article in the local paper. I don't get the paper myself so I was anxious to see it. "Oh, you found the article?" I asked.

"How could I miss it. It's on the front page! Above the fold!" She responded.

"Wow! Really?" I replied. I went inside my house where she dropped it off and sure enough...The headline for the day was The Music behind the 'Mission' and there were two color photos right there on the front page. One was a photo I took of Richard's Sputnik outside of the Paramount Theater and the other was a small inset of Brady and I.

(click to enlarge)

Pretty damn cool! I guess it pays to get in the small-town local newspaper.

Also, I found this very cool review of the film where the author had some extremely complimentary things to say about the music. You can read that HERE. We're collecting as many reviews of the film as we can find and so far all of them are extremely positive. We really haven't found too many negative comments yet. That's definitely awesome and should hopefully help the film get its deserved audience.

One final note to mention...my score mixer Matt Crawford was able to attend a very small VIP screening of the film in NYC. It was his first time to see the film and he loved it. Matt recently blogged about the experience which is a very interesting and funny read. You can check that out HERE.