This blog is both an attempt on my part to better document all the fun and notable things happening in my life as a composer as well as to share all the insight, lessons, and tricks I've learned along the way. Comments and discussion are always welcome.
I received news today that three of my concert pieces are now officially on sale at Fatrock Ink, a music publishing company based here in Los Angeles. This has been in the works for a while. I befriended owner/harpist Marcia Dickstein through my time at USC and she has been tremendously supportive and enthusiastic in getting these pieces into their catalog. Click on the link below the picture to visit the site.
Available titles are:
Mad Dance - for violin, cello, and piano - $24.50
Gwinna - flute, viola, and harp - $15.00
Forest Walk - contrabass and harp (or piano) - $7.50
On September 29 I unexpectedly saw an incredible film that moved me to write about my experience. I was also moved to record myself reading it, something I've never done. I'm delighted to share it here. You can listen to it via the Soundcloud player below, or read the transcript that follows. Hope you enjoy.
Today a short film I scored (Simone) screened at the SoCal Film Festival in Huntington Beach. Being that Huntington is quite a hike from my neighborhood in Hollywood, I scanned the schedule online to see if there might be anything else worth seeing on either end of the short program. After all, the screening was scheduled for 4:50 on a Thursday afternoon, which in LA means death by traffic, so why not make the most of such a trip? I saw that just before the shorts program was a feature called "Hollywood to Dollywood." The title alone was enough to entice me, but skimming the description I saw "...travel across the country in an RV named Jolene to deliver their script to Dolly herself." Add to cart. Purchase. Done.
I arrive at the theatre and am seated in the lobby waiting for the previous showing to end. I see a slim, attractive man walk past me on his cell phone. Just a little taller than me with a pleasantly tanned complexion and clothing that tastefully displays his commitment to the gym. I smile to myself and revert back to the inescapable allure of my white iPhone. A few minutes later I look up and notice that the slim attractive man had multiplied. Twins. How nice.
A very short interval later I enter the theatre and find Ingrid, the main actress and producer of Simone. We squeal, we hug, we chat, I sit. She, like me, had arrived early to make the most of her schlep to the beach, though she was there long before I. As the lights dim for the previews, I notice the twins enter the theatre and seat themselves in the very back, several rows behind Ingrid and I. Now I confess to you, I knew absolutely nothing about this film. From the sentence description I shared with you previously I was expecting a totally over-the-top fiction. Perhaps a fun, drag-queen-filled, campy riff on Priscilla: Queen of the Desert meets Paula Deen. As the film begins I immediately realize it is quite the opposite. This is not fiction at all - this is a documentary. A documentary about two twin brothers.... curse my pretty white iPhone! I spin around and wave enthusiastically, and they wave back. Moments later it is revealed that these twins (Garry and Larry) are in fact openly gay and the movie is as much about their personal journey as it is their trip across the country to deliver their script, something that they had spent 5 years writing together, to Dolly Parton herself. You've got to be kidding - do I have good instincts or what? Then I think, shit, this is going to get seriously intense and emotional - am I really ready for this at 3 in the afternoon on a Thursday? Of course I am.
Needless to say, the film is incredible. I am impressed by many things, not the least of which being the depth of the relationship these two brothers have and the fearless candor with which they share it along with so much of themselves. The film has an incredible rawness to it, but warmly so; open, exposed, honest, but genuine and inviting, much like Dolly. We learn that she has been a present figure throughout the twins' lives. They have found comfort in her songs in their roughest times, admire her for her warm and accepting disposition, and have travelled great lengths to see her in concert. The script they've written is about their lives and incorporates their most influential figures, including Dolly. After working on it for 5 years, they've decided it's time to get it out and put it in the hands of the woman they so admire. We watch as the twins bring the script around to their friends in Los Angeles for feedback. We see the map of their route and watch as they start their trip from Dolly's star on the walk of fame in Hollywood. We see them feverishly work on editing their script down in the back of the RV while Mike, one of their boyfriends drives through the thousands of miles of straight, flat road. Along the way, amazing people are found with equally amazing stories, all adding testament to just how special these brothers are - quality people attracting quality people. A boy singing karaoke at a bar in Missouri tells of his father, who, after kicking the boy out years previously, forcing him to put himself through college, meets him on his 21st birthday, buys him his first shot of Patrón, and, filled with pride by the young man he sees before him, tells the boy how sorry he is for having misjudged him so severely. A hairdresser in Kansas City, shunned by his parents at the news of him being gay, told never to call again, finds love and acceptance from his 4-year-old son who, from the back seat of his car tells him, "daddy, I think you should have someone who loves you".
Though the twins have met Dolly on several occasions at concerts, they have no real relationship with her; no appointment, no conference call. Instead they have a plan. It's the 25th Anniversary of Dollywood and they have discovered three locations in and around the park where Dolly herself will be appearing for the festivities. They will attend each of these appearances and use one of them to get close enough to place the script in her hands. Guts. Impressive. But perhaps what I am most impressed by is the love these two brothers share for their mother. Such a statement may seem obvious, but this woman, who resides in the small North Carolina town where the boys grew up, for all the love she has for them, cannot accept their lifestyle. It's a subject that comes up throughout the film and you can tell it affects them both deeply. At one point the brothers reveal that when they finished the script, they mailed their mother a copy as they wanted so badly to share this part of their lives with her. After ten pages, mom decided she simply couldn't read it and sent it back to them. In another scene, Gary expresses to the camera how it feels to know he will never have a Thanksgiving where he, his brother, the men they love, and his family will be gathered around the same table. But no matter the context, no matter the pain, the brothers always land in the same place: "she is our mom and we love her."
The film ends. I am not a crier, but if I were, I would be in a canoe. Determined to meet the twins, I leap from my seat and make my way to the entrance where they are hovering about. This is not hard as the audience is no more than 10 people - Thursday afternoon at 3pm and I'm pretty clearly the only gay. As I step over Ingrid and her friend and make my way past the empty seats in the row, I get a sudden flash of nervousness. Lord knows there is not an ounce of bashful in my being, but... could people like this really exist? If you met me for even 10 minutes you would likely gather, among many things, that I am a very passionate person (not to mention charming and handsome - ha!). When something affects me, it gets under my skin and becomes a part of who I am. I learn from it, I talk about it, I get other people into it, I basically become Hermione Granger. This is particularly true for films. When Brokeback Mountain was released I spent two weeks in a coma (figuratively). I was so overwhelmed that I finally decided to write Annie Proulx a letter just because I felt there was no other way to get it out of me, whatever "it" was. Within a week she wrote me back in her own hand on stationery with a saddle at the top. Nearly six years and 5,000 miles later, the note still hangs on my wall. Now here I am, I've seen an incredible film, I've taken a journey with two amazing individuals, I'm feeling such a connection to them and their story (though mine is very different), and, unlike Jack and Ennis, I'm realizing they are exactly the kind of people I want to know; the kind of people that I strive to surround myself with everyday. And now here they are, steps away from me. Never have I had such an opportunity. Like if Jack and Ennis had been in the lobby after seeing Brokeback. What happens now? Are these people real?
In my usual subtle fashion, I approach the twins with arms outstretched and hug them both as if we were long estranged friends. We walk into the lobby, my sass flying, they pull me away from the crowd and we talk as if we had known each other for years. The warmth, the quality, the wholesomeness that I took from the movie was all there. Effortless. Though I had my flash of doubt, I wasn't surprised. We chatted for about 5 minutes though I tell you I could have talked with them for hours. I had to get back into the theatre to see my short film and they had to get back home and pack for a trip to Portland where their film would be showing the next day. We exchange business cards, more hugs, and then I disappear back into the theatre.
The short films play, the segment ends, and I find myself in my car driving to the beach, unwilling to brave 6pm traffic back to Hollywood and needing some time to digest. I'm a native Bostonian and so the beach will always possess a deep sense of peace for me. As I stare at the ocean meeting a disarming post-sunset sky swirled with orange and purple, I find myself not overwhelmed like I was with Brokeback, but utterly full and happy.... what is this? Ah. Inspiration. A four-letter word to most creatives it is at once elusive, yet all we live for. But I find myself asking the question: why? Why has this film and these two brothers filled me so completely? Yes, as a gay man I've had my struggles, I've overcome many obstacles, but all of them have been vastly different from the brothers' (the same was also true for Brokeback). The truth is I've never been met with opposition from anyone, much less my family. I've never been in a fight, nor have I had to overcome some huge adversity to find peace with any given situation. I am, for lack of a better term, one lucky bastard, and I make it a point to live everyday graciously and open because what else am I here to do? And then I realize that the inspiration I feel today has little to do with being a homosexual and everything to do with being human. Seeing the film and absorbing the story would have been fantastic on its own, but having a conversation with the brothers really connected the dots for me. It reminded me just how much I love connecting with people - hearing their stories, learning where they come from, what makes them tick. The whole experience of today is exactly what I as both an artist and a human lives for. It inspired me so fully because so much of who I am was either represented in what I saw and who I met or fed by my simply being there - this was my Dolly Parton. And all I had to do was go to a screening at 3 in the afternoon in Huntington Beach.
As I think about my everyday life, I realize just how obvious this is. I talk to everyone everywhere all the time - I am on a first name basis with all the baristas at my local coffee shop, I make friends with Trader Joe's employees, hell I once got 1000 free rollover minutes for making the customer service lady laugh. I simply cannot turn it off. The truth is I never feel better than when I am making strangers laugh or making my current friends feel good. I can't speak for other artists, but as a film composer I can say that I spend a good part of my time trying to mine inspiration from my computer screen. My business works in such a way that I'll work non stop for weeks, sometimes months - whatever the job calls for. It becomes alarmingly easy to forget that the rest of the world exists. Sure, I get ideas, I create music that I'm proud of, but it is often an arduous process - a job with a boss and a deadline forcing me to produce and create. Then, as easily as the work takes over it vanishes completely and I am left with only myself, which is always terrifying. I become so ensconced in the mundane details of life like why I've run out of orange juice or where the hell my next paycheck is coming from that I continue to forget the rest of the world spinning around me. That was where I was until this afternoon - forgetting where the inspiration truly lies. How can I expect to be creating if I am in fact not out experiencing?
I had no idea that going to a short film screening would bring me to see such a moving film, nor could I have predicted that in meeting the men behind said film would I wind up here talking into a microphone, expressing myself in a totally new creative outlet. And to me that is the beauty of being an artist, particularly in Los Angeles - life is our canvas, who knows what it will bring? The lesson I'm relearning is that in order to be the best composer I can possibly be I am required to step away from the very medium to which I am so devoted. But the fullness I felt from my experience with the brothers will not come if I simply sit at home and do other things that bring me happiness like listening to new music, watching various movies and random TV shows on netflix, and creating new recipes that will fill the halls of my building with men-attracting aroma. What makes experience significant for me is the context of human interaction. Cooking is meaningless when you are cooking for no one. So, what really is important is leaving my studio and saying yes to all that the universe has to present to me. Not going on a mission, not being determined to find anything, just simply saying yes.
I've come to the conclusion that inspiration is like finding the man (or woman) of one's dreams. He cannot be forced into existence, one will not find him if one is looking, and he certainly will not materialize in one's studio while staring at a computer screen. When true inspiration meets us, it fills us and informs all aspects of our existence, especially our art. Therefore all we can do is make sure we do our best to live fully at all times. Like love, inspiration cannot be created - it can only be lived.
I am not a spoiler, so I am not going to tell you whether or not the twins make their moment with Dolly. But, what I will tell you is that if you find yourself near a screening of this movie and you're gay, straight, bi, curious, confused, methodist, or just simply alive, you should see it. But whether or not you do, I hope the lesson here is obvious: we must keep filling the well lest it dry up; indeed we must make the time and the effort to step out into the world and meet our Dolly.
In July of this year I had the opportunity to compose for my first full length feature film, a romantic comedy called Three Holiday Tails produced and distributed by Mar Vista Entertainment. The movie is set at Christmas time (as you might guess) and involves a clever golden retriever and three puppies that, through a series of mischievous events, are able to help reunite the main character with the love of her life. It's a charming little movie that in many ways proved to be the perfect film for one's first feature, though it was not without its challenges.
For starters, the timeline. The film was spotted on July 17. The production company needed a final score delivered by August 1st. Now two weeks is bad enough, but when I factored in time for recording and mixing, that time shrunk to 1 week. One week to write 40 minutes of music. It sounds impossible, but the truth is that composing a truck load of romantic comedy-style music is not terribly difficult, provided you have solid themes on which to derive every cue. Don't get me wrong, 2 weeks is NOT enough time to write a feature, particularly when one needs to record live people. But, it certainly is doable when you have the right plan and the right people in place.
Second challenge is, as always, the budget. I don't wish to divulge a specific number here, but suffice it to say that though it was the biggest budget I had ever been given, it still required a lot of clever maneuvering to get what was needed. Many of you reading will know what I mean when I say that this was a "package deal" - that is, I was given a fixed sum of money and it was up to me to spend it. Whatever I don't spend, I get to keep as my fee. There are many composers in my position who would just go all in and spend their entire budget on the production. I, however, need to eat. :) For live players, most composers would agree that money is always best spent on live strings before anything else. So I decided that my session would consist of just strings. Other sounds (like guitar and woodwinds) I would piece together Tom Newman style in smaller sessions. All said and done I had less than $2000 to spend on a recording session. With the help of my stellar music contractor, I managed to get 11 players for 3 hours with studio and engineer for $1800. Pretty damn good if I do say so myself. And because I am constantly surrounded by incredibly talented people, I was able to farm out my guitar and clarinet parts to my good friends Sam and Alexis, who recorded in their studio while I was finishing other parts of the movie. Between them, the string session, recording live flute in my bedroom, and getting a good mixer on board, I would have a score.
So with the logistics of recording in place, it was time to actually write the music, but before that could happen I realized I would need help keeping track of everything else - things like spotting notes, picture changes, all the elements of the score that would not be recorded, session prep for recording and mixing, cue sheets, etc. All of this adds up to a music editor. For you composers reading this, heed my words when I tell you that hiring a music editor is the smartest thing you will ever do, especially on an absurdly tight deadline. I happen to be really good friends with Joseph DeBeasi, a very accomplished music editor in addition to a great composer. Not only was he happy to join my team, but he proved to be utterly invaluable to me during my whole process, from taking spotting notes to creating protools sessions and take lists for my recordings. Amazing.
NOW I was ready to compose, and compose I did. I had two main themes, one for the relationship between the two main characters (the love theme) and one for the engagement ring, which had a life and back story all its own. There was also a motif for the dogs as well as recurring comedic/action material that I used to fill in, you guessed it, scenes of comedy and action. Between these four main chunks of musical material, I had my entire score... I just had to write it. One of the challenges for me as a composer is recognizing just how simple any given task can be. When you sit down and there is 40 minutes of picture staring at you, it's overwhelming. I spent a lot of time running away from my computer and walking around my neighborhood just trying to comprehend the mass of what I was doing. But, when I actually sat at my computer and focused on a cue, I realized I already had all I needed and all I had to do was cleverly draw it out. Below was perhaps the most challenging cue in the movie for me, mostly because there was so much that had to be encompassed in such a short time. It was also one of the first clips that had to be written for promotional purposes, which meant that it would govern similar scenes through the rest of the movie. When you watch you'll hear a familiar christmas tune, comedic material, the puppy motif, action music, and if you're really clever you will gather a little hint at the ring.
Some of you composers might be wondering how one gets an entire score approved in a week's To add one more level of excitement to the mix, I discovered early on that my director would be out of town for the entire time I'd be writing the score. And of course there were producers to go through as well. The answer? Dropbox. I got my director and my producers on dropbox and posted cues as I had them ready. They all conferred and my director would send me emails of bulleted feedback for each cue. So essentially I created a workflow. I would compose new material through the day, post the cues once they were finished, then address changes for previously written cues in the evening and post those before going to bed. I was supremely lucky to have an incredibly gracious and supportive director/producer team who made my job so much easier.
As is true with many creative processes and projects, the end product is almost always worth the battles (internal and external) one has to fight to get there. This was absolutely true of Three Holiday Tails. Yes it was grueling. Even as I think of it now I am both horrified and excited to ever return to the state of mind I was in. But the truth is that it is simply part of my job.
A Summary of Lessons Learned and Re-Learned
1. You are only as good as the people on your team.
2. Music editor = life
3. Your final mix can make or break your score. Don't skimp on a good mixer.
4. Never underestimate the positive impact that even one live instrument can have on your score
5. Take nothing for granted. Put everything you have into every project you do.
Below is a selection of tracks from the movie. Check back as I'll be adding more once I have them ready.
I had the pleasure of spending several weeks in August creating a score for an AFI student thesis project called Virgin Eyes directed by Roxine Helberg. One of the benefits of working on short films is that their concise stories and often intimate musical needs present a canvas on which one can create something completely unique and flavorful. That was certainly the case for Virgin Eyes, which was shot beautifully on location in Bel Air. In addition to the film itself being full of luscious imagery, Ms. Helberg provided a temp score filled with music I had never heard before including a band called Gotan Project, a Parisian tango-fusing trio that is self described as the "consummation of tango and electronica." In discussing her temp score we arrived at a palette that would blend a gypsy feel with electronic elements. Several of her tracks used accordion, a scintillating flavor that made its way into the score along with solo viola and guitar. Originally the idea was for violin, but I made a case for the darker more sultry tones of the viola, a very under-appreciated instrument that I felt would give the film yet another layer of unique color. And let's face it, every holocaust movie incorporates a solo violin and everything else uses a solo cello (no offense, musicians, we love you), so why not explore something new? The finished project was nothing short of delicious.
A valuable lesson was learned from this film. While temp scores are very often evil things that composers have to deal with, they can sometimes be a fantastic jumping board from which to leap, particularly if it opens new compositional doors and gives insight into what the director wants. This was Ms. Helberg's first time working with a composer and I'm happy to report that, though she was very much in love with her temp, the walls of her mind were blown away when she sat down and experienced what an original score with live players can bring to her film.
On June 12 I had the tremendous pleasure of having my music heard in three short films at the Playhouse West Film Festival. PW is actually an acting school and, in my opinion, one of LA's best kept secrets. As I do with all festivals, I approached it with little or no expectations as one never knows what one is getting into with these sorts of things. I am happy to report that what I was discovered was a warm, supportive, talented, and enthusiastic community of artists that ended up being a tremendous inspiration.
Of the three short films I had showing, two of them were done for Wolfgang Bodison, an actor turned director and teacher at Playhouse West. Wolf's fame The third was one you've heard a lot about on this blog, The Visitation directed by the amazingly wonderful and talented Cameron Young. For a composer like me, the benefit of film festivals such as this is using the exposure one gets by having their music showcased to network and make connections to more films. Often as composers we are the ones who are pushing ourselves and our music wherever we can. Even the smallest bit of exposure, like having a film at a festival, makes this job exponentially easier because we have some leverage - something to start with. And if you're lucky you may even be approached. But any composer will tell you that even then it can be a challenge.
When I first got to the theatre I immediately knew this festival was different - the energy was electric. I could tell this was a close knit community. There was cheering, whooping, hugging - overflowing with love and support. It really surprised me. Because Wolf and I had such a good relationship and because he happens to be a big wig at PW, he had me up on stage for Q&A for two different segments. I felt a little silly at first, but then I realized I was the only composer on stage in front of a room full of actors, writers, and directors - how can that be bad? During the first segment I was actually asked a question, much to my shock and amazement, so I was able to speak about the compositional process, and, in my oh so trademark way, I even got laughter and applause. I soon learned that not only was I the only composer on stage, but I was the only composer they had EVER had at one of their Q&A sessions. Combine this with the fact that I had three films at this festival and you have a recipe for outrageous exposure and networking. I literally had people running up to me asking me for cards, which I promise you NEVER happens. I was at lunch at a restaurant down the street and I kid you not, I kept being stopped by people saying "excuse me, you're the composer" - um, hell yes I am!
I realized that I could not leave this event. I was given a badge and I ended up staying through several more segments and into the award ceremony. One of the films I worked on, "Simone", was awarded the grand jury prize for Best Short Film. Because neither the director or the producer was present, guess who went up to claim it. Once again I was up on stage making witty comments, and once again I was approached by numerous people interested in film music in the hour following the ceremony. On what planet this occurred, I'll never know.
That evening I gave away every single one of my business cards. I talked to a ridiculous number of friendly, warm individuals who showed such interest in what I do and were so delightful to converse with. I felt and feel so lucky and honored to have shared my work with that community and left on a high that I am still feeling. For all you composers reading, never underestimate how important leaving your studio and showing your face is to the creative process.
This Sunday, June 12, three short films I've scored will be showing at the Playhouse West Film Festival in North Hollywood. "The Visitation", "Simone", and "Two Bulls" will be playing in two different short film segments. I will be attending and participating in the Q&A after each segment. Should be a fun afternoon!
Thank you, loyal readers for holding out in this now over two month span of silence from me. The good news is that said silence is a result of working and creating nonstop - something I can't be sorry about! I've been racking my brain for the last week or two to decide the best way to chronicle the last two months and have decided that one narrative, sweeping blog entry would be the best way to go. So here goes.
Tom Newman on the right with
orchestrator Jack Redord on the
left and director Tate Taylor
in the middle. At Fox Studios.
Shortly after my last blog entry from March I once again had the tremendous privilege of joining Thomas Newman's team on the scoring stage for "The Help", a movie based on the best selling novel that is set to be released in August. This session was particularly memorable as I was able to (finally) experience the initial phases of Tom's process, which involves him collaborating one-on-one with musician friends he's known for years. After the second day of string recording, Tom stayed late at Fox with George Deoring, a very famous guitar player here in Los Angeles, to lay down some tracks on a cue they would be recording strings for the next day. Tom handed George a rough printout of what was happening in the cue. George made some notes, wrote in some chords, and just started playing stuff - acoustic guitar, electric bass, dulcimer, etc - all while being guided by Tom. After about an hour, the cue was filled out and Tom moved onto the same process with his wind player friend. It literally blew the walls of my mind to see not only how well such a collaborative process worked, but also how amazing it sounded. My lesson from Tom this time around was learning just how valuable the input of musicians is and how much can be created and accomplished by allowing them to do what they do.
April proceeded to be a fairly hectic month with various side jobs and projects swirling about. I met a new challenge on a student project called "Intersection," a film about the relationship between a boy and his father. The father we find out is working nights as a drag queen while the son is out hanging around a bad crowd and at the end we see the two worlds unexpectedly intersect. My job was to write a song that would be the drag queen's musical number, which was played over a beautiful montage of the two character's secret lives. You can listen to the song here:
At the end of April I traveled to New York City where I supported my dear friend Taylor who gave his masters recital in bass performance at Juilliard. I wrote him a piece for bass and harp, which was played beautifully along with various other pieces that one would never think playable on the bass. Unfortunately I don't have a link to share, but plans are being made for a recording over the summer, so stay tuned.
Upon my return from NYC I immediately dove into perhaps the biggest job I've yet to undertake. I have been hired for orchestration and score prep on a project for Nintendo - gasp!! I am not yet able to divulge all the details of the project here, but I can say that it is for a live venue coming up in the fall. I shall leave you in suspense for now! We had our first deadline for Nintendo in May and since then I've been steadily working on scores as the music comes in.
In May I also finished work on a tremendous short film called "Simone" staring Ingrid Clay and Jim Parrack (who plays Hoyt on True Blood!). The film was directed by Wolfgang Bodison, who I have had the pleasure of working with twice now. I wrote this score with the influence of Tom Newman glowing in my mind. The score turned into a personal landmark for me as I used Tom's collaborative approach to get some incredible guitar tracks from my dear friend Sam Jones. You can listen to the fruit of my collaboration here:
Shortly after finishing the short film I was contact by two (two!) different directors who asked me to work on their feature films - that's right - I have my first two features! I will save the details for later blog posts, but the first is slated to be finished in August and the second will come together shortly thereafter. Stay tuned for much more detail on this front as news unfolds.
And that pretty much brings us up to date. I have many exciting things coming up in June, so please keep checking back as I pull my blog back on track and give you all the breaking news.
Just received word that The Visitation has been accepted to the Park City Film Music Festival. The seven-day event takes place in the very same location as Sundance in the first week of May. I am really happy that this picture continues to make its way around to festivals, not just for me, but for everyone involved in the production. All of us believe in the quality of this film and want to see it succeed. As of right now I am unsure of my plans to attend the festival, but I will certainly keep you posted.
Once again here is the full soundtrack of The Visitation, coming to you from soundcloud:
Today I recorded my commissioned choral work at a studio in Arizona. It was an evening of lessons, revelations, and serious music-making. Upon starting the session I began to realize that my seemingly straightforward choral piece was in fact rather difficult. On paper it looks totally reasonable, but when it comes time to actually assemble the harmonies and transitions, it is another beast entirely. Luckily the choir was in the hands of my dear friend Rob, who was able to mold their performance into something truly amazing.
The lesson I (re) learned today is that recording a choir, particularly in a studio space, is really tricky. There is no wiggle room for tuning and nuance - every detail is exposed. It can be frustrating, but when you have a group as good as this, it's very doable.
My revelation came at around 11pm when we were well into the editing/mixing process. Rob was at the computer molding all of the audio, while my travel companion and always supportive friend Sherri Chung was standing by with all of the notes she had taken on all the different takes and bits of music we had recorded. I began to swell with love and appreciation when I realized how unbelievably lucky I am to be surrounded by people like Rob and like Sherri who, without hesitation, rally to help me make this happen. This is precisely how teams are formed. I can't wait until we are sitting together at the Sony recording stage with a huge budget being paid to score a big feature film.
This day was definitely one for the record books. Sherri and I left at 7am, got to Arizona at 2, recorded from 730-930, mixed till 2am, then got on the road and got back to Los Angeles at 930 so I could take care of other pressing work. Four days later I'm still recovering. Worth it? Absolutely.
For the two years I've been in Los Angeles I've had the tremendous pleasure of experiencing The Jerry Goldsmith Project, a series of concerts paying tribute to the legendary composer. Hosted by Jon Burlingame (one of my professors from USC) and featuring David Newman with the American Youth Symphony. Today was the last installment in the three year series. Being not overly familiar with Goldsmith's work, I found the concerts both enjoyable and informative. This year I got to attend the pre-concert symposium, which consisted of a panel of Jerry's closest collaborators including his agent Richard Kraft, music editor Kenny Hall, and directors Joe Dante (Gremlins) and David Anspaugh (Rudy). Best part is that all of it is free and I even got to attend a lovely dinner in between. I think my favorite part about this evening is the schmoozing one can do - I saw so many people I knew. Always a good thing.
You can read more about the event in this article.
One of the things I love about being a film composer is the diversity of the challenges you are presented with every new project. Today I met with a producer from USC who is making a short film entitled "Intersection," which tells a story about the strained relationship between a father and a son. We come to find out that the father is a drag queen. The son, who doesn't know, discovers the truth in a very brutal, yet poignant moment. My job is to write a night club-worthy song for the father to sing in his drag show which will play through a montage and into him singing on stage. The recording will take place on April 1st at USC's Spielberg Scoring stage. Look for a post of the finish product.
I also received word this week that I'll be doing an arrangement for the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, one of the country's largest men's choral ensembles. They need me to do a medley of two songs: "Running Up that Hill", written by Kate Bush recorded by Placebo, and "Live to Tell" by Madonna. The group does very thoughtful and narrative programs; my two songs will be at the end of a tribute to the over 200 members that were lost to AIDS in the 1980s. This also is due by April 1 so it can be rehearsed for their summer concert, which I believe will happen sometime in June. I of course will post info as I learn it.
Both of these projects along with the completion and recording of my choral piece and the collection of pieces for contrabass and harp will make March 2011 the most productive month I've had in recent memory. Stay tuned for updates and new music.
On January 10, 2010, I posted a blog entry detailing a commission I received from a man from northern California who had me set a sonnet he wrote for his anniversary. Today I am thrilled to report that I have completed it. I confess this was quite a challenge for me. This sonnet was particularly tough because I found its rhythm to not be innately musical, rather I really had to make up and force out what I felt to be an appropriate rhythm and phrasing. For me, choral music is about harmony even more so than melody so I needed to find the appropriate harmonic language for the piece to live in. I wrote the opening three times before I landed in a harmonic palette that I liked. In terms of form, some composers are planners in that they like to map out their structure before they write anything. I like to allow the piece to develop as it goes. Sometimes I'll have ideas for certain spots that I will write down and then work to arrive there, but in general the piece is being birthed measure by measure, phrase by phrase. With this text I felt strongly that we're being taken somewhere, so I didn't feel compelled to keep any kind of song structure, that is a strict return to opening material. The music, like the text, finishes somewhere different from where it starts, though I did make it a point to use the opening phrase ("to true love") in its original key at the end of the piece. I felt that a harkening onto the title/premise would be important in rounding the piece out and giving us closure, but I vary the harmony, melody, and texture up until the very end.
The most exciting part about this is that the piece will be recorded with a choir in Arizona on March 22. My dear friend Rob Gardner is helping me out by assembling a group of 12 professionals who I know will do great justice to the work. Be sure to check back here then as I will most certainly be posting the recording.
Those following my blog know that the short film I scored in 2010, The Visitation, has been getting some attention at festivals. In January it won best score and best screenplay from the Idyllwild Festival in California. This past week I followed it to the Sedona International Film Festival where it showed on a program of short films under the theme of "The Macabre." Not quite sure I would call it that, but hey, a festival is a festival. I was joined in the copper state by my director Cameron Young, and the film's producers Curt Fleming and Caroline Scott.
In true Dave fashion, I didn't officially decide to go until the day before I left. Honestly I wasn't convinced that I should spend the time or money to venture out to a place I knew relatively little about. But in the end, the opportunity both to travel and to schmooze won out and I decided that I would much rather regret going than not. So, I bought my ticket and within twelve hours was on a plane. I have to admit I've grown quite fond of spontaneous travel. There's no time to fret or overthink, you just get up and go - it's exhilarating, not to mention ripe for adventure.
Within two hours of boarding a plane at LAX I was landing in the small city of Flagstaff, AZ, about 20 minutes north of Sedona sitting at a mind-swirling 7500 feet. It was by far the smallest airport I've ever seen. Only one airline. It was like flying into a strip mall. As I waited at this quaint little airport for my shuttle, I befriended the lady who runs the food counter; she knew all of the employees and what they wanted for lunch. It wasn't long before I found myself appreciating the relaxed, quiet, small town vibe.
As you can see from my photos, Sedona is visually stunning - surrounded on all sides by towering red rocks. Unfortunately natural beauty is all Sedona really has going for it. I went in film festival mode - ready for a few days of wining, dining, and connecting. What I got was a small, sleepy town that happened to host a film festival. You know you're in trouble when see signs everywhere telling you where you CAN'T park for the festival. Odd. I was astonished to discover just how important having a V.I.P. pass was. Being used to a bustling festival like Sundance, I thought there would be plenty to do outside the realm of the pass - not so much. They had one activity per night and I was literally not let in the door because I didn't have a pass. Not cool.
But now for the good news. The upside to a small festival with not a lot going on is all the time one has to see films (something I did not do at Sundance). All the shows were sold out, but rush tickets were easily attainable (again not so in Sundance). The films I saw were tremendously amazing, which I will link at the bottom of this post. I got to spend some good quality time with Caroline, Curt, and Cam, which really made the whole trip worth while for me. And in lieu of the nightly festival activities that I wasn't allowed into, I went to the martini bar, befriended a table of locals, and had a terrific evening both there and at a local dive. Not bad. Honestly if you're looking to visit Sedona for a vacation, I think during the film festival is the prime time to go. Drop some money on one of the resorts, go hiking, get spa treatments, see films - really has the makings of a good vacation spot if you have the budget for it.
When engaging in spontaneous travel, one must be prepared to adapt, go with the flow, and make the best of any situation. Mission accomplished... though I may exercise a bit more prudence before undertaking a big travel for a small festival. Or not. ;-)
Today was a screening at USC for a student web series project done in conjunction with Subway. Numerous student groups pitched ideas for a series and ultimately two were chosen to receive funding to produce three episodes that would subsequently be posted on the internet. I had the fortune of being involved with one of the two, entitled "Jeff and Ravi Fail History" directed by the wonderful and incredibly talented Dan Hanna. This is the first web series I've done and I must say it was a lot of fun.
The compositional process is different with every director. For this project, since there was no budget and little time, we opted to stick to just synth instruments. This is something I rarely do these days, but being that it was intended for the web, I was ok with it. Dan and I took a very collaborative approach in that he came to my studio on two different occasions and we went through the music together, making adjustments, trying news sounds, etc. It was actually quite a lot of fun - both efficient and harmonious. Dan trusted my judgement as a composer and I respected his wishes as a director. An ideal pairing for any composer.
Overall I'm very pleased with the outcome. You can view the first of three episodes below. Follow the link to find the other two. Enjoy!
One of my favorite past times as a musician is to attend one of the many amazing concerts that the greater Los Angeles area has to offer. I am lucky to have many well connected friends here in the city who not only invite me, but often get me in for free. Tonight my dear friend Byron Adams, a musicologist and professor of music at UC Riverside, invited me to a concert of the Vienna Trio at the historic Doheny Mansion near USC. I knew nothing about the group nor the venue, but agreed to go and was delighted that I did so. Being the resident musicologist of the Da Camera Society (the group organizing the concert), Dr. Adams gave a fantastic pre-concert talk on the history of and relationship between the three pieces on the program. The concert took place in the Pompeian Room, where chairs were arranged concentrically around the performers in a setting that harkened to the music salons of old. I imagine that the composers on the program (Mozart, Schumann, and Schubert) experienced many of their premieres in a similar setting. The performance, which was flawless, was followed by a very classy reception of exquisite German food to honor the nationality of the three composers on the program.
Some of you may question why I would blog about such a thing as a chamber music concert. I think most composers will agree with me that getting out of one's studio, hearing the music of others, and socializing are all vital to the creative process. For me, such activities prove inspiring and give me something to juxtapose the solitude that comes with composing. And besides, it's fun! :-)
Life as a composer often takes utilizing a variety of skills to make a living. I am blessed to have worked at C. F. Peters Corporation for nearly three years where I acquired many many useful skills, including the art of music engraving and copying. For those who might not know what this is, basically it's the art of creating/formatting scores and parts for performance - musicians do after all need something to play from, yes?
I've brought this skills set with me to Los Angeles where I not only do freelance engraving gigs, but have the fortune of working for a copying firm as a proofreader. This week we are working on the motion picture HOP, an animated film from Universal scheduled for release in April. The office is a team setting, which I have to say is a welcome change from the solitude that is so often necessary for the work of a composer. It also happens to be a delightfully fun group of people, which makes it all the more enjoyable. This is the kind of job that will take over one's life for up to 5 days with potentially grueling hours, but once it's done, it's done, and I am then able to go back to my own work. A truly ideal situation for a creative professional.
Over the past several months I've undertaken a moderately rigorous internet campaign to promote my piano trio, Mad Dance, to garner more performances. Last week I was delighted to get a response from the manager of the Erato Piano Trio, a group based in the UK, who liked my piece so much that they not only want to perform it, but potentially take it on their tour of the US next summer. Today I had a meeting in Santa Monica with the manager and am feeling very excited for what this connection will bring.
Mad Dance was the first piece I wrote and had performed in graduate school in NYC and remains one of my favorites. Despite my efforts it has only been given two performances since its creation in 2006. I am hoping that between this connection and my continuing efforts that it will finally receive its break.
For those who haven't heard the piece, you can listen below to the fantastic premiere performance by the Second Instrumental Unit.
This week I had the tremendous fortune of experiencing the Sundance Film Festival for the first time. I have to say that it certainly lives up to all the hype and prestige that precedes it. For those who may be unfamiliar, Sundance is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States, and arguably one of the most renown and sought-after in the world. Staffed by over 1500 volunteers and showing an absurd number of films, it is essentially the winter retreat of the film industry - everyone goes to mingle, party, and get a taste of winter. Just imagine a quaint little New England town nestled in the mountains of Utah filled with people from Los Angeles... sounds rather twisted, but somehow it meshes into an incredible vibe.
First, for those of you who have never been to Utah yet have preconceived notions of how it might be, let me assure you that it is both gorgeous and welcoming. Driving into Park City from the Salt Lake City Airport, one sees mountains like those in the Lord of the Rings. The city itself is more like a village, with a charming downtown barely half-a-mile long, filled with rustic shops and eateries that remind me so much of my days in Vermont. Thanks to the generosity of my friend and fellow composer Blake Neely, I had an incredibly comfortable room in a ski cottage previously owned by Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli. Located just off the main drag, it was the perfect place to have as my home base.
Though it may surprise you, I did not actually see any films during my 3.5 days at Sundance. Because festival passes are outrageously expensive and most screenings are sold out before it even begins, the majority of festival-goers take my approach: show up and mingle. I very quickly realized that no one sleeps at Sundance. One gets up early, attends panels, events, maybe a film, and spends the whole day trying to get on lists for parties in the evening. After a bite and a caffeine jolt in the evening you hit the parties, reconnect with those you met during the day, and then make it a point to meet everyone they know. Then from there you get invited to even later parties back at residences, sleep for 3 hours if you're lucky, then get up and do it all over again. It sounds nuts, but it is such a blast, and what's better is that I had a group of friends from LA to share it with.
From a combination of being both a musician and a ham, I was able to take advantage of numerous music-related events including an ASCAP Composer Brunch, several nights at the ASCAP Late Night Lounge, a ball hosted by BMI featuring some incredible live music, and a gathering for the USC Film School. Lots of cards were given out, lots of good connections made. For those who may be curious, I did not seen any celebrities. The real paparazzi madness happens in the first weekend - I arrived just after it was all over, which to be honest I was not sad about.
Unfortunately, this may be one of the few instances where only so much can be conveyed through my words. Some of you might read this and think "so you went up to Utah and wandered around randomly at a festival for a few days?" What I can say is that the vibe one experiences at the festival is both inspiring and addictive - unlike any other. Consider a gathering of people all united under the same dream, converging in the hopes that they will bring themselves one small step closer to achieving it. Such a force makes the energy electric, an environment bursting with hope and potential. Needless to say, I've already started planning my trip for next year.
In honor of The Visitation receiving the best score win at Idyllwild, I have posted the complete soundtrack on Soundcloud. This is the first time I've made all seven of these tracks available to the public. Hope you enjoy.
I'm elated to report that The Visitation, the short film I scored in September written and directed by Cameron Young, has received awards for best screenplay and BEST ORIGINAL SCORE from the Idyllwild Film Festival. Idyllwild is this film's world premiere festival, which makes these wins particularly thrilling for everyone involved. I am very excited for both myself and my director and look forward to what is next in store for this fantastic little film!
In November I had the pleasure of working on a short animation project called "Desert Veil" with a group of animators from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. As most of you know my creative muse leans towards the lyric and expressive, however as a film composer one has to be able to seamlessly write in a variety of genres.
This project was quite a fun deviation from my usual in that the producers and director wanted a soundscape score, that is, one that is devoid of overt expression and relies rather on effects (usually electronic) and ambience to create an atmosphere rather than any direct cause for emoting. I have to say the experience was both fun and rewarding in ways totally different from writing a symphonic score. Rather than carefully crafting melodies, I instead took stock of my libraries and experimented with different combinations of sounds - it was loads of fun.
Below is the entire three-minute score of Desert Veil. Due to festival constraints I am unable to post any footage, but I think you'll get a good idea of what is happening and recognize the unique soundscape elements. You may notice that there is in fact a melodic device that ties the whole score together, but the context is rather veiled (pun intended). Overall this was both a fun and fruitful exercise - a pleasure to work for such appreciative, organized, and talented students.
This was just one of the lovely views I passed as I navigated the steep and windy 2-lane, 23-mile road through the Mt. San Jacinto State Park that led from I-10 into the village of Idyllwild. When I left LA I had no idea I was in for such an adventure - I was delighted to say the least. When I first turned onto the road I passed a sign that said "chains may be required for passage." I was unmoved until I began to notice the piles of snow lining the sides of the road... luckily that's where it stayed. I arrived in the center of town just after dark. The film festival took place in the village's Rustic Theatre, an adorable little venue that doubles as a DVD rental store. The lobby, which has all the makings of a log cabin in the woods (apropos of its name), is adorned with couches and throw rugs. The wall of DVDs and VHS tapes for rent are framed by posters of the various indie films of present festival fame. The snack bar, which takes up most of the room, serves various unique sundries like Tejava, normal-sized packages of candy (for normal prices), and even beer. The intimate setting really reflected the soul of the festival, which I found to be warm and inviting.
This year, their headliner filmmaker was Joe Dante, best known for directing Gremlins and The 'Burbs. The film I scored (The Visitation) was paired with two other shorts, a 10-minute drama commissioned by Idyllwild, and the other a 30-minute alien conspiracy horror. Q&A with the cast and crew was held after each picture, which (to my surprise) ended up including myself - quite a thrilling experience to say the least. For dinner I was accompanied by the cast to what was unanimously hailed as the best restaurant in the village, Cafe Aroma, where my table was joined by the previously mentioned Joe Dante (!!) for a an evening of spectacular food and tremendous company.
Needless to say, my brief journey was a smashing success. I gave away nearly all the business cards I went with, which is always a good thing. Perhaps most importantly I was reminded just how easy it is to meet anyone anywhere, particularly in the film industry. Having a film in a festival is the ultimate good excuse to travel, shake hands, and give out those business cards, no matter how small and seemingly remote a venue may seem. And if nothing else, adventure is never insignificant.
I just today finalized plans to write an unaccompanied choral piece for a gentleman in Davis, California, Andrew Proudian, who wishes to have a sonnet he wrote set to music as a gift to his spouse for their anniversary. He and his significant other have been singing in choirs for years and so such a gift will be particularly special for them.
The sonnet, titled "To Love's True Eyes", will be premiered in Davis on their Anniversary, April 1, 2010.
To true love's eyes my thoughts are strongly wed That she makes up the whole of all my sight And with her loss my vision will be dead So brightest day shall seem as darkest night Her scent and taste do so enthrall me too More sweetly pleasing than ambrosia's kiss When she is near all scents my senses woo But her without, most fragrant rose I miss Last two in kind, my hearing and my touch With her plush velvet harmony are bound That losing her in love I lose so much- No silk's embrace nor music's beauteous sound Her charms my senses do so well defend Bereft of her I face all pleasures end
Sonnets pose a challenge for composers due to their particular rhythm and rhyme scheme. Luckily I love challenges and am thrilled to be writing choral music.
In the summer of 2009 I had the splendid fortune of being connected with writer/director Cameron Young through a chance connection at ASCAP (thanks, Charlyn!). Cam is the kind of guy who exudes passion and warmth, so I knew immediately that I would be thrilled to work for him no matter what the project. It turns out that his film, The Visitation, which came together through many of the same sentiments about him, was not only right up my alley, but it was one of the best projects I had the opportunity to work on to date on all levels - writing, acting, directing, production, everything. Behind it was a production company of equal warmth and welcome, Merit/Andrew, who proved to be incredibly supportive of what I wanted to do.
As a film composer I like to create a sound palette for whatever project I'm working on, that is, I like to establish a set of instruments, effects, ambiences, sounds, etc, before I begin writing anything. Often the palette will grow as I progress through the film, but I'm always thinking in a particular world. Without giving any of the story away, the bell you see pictured above is a central symbol in the film, which came to me as a fantastically obvious device to use in composition. Cam agreed with me that the score should be centered around bells. With this in mind I decided that I needed to start with one particular bell sound that the rest of the score would grow from. It turns out that that perfect, warm, resonant bell came from the bowl to my kitchen aide stand mixer. Yes, really.
From this bell grew all the other sounds used in the movie. I laid out all the cues in my sequencer, then I recruited friends to record some of the smaller parts. For example, I took my laptop to the home of my friend Alison Bjorkedal, an excellent harpist, and recorded her playing some cues to click. Thanks to a fantastic flute player friend of mine, Jenni Olson, who I recorded both in my apartment and hers, I was able to get both live alto and bass flute in my score with minimal effort. I also sang some vocal lines and mixed in various ambience effects from my own libraries. Last but not least was the string session, which happened on September 9 at Entourage Studios and was funded generously by Merit/Andrew (along with small contributions from myself and the director). All of the previously recorded effects and instruments were used as prelays for the string session. From there I had the whole thing professionally mixed and boom: a live score professionally produced and sounding wonderful.
Overall I was really thrilled with the way it came out and what's better is the both the director and the producers were even more thrilled than I. I think that I speak for all film composers when I say that we live for projects where not only we are respected/appreciated, but are connected with people we want to work hard for and be connected with for the duration of our careers. I can't wait to see what's in store for The Visitation and what is next for Cam.
Though I cannot post an actual clip from the film, I can share a few of the audio tracks, which you can listen to below. My custom bell opens the "End Credits" track. Hope you enjoy.
Hello faithful readers. Thank you for sticking through my hiatus. I hope everyone is fairing well in this new year. Much is happening in January and you are going to hear all about it right here.
Up first, The Visitation, a short film I scored back in September written and directed by the exemplary Cameron Young and produced by Merit/Andrew of Irvine, has received its first two festival admissions. It will be making its debut at the Idyllwild Cinema Festival near Palm Springs, CA on Friday, January 14th at 6:10pm and again on Saturday at 2:45. I also received word from Cameron that it will be showing at the Sedona International Film Festival, which takes place in Sedona, Arizona from Feb 20-27. Very exciting times for everyone involved.
Look for an upcoming blog entry all about The Visitation and how it came to be.
Within two hours of boarding a plane at LAX I was landing in the small city of Flagstaff, AZ, about 20 minutes north of Sedona sitting at a mind-swirling 7500 feet. It was by far the smallest airport I've ever seen. Only one airline. It was like flying into a strip mall. As I waited at this quaint little airport for my shuttle, I befriended the lady who runs the food counter; she knew all of the employees and what they wanted for lunch. It wasn't long before I found myself appreciating the relaxed, quiet, small town vibe.
One of my favorite past times as a musician is to attend one of the many amazing concerts that the greater Los Angeles area has to offer. I am lucky to have many well connected friends here in the city who not only invite me, but often get me in for free. Tonight my dear friend Byron Adams, a musicologist and professor of music at UC Riverside, invited me to a concert of the Vienna Trio at the historic Doheny Mansion near USC. I knew nothing about the group nor the venue, but agreed to go and was delighted that I did so. Being the resident musicologist of the Da Camera Society (the group organizing the concert), Dr. Adams gave a fantastic pre-concert talk on the history of and relationship between the three pieces on the program. The concert took place in the Pompeian Room, where chairs were arranged concentrically around the performers in a setting that harkened to the music salons of old. I imagine that the composers on the program (Mozart, Schumann, and Schubert) experienced many of their premieres in a similar setting. The performance, which was flawless, was followed by a very classy reception of exquisite German food to honor the nationality of the three composers on the program.
