Film Soundtrack Samples
Kaiketsu(2021)
In a film about Samurai resisting the Westernization of Samurai culture, the music is backed by an ethereal undertone while also being supported by loud Taiko drums and fast-paced strings. To come up with the compositions for this film I had to have several conversations with the director long before production had even begun. The direction of the film lead me to compose a simple and memorable melody which became the main theme for the film.
While learning more about the film, I got the opportunity to research different instruments that I could apply to the music. The Asian Moon Guitar and the drums are an exciting component of the soundtrack as they back the action scenes and their pacing. Kaiketsu has gone on to win several awards including an award for music. The film has made it's public release well. A link to the entire film will be included below.
The Purple Heart(2022)
Getting the opportunity to come home from the war, Stephen Gorman returns haunted by the horrors of war, but he also faces a unique challenge when facing the mother of his fiańce. The score for this film is backed by a simple theme containing soft strings and a piano in order to gauge the somber moods that are depicted. The film also depicts moments of war that are brought to life with heavy percussion and some synth tones.
The music in this film helps to express the idea that Gorman is still haunted by his loss in the war, the pain in a mother's heart over the loss of her son, and the hope that can be gained from healing and love.
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Skate Night(2022)
When he gets an unexpected yes to a date with the girl of his dreams, Tally Casey strings up a chain of lies in order to make a good impression. In this 90s-era film, I pushed a pop-synth texture with a mix of plucked bass. There is a scene with wind elements for comedic timing and the film closes out with a fun and energetic song that I produced and performed for the credits sequence. Skate Night has won several awards and features TikTok star, Yelena Friedman.
Skate Night is a film that was very fun to make music for as it is a story that has a bit of meaning for all ages and the music helps to elevate the fun of the story.
The Birdhouse(2021)
This very sweet film is about a girl who fears losing her older and recently engaged sister. Because of having a very sweet story to work with, I insisted on a sweet and heartwarming theme. Right off the bat in the opening shot, a soft piano kicks in with the hum of strings in the background to indicate that this is a story about healing.
The film also has a moment featuring exciting orchestral elements that I had a lot of fun putting together. The film is resolved by very playful melodies and instruments to allow the viewers to really feel the resolution to the conflict between the sisters.
Brawls in the Stalls
Brawls in the Stalls is about the rivalry between a high school homework cartel and an underground freshman fight club. It’s an action-comedy that features a gritty bass-driven theme accompanied by an exciting drum beat. While being on set, I knew immediately that the action scenes needed to be driven by the music.
While composing the end credits music for this film, I sat underwhelmed with the repetition of the theme in the credits and I let my imagination run wild. Within three hours, I had written and produced a satirical rap song using the themes of the movie, writing the lyrics around the antagonist character. The song is written and performed by myself and my good friend Lalo Venegas. This film also gave me an opportunity to time music with sound design for a punch scene.
Follow the String
This film was my first stab at narrative story backed by a theme. I really felt the energy of broadway musicals while composing for the visuals of this film. The opening scene immediately draws attention to a piano led anthem that grows as it progresses and establishes the feel for the film. I made the music for this film under a lot of pressure because I was hired at the last second.
Because of the lack of time, my tools were limited and I had to grab the best of my resources which were a piano, an orchestral plugin and some drums. I started to simplify the music because I kept thinking of my limitations, but then I added the drums to the opening scene and then I grew a certain confidence that drove me to push the limits of the few instruments that I had access to in a short amount of time.