Now that I finally have a website set up, I thought it would be fun to share with everyone a brief look into my composition process for each score that I do, as well as a glimpse at some of the themes that form a foundation for the scores. This is my first time blogging, so bare with me! Okay, here we go.
Burnt Matches is a short film I did towards the end of 2017 with my friend Michael White who produced and also starred in the film, playing the main character, Jared Orkson. I first met Michael my freshman year at Valley Christian high school on the water polo team. While we weren’t particularly close friends throughout high school, he and I both shared a common interest in music and the arts. So I was thrilled when I heard from him again last year when he told me he was going to try his hand at filmmaking and that he wanted me to write the score for his first film.
Michael was kind enough to bring me onto the project early on in the process. I was able to see the script and start composing before they had even shot the film. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the film scoring process, composers are commonly known to be brought on late in production after principal photography has ended and once the edits are being assembled. Composers are often given a few months to score a full feature length film, but in some cases they are only given a couple weeks, and in dire, last minute cases even less. So I was grateful that Michael brought me on so early, even though Burnt Matches is a short film.
As I mentioned earlier, the story of Burnt Matches revolves around Jared, who brings multiple dates to a fancy dinner. As soon as they sit down, Jared strikes a match, giving each of his dates the time it takes a match to fizzle out to make a good first impression. Because the film is primarily set in what is supposed to be a dimly lit high end restaurant, I imagined there would be a trio of musicians playing in the background. The first tune the “trio” plays was the the first piece I wrote for the film and ended up becoming the main theme which I wove throughout the rest of the score. I tried to write a melody that was both soothing and beautiful but could also be turned into something mysterious and dreadful (more on that later).
The theme can be heard in some shape or form on pretty much all of the cues of the score, but it is most prominently featured in “Date Nights” which I will link at the bottom of the blog.
I personally find that I write my best music when I am sketching out themes using pencil and paper opposed to on the computer in my DAW (digital audio workstation). However, I frequently find myself caught up in the tech side of composing, trying to layer instruments to make mockups sound realistic, tweaking synths to find cool new sounds, trying to mix while I compose, etc. Using the pencil and paper method really makes me think musically and utilizing this technique while writing some of these jazz charts made me realize how much I need to get back to this way of composing (deadlines allowing it).
SPOILERS AHEAD:
As the film goes on, it becomes apparent that something else is at play. It turns out that in reality Jared is an arsonist and a murderer, and is not in the restaurant but rather in a mental institution. Here the set changes and we are shown the inside of the hospital. In light of the recent revelation, I chose to score the interior of the hospital with a rather eerie melody in the piano.
As you might be able to tell, the first note of the motif plays starts a half step up from where it finished in the previous bar. By modulating around and not staying in a particular key, I felt like I was able to convey the creepiness and instability of the current situation. After this section, the music quickly changes into the first and only action sequence of the film when Jared’s wife, Olivia (who happens to be the 3rd woman he dates back at the restaurant) kills the doctor and breaks Jared out from his room. However, after sharing a brief kiss, Olivia stabs Jared, killing him. You can hear the whole scene unfold in the cue titled “The Hospital” which I will link below:
When Michael first approached me with Burnt Matches, he had an idea for an original song to go along with the film as well. We discussed and bounced ideas off of each other for awhile and eventually ended up recording the song that you hear playing during the end credits. It was a really fun process collaborating alongside Michael and marked the first time I produced someone else’s song as well. You can listen to the song, which features Michael on the vocals as well here:
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/mmarlinwhite3
http://apple.co/2vbUBKI
http://bit.ly/2inw2bH
Alright, that’s it for this first blog post. I hope you were able to gain some insight into the music for the film as well as my composition process. If you enjoyed reading this let me know and I will continue these blogs for successive scores that I write. Thanks for reading!
-TK