MUSIC

ABOUT THE PROJECT
This album is more of an addendum to my “Music In Search Of A Home” album. The difference here is that this album “Rejected Horror” contains a collection of cues composed specifically for a horror movie in which I was to be the principal composer. I had been brought on early in the production (pre-production in fact) and worked off a script. After reading the script, I composed these 6 cues that would get developed and expanded upon when the film was edited.

However, the production decided to go a different direction as time went on. These cues were not used, nor can they use them as stipulated in the agreement. So, they are free for me to do with them as I wish. Now they live on in this EP.

ABOUT THE MUSIC
The story was a bit of a dark horror fantasy with a human drama story wrapped around it. Under the initial direction, the filmmaker wanted emotional themes mixed with sound design for the family drama that unfolds alongside the horror. It needed to be present but not too overbearing while the scary elements needed to be otherworldly. He referenced liking Jerry Goldsmith’s approach for his score to “Not Without My Daughter”. It had a theme and was dramatic but at the same time was able to remain subtle in the background and not overtake the action on screen. As for the scary and atmospheric stuff, I was given carte blanche.

As with any long-form compositional work, I created a musical architecture and soundscape that supported the narrative and gave an extra layer of character to the film. The main bittersweet theme that supported the family drama is more of a series of chord progressions than a melody, but a melody would develop from that if the assignment had continued. The scary atmospheric elements were made up of echoey, distant sounds accompanied by tribal drums and other percussion instruments to suggest the supernatural elements have been around since ancient times.



While my approach is routed in traditional musical orchestral and sound design styles, I gave it a slight touch of EDM elements. Overall, there is a consistency in the orchestration across the tracks which helps create a cohesive soundscape that will give the film that added layer of character.