SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.

The score is now complete for Damien Power and Joe Weatherstone’s new film A BURNING THING. The score draws stylistic influences from Australian folk/indie rock and contemporary classical music. Recording the score were the wonderful violinist Savannah Jo Lack, guitarist Craig Stull (who graced his stunning collection of acoustic and electric guitars and mandolin) and engineers James Musshorn and Ben Tolliday.

Set in New South Wales Australia, A BURNING THING tells the story of a love affair between a firefighter and an arsonist.

Here is a still from the film and some shots from our recording session. The film is due to premiere in 2012.

LOS ANGELES, USA.

A new theme for a Bollywood cinema project Mela is now complete.  This composition involved capturing the wonderful light and energy of India through a vast dynamic range. 

LOS ANGELES USA.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA.

Paris based Australian artist Nathalie Latham invited me for an interview and photo shoot for her book and photographic exhibition LOVE IT AND LEAVE IT.

Information on the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery can be found here (pdf).

Description
“This is an ambitious and resounding attempt to document through photographs and interviews – expatriate Australian artistic talent across a wide international spectrum. The publication of Love It and Leave It is to coincide with a major exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, and will play a major role in defining the lives of expatriate Australian artists today. It will also mark Nathalie Latham’s emergence as an important Australian photographer in her own right, having already produced an impressive archive of significant, contemporary portraiture. Nathalie has traveled extensively, and bases her work on the people she encounters through her journeys, often using text, photography and video. 

Through her work, she attempts to break down individual preconceptions and allude to the universality of the human experience, while exploring the relationship between the artist and their environment. ‘Love It and Leave It – Australia’s Creative Diaspora’ began as a labour of love in Paris in 2001.Inspired by an awareness of the increasing number of creative Australians traveling to Europe and establishing successful careers, Latham initially planned a tribute to legendary nomadic Australian fine-art photographer Max Pam, then visiting Paris. 

Latham soon realized her project demanded a much wider viewpoint in order to address the numerous Australian creative expatriates living and working elsewhere throughout the world. ‘Love It and Leave It’ will use a fusion of Nathalie Latham’s arresting portraits and searching interviews to eloquently document Australian expatriate artists currently living and working in the world’s major artistic communities.”

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.

Journalist Kingsley Marshall interviewed me this week for an article: “Frame by Frame: The Score: Composers.”  It’s for an upcoming edition of the UK’s Clash Magazine. He also spoke with Lalo Schifrin, Craig Armstrong, John Cameron, and David Shire on the process of scoring cinema and the freedoms and creative opportunities availed in the medium.

LOS ANGELES, USA.

Director Fawaz Al-Matrouk’s TO REST IN PEACE is screening at the LA Shorts Fest.  Listen to my Original Score here.

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SAN DIEGO, USA.

San Diego Filmmakers has invited me to become the newest member of the Filmmakers Advisory Council.  The advisory council is a multi-faceted, body of representatives from various fields of expertise, recognized and valued as distinguished contributors to all facets of film and video production. The invitation follows my keynote in January 2011.

CANNES, FRANCE.

Director Fawaz Al-Matrouk’s TO REST IN PEACE is screening at the Cannes International Film Festival. 

LOS ANGELES, USA.

Orchestrations are now complete for SOMETHING BORROWED.  I enjoyed working on this one for composer Alex Wurman (Anchorman, March of the Penguins).  The Warner Brothers film will be in cinemas May 6th with Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin in the lead.

SAN DIEGO, UNITED STATES. 

I will be delivering a 1 hour keynote on Music and Soundtrack Creation for the San Diego Filmmakers. San Diego Filmmakers provides a platform for local independent filmmakers, dedicated to the art and business of film making.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.

TO REST IN PEACE is premiering at the Dubai International Film Festival. 

HOLLYWOOD, UNITED STATES.

Good news - we have won BEST WORLD MUSIC at the Hollywood Music Awards for my score for Fawaz Al-Matrouk’s film TO REST IN PEACE. Announced at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, we were presented with the Award tonight. 

We were also nominated for BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (INDEPENDENT / DOCUMENTARY). Congratulations to winner Christophe Beck for his score for WAITING FOR SUPERMAN.  Other winners included Hans Zimmer for INCEPTION.

SPLIT, CROATIA. 

I’m looking forward to serving as an International Jury Member of the 14th edition of the International Choral Festival of Music “Cro Patria” in Croatia. The festival is hosted by Jeunesses Musicales Split (member of  Jeunesses Musicales International) in cooperation with Croatian composers’ association.

LOS ANGELES, USA. 

I recorded the score for TO REST IN PEACE at Capitol Studio A in Hollywood this week.  I’ve heard so much about this place over the years - it’s housed in the famous Capitol Records Tower in the heart of Hollywood. The studio’s past recordings have included iconic masters such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, The Beach Boys and Green Day.

LOS ANGELES, USA / KUWAIT.

I have commenced work on a new US Drama set in Kuwait. Recording of the score is set for April 2010 in Los Angeles.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA.

The Australian Voices led by the newly appointed conductor Gordon Hamilton will be premiering my new choral composition JOURNEYMAN in their Explorations concert in Brisbane Australia on November 7, 2009.

WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES.

I attended the Australian Embassy and the Katzen Arts Center at the American University in Washington DC this weekend for the official celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of the Fulbright between Australia and the United States.  The program predates the ANZUS treaty and I was part of the program in 2006. I was fortunate to meet Mrs Harriet Fulbright, wife of the the late Senator Fulbright.