tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24511241828299699562024-03-18T22:50:57.579-07:00Josh Johnson ComposerJosh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-43330893440802156392011-08-01T13:35:00.000-07:002011-08-01T13:58:17.185-07:00Through The Red Door Wins Best Score at AOF Festival<a href="http://www.ostrichcolonyfilms.com/uploads/7/2/0/3/7203191/9482209.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.ostrichcolonyfilms.com/uploads/7/2/0/3/7203191/9482209.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I am excited to announce that my score for the neo-noir thriller "<a href="http://www.ostrichcolonyfilms.com/">Through The Red Door</a>" won best score for a short film at the 2011 <a href="http://www.aoffest.com/">Action on Film Festival</a>! I'd like to thank festival director Del Weston and his team for a wonderful festival experience. And I am grateful for the amazing musicians who contributed their talent to the project: Christen Dugger (vocals on "Madly in Love"), Thomas Hanson (Trumpet), Amy Martens (Flute) and Preston Shepard (Horn). You can purchase the award-winning score <a href="http://ostrichcolonyfilms.bandcamp.com/album/through-the-red-door-soundtrack">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">"Through The Red Door" has been an official selection of Seattle True Independent Film Festival, Dances With Films, Action On Film Festival, Columbia Gorge International Film Festival and Route 66 Film Festival. </div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.ostrichcolonyfilms.com/uploads/7/2/0/3/7203191/6441523.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><iframe width="150" height="295" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 150px; height: 295px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=3722578710/size=tall/bgcol=000000/linkcol=0aa91c/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://ostrichcolonyfilms.bandcamp.com/album/through-the-red-door-soundtrack">Through The Red Door Soundtrack by Josh Johnson</a></iframe>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-72381422048714670972010-05-21T16:38:00.000-07:002010-05-21T16:39:16.833-07:00Through The Red Door (Short Film Trailer)I have not posted in a while on this blog because I have been writing, directing (and now scoring) a short psychological thriller titled "Through The Red Door". Here is the "hot off the press" trailer with my brooding Hitchcock like score.<br /><br /><object style="background-image:url(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/H28htdqCe2M/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H28htdqCe2M&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H28htdqCe2M&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-66056138080641755302009-07-06T23:03:00.001-07:002009-07-07T00:23:26.401-07:00Wheel of Knowing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKnmj8bDo7lyYiEyVLDxpOMV90BoZO9ZGQeuAHhfzV0N1oMti0JADf9KFACCc_2P39Pa0FbDwuQURb0uFiM28d2-06EIgQB-AHY77SdtxMYtzMR2Uoap6iDozxLhzrGNkXMenWhcBTuaX/s1600-h/Opening+Titles.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKnmj8bDo7lyYiEyVLDxpOMV90BoZO9ZGQeuAHhfzV0N1oMti0JADf9KFACCc_2P39Pa0FbDwuQURb0uFiM28d2-06EIgQB-AHY77SdtxMYtzMR2Uoap6iDozxLhzrGNkXMenWhcBTuaX/s200/Opening+Titles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355604146497874498" /></a><br />Mike Sewell and Ben Barber's inspirational dramedy, "Wheel of Knowing" had its first screening last night in Sacramento, CA. The film tells the story of Melanie, the "perfect" mom who finds her life turned upside down when she takes her Alzheimer-inflicted father into her home. The film has humor and drama and I wrote a score that carefully balances both. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMXVbycnaJnOYYGBDDiX_-SjYO2v1hFYav1ox-9boj31C4W3RJaD2e5aMUViHRMPZpXwfxclB2ByNpfCJLBISYLwFe8CtiSXL06mjGZJBDR6jT77JF9krKPfmv8pXHegBncgoMhWdXiwv/s1600-h/Reel+1+a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 82px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMXVbycnaJnOYYGBDDiX_-SjYO2v1hFYav1ox-9boj31C4W3RJaD2e5aMUViHRMPZpXwfxclB2ByNpfCJLBISYLwFe8CtiSXL06mjGZJBDR6jT77JF9krKPfmv8pXHegBncgoMhWdXiwv/s200/Reel+1+a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355604744908872914" /></a>There is a major carnival-theme that peeks in and out of the score ("Opening Titles", "Sam's Carnival Dream", "Win the Bear For Malanie", "Breakthrough") as well as a plucky theme for the father Sam, a sweet theme for Lauren and the family, a quirky theme for Gwen, a villainous theme for Lynn (and for rebellious Brad) and more. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav9aziWjJNwrcfeQS2ykgcF7JrsgrWwX0_2yZJAiIUjkrZV3ju6dShBhTofYd95oksOpHw8oqFJxtFKE9fz_SkKPEUZkdAukwJ0XH4tVe8u3dEfugIumKq0MrnbzRPdLz1ZOiMPZl3pTW/s1600-h/Reel+4+.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 76px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav9aziWjJNwrcfeQS2ykgcF7JrsgrWwX0_2yZJAiIUjkrZV3ju6dShBhTofYd95oksOpHw8oqFJxtFKE9fz_SkKPEUZkdAukwJ0XH4tVe8u3dEfugIumKq0MrnbzRPdLz1ZOiMPZl3pTW/s200/Reel+4+.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355605219188167730" /></a>The cues start out lighter and more comical and get more serious as the film progresses and Sam's illness becomes much more severe. Humorous cues like "Sam Arrives in CA", "Sam At Church" and "Gwen's Car Towed" are offset by dramatic cues like "911", "I Need You to Believe" and "Breakthrough"; the last cue, "Lauren's Coma", begins with Sam's comical theme and then dives into a suspenseful and powerful musical finale.<br /><br /><center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D463229&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed><br /></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-72772686394859830032009-06-14T12:55:00.000-07:002009-07-09T16:04:59.458-07:00Indelible<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zcv7Spjl_q1WUavuqiYFd4zM6MxYBLQqxTPZ8wrF0Rs6_-Y1m1BUd88HI4Omue3eGMqmrKhaZS6GsfshjqLMHKfwFurTuLBgJELMpE_o0Mt-UzzCmRRTXkQfjSRvnkEfkDb12NCORN-W/s1600-h/Indelible+Veiled.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zcv7Spjl_q1WUavuqiYFd4zM6MxYBLQqxTPZ8wrF0Rs6_-Y1m1BUd88HI4Omue3eGMqmrKhaZS6GsfshjqLMHKfwFurTuLBgJELMpE_o0Mt-UzzCmRRTXkQfjSRvnkEfkDb12NCORN-W/s200/Indelible+Veiled.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356599366474929570" /></a><br />It's been awhile since I've updated this. I just recently finished a short film for Alissa Chiavarond called "Indelible." It was a period piece set on the Silk Road in the 16th century. The film had a quick turnaround (essentially a long weekend).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-AJpqJSppqrP2-_Qudi8JipU6HZgrVynNGFU6niizlT7f8z5R5UNr1w68sfkmqAMHgsk13BzDvYqQgm3EYy8Lw1TQwHRLsYyjdShyphenhyphendchIMeouZNVztu9n0oLacAYguPcKcTY09opNP8O/s1600-h/Indelible+In+Woods.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-AJpqJSppqrP2-_Qudi8JipU6HZgrVynNGFU6niizlT7f8z5R5UNr1w68sfkmqAMHgsk13BzDvYqQgm3EYy8Lw1TQwHRLsYyjdShyphenhyphendchIMeouZNVztu9n0oLacAYguPcKcTY09opNP8O/s200/Indelible+In+Woods.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356599476619067746" /></a><br /><br /><center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D463519&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=true&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed><br /></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-53221894791075132922008-10-25T20:27:00.001-07:002009-07-07T00:30:31.432-07:00Acquired Wins Audience Choice Award at Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYfDhWvf55ZUPFd6PfijklwrGmyu_OL50lc21In-WP6EQ3pPpifvRU0GL95cRi7a-tH-tR06v7OB0g7-XwUPVAbnHkkro7erYsgjDV8Sh2DQtkCx_48jSs8Zr9I2FI3xcuhx__NnOjE3Q/s1600-h/Aquired+Trailer1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYfDhWvf55ZUPFd6PfijklwrGmyu_OL50lc21In-WP6EQ3pPpifvRU0GL95cRi7a-tH-tR06v7OB0g7-XwUPVAbnHkkro7erYsgjDV8Sh2DQtkCx_48jSs8Zr9I2FI3xcuhx__NnOjE3Q/s200/Aquired+Trailer1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261300062772620146" /></a><br />Desmond Faison's film "Acquired" won the Audience Choice Award at the Cinema City International Film Festival ( which is one of America's top 25 film festivals according to Film Maker Magazine). Trailer: <a href="http://fincfilms.com/acquired.html">http://fincfilms.com/acquired.html</a><br /><br />Congratulations Desmond! Clips from the score to "Acquired" below.<br /><br /><center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D408201&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-33079343611290214292008-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:002009-07-07T00:10:54.349-07:00Live and Try in L.A.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkmAluCMn5IOY78Ydb9MIW00_g2NqlJ0DkoI5lkqI4sKWXl6cgxa9mIDmE1s1nGYkCQBJC64WAA-QILqDTp037H_WUzCeoHkaOnI2q9mMa35UXwn7M-TXiB9vPt6z2ZWi4T4LDMGAkaFv/s1600-h/Live_and_Try+opening.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkmAluCMn5IOY78Ydb9MIW00_g2NqlJ0DkoI5lkqI4sKWXl6cgxa9mIDmE1s1nGYkCQBJC64WAA-QILqDTp037H_WUzCeoHkaOnI2q9mMa35UXwn7M-TXiB9vPt6z2ZWi4T4LDMGAkaFv/s200/Live_and_Try+opening.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355609403776334290" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBq-vjRHTOU_U1IpPEmqXh5_uQngc5sA_yQ1c9X-y1DutH9pVatSO1GCWtxqXlakGcAFeKiwTV63KX44oPIHHdBa0-_SCYsvsurLYXLNNacSb_agYgOiVIgrayAtQVipWSXyiz0oKQUBwF/s1600-h/Live_and_Try+balloon.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBq-vjRHTOU_U1IpPEmqXh5_uQngc5sA_yQ1c9X-y1DutH9pVatSO1GCWtxqXlakGcAFeKiwTV63KX44oPIHHdBa0-_SCYsvsurLYXLNNacSb_agYgOiVIgrayAtQVipWSXyiz0oKQUBwF/s200/Live_and_Try+balloon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355609561220321042" /></a><br />I'm composing the finishing touches on Christianna Carmine's satirical dark comedy Live and Try in L.A. I was asked to do a mixture of Spaghetti Western and elevator muzak to give it is tongue-in-cheek flavor. It opens with low and dark ambience that brings in the Shirt Theme. "Totally Cliche Job" puts a saloon-style piano in the middle of an easy-listening waltz while "The Waiting Room" brings this theme into Latin groove muzak. "Showdown in the War Room" and "Drive into the Desert" bring an air of Spaghetti Western. The end credits is a quirky celebration of the absurdity of life. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2WR25W1ROYsFgUYnnsLd5iyTzS4neMCQSpBx5PP90vyYO3DyvctULGnAxuyYfXDPs0RgXM4nqcsfueohx03kO-CGz3abPrE4LODANoR7506r9YwdSYrxiLaxZPPqQP5vUWxd8zN5p-Zh/s1600-h/Live_and_Try+shooting.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2WR25W1ROYsFgUYnnsLd5iyTzS4neMCQSpBx5PP90vyYO3DyvctULGnAxuyYfXDPs0RgXM4nqcsfueohx03kO-CGz3abPrE4LODANoR7506r9YwdSYrxiLaxZPPqQP5vUWxd8zN5p-Zh/s200/Live_and_Try+shooting.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355611955187510738" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui8XC6KouqD4DX6zO4P15JtFIu7XnSaW4tXegcy_YbnRZBIRqGxOp0OfK2-xOZBbyLcg6BZBILQrGjMOygns6LkGQ0rf8JACedMQbnoGH5FUfJH3zLTf52EM5N_ZbWQtyQh_Fk-jxds78/s1600-h/Live_and_Try+waiting.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 114px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui8XC6KouqD4DX6zO4P15JtFIu7XnSaW4tXegcy_YbnRZBIRqGxOp0OfK2-xOZBbyLcg6BZBILQrGjMOygns6LkGQ0rf8JACedMQbnoGH5FUfJH3zLTf52EM5N_ZbWQtyQh_Fk-jxds78/s200/Live_and_Try+waiting.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355610027828397074" /></a><br /><br /><center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D442889&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed><br /></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-62588463313609377402008-08-18T13:58:00.001-07:002008-08-23T23:31:59.309-07:00Players Are Working Again...And the Players are working again!Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-23045976508810192582008-04-30T19:09:00.000-07:002008-10-25T20:33:05.717-07:00Toy Soldier to Premiere at Cannes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAZ198bni7pAjiujsmdNkHz9AddnLvPRiKKCsgm2nQ7HTUxpaPVgyzo9GbZoLO2tV32bVZVIIzEqcri_s9LgXPNKWWGBfvzfXw81nqTWFAligptmGigvWpR0sn2NeJD0eh01fu0FbroZT/s1600-h/Toy+Soldier1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 164px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAZ198bni7pAjiujsmdNkHz9AddnLvPRiKKCsgm2nQ7HTUxpaPVgyzo9GbZoLO2tV32bVZVIIzEqcri_s9LgXPNKWWGBfvzfXw81nqTWFAligptmGigvWpR0sn2NeJD0eh01fu0FbroZT/s200/Toy+Soldier1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261300499664409794" /></a><br />I have some exciting news: the short film Toy Soldier, which I recently scored, was accepted into the Festival de Cannes' Short Film Corner. That's fantastic for Alissa and everyone who worked so hard on the film.<center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D408205&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-32188699442456582932008-03-18T21:09:00.000-07:002008-03-18T21:27:48.226-07:00Toy SoldierLast Wednesday, I met with Alissa Chiaravanond to discuss her short film Toy Soldier. By Sunday I had finished scoring it. It was one of the fastest turnarounds I've worked on. Shot on location in Thailand, the haunting film tells the story of a young boy searching for his mother in the red-light district of Bangkok. I tried to capture both the exotic location and the universality of the story by using synth textures, a handful of Western orchestral instruments and recording various ethnic instruments as well.Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-66368717031201339122008-01-21T14:55:00.000-08:002008-09-29T18:19:02.014-07:00AcquiredLast month I finished the score for the short drama, Acquired directed by Desmond Faison. The film is a sensitive and humanizing story dealing with friendship, romance and HIV. After discussing with Desmond the sound he was looking for, I chose to use ethereal female vocals to capture the humanity of the characters (showcased heavily in "Acquired Theme" as well as in "Tim and Krissy" and "Realization").<br /><br />I recorded the vocals at Brian Young's studio (The Dream Academy) and asked a good friend, Kristina Keener, to provide the "ahhs" and "oohs." We were under a time crunch (as is always the case with these sorts of things), and Kristina managed to fit in a block of time to record before she had to jump onstage and belt out some showstoppers in the musical revue "Smoky Joe's Cafe." Her voice really added a plaintive desperation to the theme.<br /><br /><center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D408201&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-33958940588478585842007-10-29T19:40:00.001-07:002007-10-29T19:40:34.549-07:00Middle Eastern Trailer MusicThis summer I wrote a score on spec for a trailer to the film "David And Fatima" and thought it turned out pretty well. <br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eenQS4Urgbk"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eenQS4Urgbk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-21169428794389016322007-09-30T22:26:00.000-07:002007-10-29T19:40:16.762-07:00Meeting Mychael Danna In The Men's RoomSo, the last few weeks, I've gone to the AMPAS film composer conference. It's been very interesting hearing master composers discuss their lives and craft. Lalo Schiffrin, Bruce Broughton, Jan A. P. Kaczmarek and more. One of my favorite film composers was one of the panelists: Mychael Danna. And of course, I passed him in the men's room afterwards and I just HAD to say something. Yep. In the men's room. So smooth. My brain said "Never talk to someone in the rest room," but I just went right into auto-pilot. He was very gracious and friendly though.Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-10718873879785796062007-06-23T23:23:00.000-07:002008-08-23T23:21:02.333-07:00Dead Trees (2008)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSfvzNjB6hzDAnb684Q1fEAc9AMjGCsItofpa3UAWYnepMREefMo0JJMMXY-DvinFXq3I-tdhanPzbEYzZenu9A9nTCL3lJOPx84vPinlowmSha2UrOd4flqb7G9C3Q5PzeAMMltIXptB/s1600-h/006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSfvzNjB6hzDAnb684Q1fEAc9AMjGCsItofpa3UAWYnepMREefMo0JJMMXY-DvinFXq3I-tdhanPzbEYzZenu9A9nTCL3lJOPx84vPinlowmSha2UrOd4flqb7G9C3Q5PzeAMMltIXptB/s200/006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086355180125754018" /></a>Dead Trees is psychological thriller meets romantic drama. It deals with obsession, fantasy and living inside memories. The music is a mixture of mysterious Hitchcock-like moods, light romantic melodies and pulsing ambient soundscapes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDii00KSi4lAqYdi38Rh0MP_dTjGvoALybDvwZmXtlQWo2tgfnae6YHVzv7LcvfYme87G6l0dhLT4ifihILgoDUVXUEoZf-EtTMDj_gIdYWyMIMTICPadHHo1c-ryFYdm0wqhHHTz_17B/s1600-h/011.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDii00KSi4lAqYdi38Rh0MP_dTjGvoALybDvwZmXtlQWo2tgfnae6YHVzv7LcvfYme87G6l0dhLT4ifihILgoDUVXUEoZf-EtTMDj_gIdYWyMIMTICPadHHo1c-ryFYdm0wqhHHTz_17B/s200/011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086353805736219266" /></a><br /><br />The main title "2400 Winword Ave" has a hint of film noir and showcases the main theme in a dark minor mode (also heard in "Romance in the Horror Section"). This theme also makes appearances in a warm, cheerful major mode early in the film ("Jogging and Donuts"). As the obsession grows the theme flirts with modal ambiguity ("Flowershop Vision," the last part of "Nurse Lindsey")<br /><br />I created a very simple love theme for "Daniel and Lindsey" that can be heard in cues such as "Do You Love Me?," "Nurse Lindsey...," and "Break-Up and Hook Up."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO01vtm-vj4l6ea5ohUKv0nBPH8FzSVSG0CiwpQrA4J-JQcyr0MrrcenpGG0koGAJdcb6W8zXfCgEpwtavovWLP27iKy-Y-iRbvpGEw-Tulvg2X6pRTaRMZgT0jhf-OamXv8ZTlcg0-ObA/s1600-h/016.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO01vtm-vj4l6ea5ohUKv0nBPH8FzSVSG0CiwpQrA4J-JQcyr0MrrcenpGG0koGAJdcb6W8zXfCgEpwtavovWLP27iKy-Y-iRbvpGEw-Tulvg2X6pRTaRMZgT0jhf-OamXv8ZTlcg0-ObA/s200/016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086352976807531090" /></a><br /><br />There is a reoccuring rhythmic motive for flashbacks ("Lindsey Suspects") and a quirky theme for Daniel's high school memories ("Back To School," "Chickensh*t"). I utilized ambient textures to add to the dream-like quality of Daniel's obsessions ("Zone Out" and "Waking Up").<br /><br />The object of Daniel's obsession, Becky, also has an exotic theme ("Thai Becky," "Lindsey Suspects," "Chickensh*t")<br /><br />The final cue, "Becky's Revelation," features most of the major themes.<br /><center><embed src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" width="320" height="250" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="false" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D391976&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" wmode="transparent" border="0" saveEmbedTags="true"></embed></center>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-4737317352070090852007-06-23T23:15:00.001-07:002009-08-27T13:26:26.325-07:00The Mailbox (2006)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JKNmxBs8ba95v-FHt80NMEvLt0q2fFHs2QIXf4vtvBXAtIqDaKs6PjF4CFfbJTk8uuO5TMrJCwh7usJAc-GtHDL1qdg8K-kjALRaCN1lxsZkY-LAS8rTECEbY0rQmzMct0K6wop9h4H_/s1600-h/Mailbox+Titles+3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JKNmxBs8ba95v-FHt80NMEvLt0q2fFHs2QIXf4vtvBXAtIqDaKs6PjF4CFfbJTk8uuO5TMrJCwh7usJAc-GtHDL1qdg8K-kjALRaCN1lxsZkY-LAS8rTECEbY0rQmzMct0K6wop9h4H_/s200/Mailbox+Titles+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168451542241440610" /></a><br />I composed the score for Huy Chheng's short film about Chinese immigrants in the Fall of 2006. My first instict was to do a very ambient score with hints of Chinese instruments. Huy however wanted something melodic and piano-driven. So, I combined those two ideas and created a work that I was very proud of when I finished. The ba-wu, a Chinese flute with a copper-reed, lends a very gentle but sad effect to the music.<br /><center><embed border="0" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D408207&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=300&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="250" src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" allowfullscreen="false" width="320" wmode="transparent" saveembedtags="true"></embed><br/></center>If the player is not working use this link <a href="http://www.musicwebtown.com/joshjohnson1980/65095">The Mailbox Player</a>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2451124182829969956.post-31103820147681947842007-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:002007-06-25T11:49:29.229-07:00Film ComposingSo, this is my first foray into the world of blogging - but, don't worry, I'm not going to start talking about celebrities or creating a travelogue.<br /><br />I wanted to have a place to compile my thoughts, keep track of my creative output and post some music. I'm a fairly young composer and certainly still green to the film scoring world. When writing film music, I am always hoping to compose something beautiful and creative that graciously enhances the film without distracting. Its an interesting, and at times difficult, line to walk between unique, memorable music and supportive soundscape.<br /><br />I've found that directors are very interesting people to work with: they've got such an understanding on what they want from the actors, from the DP, from the sound engineer, but some have trouble with communicating what they want from their composer. They know the mood they want to get across or the subtext they want to illuminate, but many directors are not musicians so its hard for them to find a language to discuss the details of what they want from a score. I think it can be frustrating for them. Its exciting then to, as the composer, find the unique verbal tools to communicate with these great artists and pin down what they are looking for and sometimes find musical ideas they hadn't even known existed. It's a great collaboration. <br /><br />I thought I'd post some various cues of things I've worked on in the past. <br /><br />"El Curandero" is a short supernatural thriller/horror and was one of the first films I worked on. I used ethnic instruments and vocals to enhance the orchestra sound.<br /><br />"Twin Daggers" was a martial arts film I ultimately did not score. I created four rough sketches for the post-production team before they ended up leaving the project (and leaving me without a film to score).<br /><br />"Dumblings" is a dark comedy short. The main theme is an off-kilter waltz. Slashing cellos mirror the shorts murderous conclusion.<br /><br />"Stupid Heroes" is a children's comedy/fantasy that allowed me to write some silly superhero pastiche music. I included the cue "Breaking In."<br /><br />The other cues are miscellaneous pieces that never found a home.<br /><br /><center><embed border="0" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="&file=http://www.snapdrive.net/playlist.php%3Fid%3D46128&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0x006600&lightcolor=0x333333&height=250&width=320&displayheight=50&showeq=true&shuffle=false&autostart=false&autoscroll=false&repeat=list" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="250" src="http://www.snapdrive.net/mp3player.swf" allowfullscreen="false" width="320" wmode="transparent" saveembedtags="true"></embed></center><br /> If the player is not working use these links <br/><a href="http://www.musicwebtown.com/joshjohnson1980/73182">Various Cues Player</a><br/><a href="http://www.musicwebtown.com/joshjohnson1980/73186">El Curandero Player</a><br/><a href="http://www.musicwebtown.com/joshjohnson1980/73189">Twin Daggers Player</a>Josh Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15407518940270410610noreply@blogger.com0