The Society...

So why a Society for Student Film Composers? It sounds almost pretentious--as though we're going to transform the entire Hollywood industry by ourselves? Who, Biola?

Let me give you a basic run-down of what exactly we are trying to do. Several of our composers are working together to create a place where film-makers, composers, and musicians can all gather to network, collaborate, and produce quality films. It's rare for the separate majors at universities these days to talk to each other—interdepartmental communication is mostly unheard of. But film is a highly interdisciplinary art form: it combines the many skills of cinematography, production design, computer science, graphic and visual art, fashion, and music. Film is all about community—something that we as Christians ought to be a big fan of—and so we're putting together a structure in which that community can thrive.

So what are we actually doing to make this happen? Well, some of the projects we're currently working on are:

-designing an official website with audio and video clips of current students' work;
-putting together a referral list for musicians who want to be on-call for studio work;
-writing up a customizable contract for working with film students;
-garnering connections in the industry to come speak to the department about their work (we are currently in touch with Brian Tyler and Christopher Young to come speak to our composers);
-generating a "lending library" of soundtracks;
-creating a database of resources in books, websites, podcasts and original scores;
-formulating seminars for composers, filmmakers and musicians by Hollywood experts, open to neighboring schools and the community.

As late in the school year as we are, most of this will (Lord willing) come to fruition next year, when you'll be here to enjoy it! This Society is the most exciting prospect in the composition deparment in a while, so if you have any questions about it at all, I would love to talk to you more. Feel free to send me an e-mail any time, and if you include your phone number I'll call you back so we can chat about Biola!

Dave Martina
david.c.martina@biola.edu
Film Music Society
Society for Student Film Composers
Biola University