JUNE 2013

O VERTURE

A 'Valiant' Session
Festival Agreement for low-budget films makes scoring union easy
Photos by Kori Chappell

BY LINDA A. RAPKA
For his independent action-adventure short film "Valiant," composer Jeremy Tisser knew he needed a big sound. And he knew exactly how to get it. "When you are asked for a score that's like 'Star Wars,' there's only one way to do it," Tisser said.

Orchestrator Jeff Tinsley, orchestrator/copyist Brian Paul, Streamers operator Jongnic Bontemps, composer Jeremy Tisser, producer Shyam Sundar Sengupta, and director Robin Phillips. Jeff, Brian and Jongnic (JB) are all composers on their own, and Jeff is pursuing orchestration. The four met while attending USC's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program last year.

Photos by Kori Chappell

"You can't go with students or Eastern Europe. They're not going to be able to do it in that short amount of time and in that high a quality you need." Steadfast about going union on the film score, he told director Robin Phillips there was a way to ensure the exact film-music sound he desired: by using the same musicians who performed the very scores that inspired this music. "We really decided to go union before I started writing," Tisser said. "It makes the difference. It's always the most reassuring when you have the best in the world playing your score." The idea was initially met by Phillips with a little intimidation until they crunched the numbers. "My first thought was, how much is going to cost?" Phillips said. "But it turned out to be more affordable to record it union. The festival scale cost less to use 11 union musicians than do it nonunion or Europe or with students. Not only that, but to be able to get these film guys we wanted...

it's incredible." Having worked with studio veterans while in the USC film scoring program, Tisser knew the value of using high-caliber Local 47 musicians. "I've worked with Malcolm McNab and Jim Self and know what they can do," he said. "They can sight read for scores to 'E.T.,' etc. That alone was enough to go union." Tisser's action-packed and thematic-filled score was recorded with musicians who performed on major motion pictures like "Jurassic Park" and "Tin Tin." The sessions took place at The Bridge Recording in Glendale April 16. Set in a dystopic Steampunk future, "Valiant" mixes old-Hollywood tricks with new technology. The 23-minute film combines an action-packed story with digital animation with stunning locations, live pyrotechnics, digital animation, motion control, matte paintings and miniature models. The production crew said they are looking forward to the next film and working with union musicians again.

The Bridge Recording Studio April 16, 2013 Flute Lisa Edelstein Oboe Lara Wickes Clarinet Jonathan Sacdalan Bassoon Ken Munday Horn Jim Thatcher Allen Fogle Trumpet Malcolm McNab Barry Perkins Trombone Alan Kaplan Will Booth Tuba Jim Self Contractor Peter Rotter

"Valiant" Orchestra