Newsletter #16 - It’s A Wrap
Kia ora everyone,
I hope everyone is well, and keeping warm in the winter months.
Soundtrack Album Release!
I'm really pleased to share that Shortland Street – Original Score Highlights 2024 is officially out! The album brings together 22 pieces of music from across this past year on the show, everything from intimate character moments to the bigger, more intense scenes.
Music is often a subtle part of television, working quietly behind the scenes to support the drama. This album brings the music to the forefront, offering the chance to hear the underscore without dialogue or sound effects. All of it was written and produced here in my Wellington studio, scored directly to picture.
It’s been a rewarding challenge to write music at this scale and speed, and I’ve loved revisiting some of the tracks that stood out along the way. This album represents the last year of work, and it’s great to be able to look back at a year of stories and drama.
The Shortland Street social media team even put together a short video to celebrate the release, with a few musical highlights matched to scenes from the show. It’s always satisfying seeing the score in context like that. You can find the video here.
The album is now available on all major streaming platforms.
It’s A Wrap!
The Shortland Street crew has finished production on this year’s season. The music for the epic Christmas Cliffhanger has been locked, and I can’t wait to share it.
While the show is between seasons, I will be working on other projects and spending some time away from Ferndale. I’ve pretty much worked continuously on Shortland Street for the last two and a half years, so I am excited about this new chapter.
Have you found a composer yet?
Next weekend is the legendary 48 Hour Film Festival! Last year I had the honour of being the recipient of the Best Song/Score award for the competition, and I am excited to enter again this year.
I’ve been trying to encourage more teams to get composers on their team instead of relying on international production music libraries, and the Screen Music and Sound Guild has joined me in my efforts. I think it’s great way for composers and filmmakers to meet and get familiar with working together, and to remind filmmakers that composers exist and can be utilised on projects at any level or size.
An article I wrote for the organisation on behalf of the Screen Music and Sound Guild about this very topic last year, has been updated and shared by the organisation.
The article begins with, "Getting a composer to join your 48Hours film might seem difficult, but we can share some top secret secrets on how to trap a composer in the wild, and once your composer is in captivity, how to care for them..."
You can read the full article here.
Thanks so much for reading. Best wishes until next time!
Ngā mihi nui,
William Philipson
