#Duncan Thum

[duncanthummenlo]

DUNCAN THUM MENLO

[zefrumiousbandersnatch]

Camino AU Soundtrack: Side A

Sharing my playlist for the Camino AU fic. I listened to this a lot while I was writing!

First Steps | Thank You For This World - Borrtex

Não há camas disponíveis | þÚ Ert Jörðin - Ólafur Arnalds

Beatrice, Camila, and Lilith | Circle of Life - Letra

Tortilla de Espanola | To Edinburgh - Ian Post

Mary's Story | Lee - Duncan Thum

Porto | Valsa Para Um Tempo Que Passou - Antonio Portugal

Underwater | Steven’s Solitude - Stephen J. Anderson

Shall I fetch us some breakfast? | Lag Fyrir Ommu - Olafur Arnalds

Baiona, an Interlude | Holding on to Hope - Christopher Galovan

The Kiss | Golden Butterflies (Day 5) - Ludovico Einaudi

To Santiago (a reprise) | Mountainscape - Lance Conrad

Something precious in my hands | Tomorrow’s Song - Olafur Arnalds, Lavinia Meijer

Day thirty-six | Now or Never - Michael Vignola

The last kilometro | The Streets of Whiterun - Jeremy Soule

21st of June, 2003 | Latika’s Theme - A.R. Rahman

¡Salud! | Tuna Compostelana - Tuna Universitaria Compostelana

Now it’s all daylight | Food is Still Hot - Karen O and The Kids

End Credits | Spiegel Im Spiegel - Arvo Part

Finisterre and Beyond | To Build a Home - The Cinematic Orchestra

[ulkaralakbarova]

Hilarious and outgoing, Brittany Forgler, is everybody’s best friend ― except her own. Her partying, underemployment and toxic relationships are catching up with her. She receives a startling wake-up call when a visit to the doctor reveals how unhealthy she is. Motivated to lose weight, but too broke for a gym and too proud to ask for help, Brit is at a loss, until her neighbor pushes her to run one sweaty block. Soon, she sets an almost unthinkable goal: the New York City Marathon. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Brittany Forgler: Jillian Bell Catherine: Michaela Watkins Jern Dahn: Utkarsh Ambudkar Demetrius: Lil Rel Howery Seth: Micah Stock Gretchen: Alice Lee Doctor Falloway: Patch Darragh Ryan: Peter Vack CiCi Forgler: Kate Arrington David: Juri Henley-Cohn Glenn: Adam Sietz Dev: Mikey Day Drunk Guy: Max Pava Shannon: Jennifer Dundas Molly: Erica Hernandez Terrence: Dan Bittner Tesla: Beth Malone Dana: Nadia Quinn Snobby Artist Man: Pascal Yen-Pfister Snobby Artist Woman: Miriam A. Hyman Michael: Gene Gabriel Drunk Woman: Gina Costigan Jasmine: Sarah Bolt Matty: Ian Unterman Waiter: Robert Garcia Cabrera Overweight Woman: Maia Nkenge Wilson Marathon Worker: Frances Eve Peter: Esteban Benito Film Crew: Executive Producer: Paul Downs Colaizzo Producer: Matthew Plouffe Producer: Tobey Maguire Producer: Margot Hand Director of Photography: Seamus Tierney Editor: Casey Brooks Executive Producer: Jillian Bell Art Direction: Naomi Munro Production Design: Erin Magill Set Decoration: Kim Fischer Costume Designer: Stacey Berman Original Music Composer: Duncan Thum Unit Production Manager: Jolian Blevins Executive Producer: Richard G. Weinberg Associate Producer: Padraic ‘Paddy’ Murphy Casting: Maribeth Fox Makeup Department Head: Scott Hersh Hair Department Head: Dennis Polanco Visual Effects Supervisor: Alex Noble Set Decoration Buyer: Lindsay Stephen Supervising Sound Editor: Ric Schnupp Casting: Laura Rosenthal First Assistant Director: Thomas Fatone Second Assistant Director: Kim Thompson Movie Reviews: SWITCH.: While ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’ is about weight loss, it never feels pandering or forced. Instead, it comes across as extremely realistic and grounded, which allows the comedy to flow. Everyone across the board brings their A-game to bring this really fresh and heartwarming comedy to life. If you’re a fan of films like ‘Trainwreck’ or ‘The Big Sick’, put on your joggers and sweatpants to run out and see this one. – Chris dos Santos Read Chris’ full article… https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-brittany-runs-a-marathon-literally-run-out-to-see-this-stellar-comedy Head to https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/sff for more Sydney Film Festival reviews. Columbusbuck: Brittany gets it right – that feeling you have in the pit of your stomach when you push away everyone who cares about you. A feeling I’ve had for a long long time. So self destructive. A 5-star movie, reflecting the reality of life, wouldn’t have a happy ending. This movie has one. But the first 60 minutes absolutely nails it.

[greenhatsinthesky]

lockdown film no. 31 - A Secret Love (2020) dir. Chris Bolan

07/05/2020

- I think the structure of this was very strong. It was good that they built it around them moving and kind of health struggles and stuff rather than just being about their relationship even though they could easily have done that. It gave it more of a story of what was happening now - so they aren’t just static in the present day.

- hopefully this will show a lot of people that being queer isn’t a new thing and there are people who have been around for ages who have been in relationships and they still struggle with being worried that their families won’t accept them !

- the archive footage in the opening credits made me v emotional and happy/sad/i felt a lot. Also I adore the song, calamity Jane was one of my favourite films as a kid and that scene is such a good one

- I hate it when straight people say they feel betrayed that their queer family members didn’t come out to them earlier. This isn’t your deal to be mad about. If you’re straight and you have family, even if them not being straight has never crossed your mind, just assure them that you will accept them if they aren’t. That doesn’t have to be so on the nose as “if you’re gay that’s OK and you can tell me” because that kind of puts pressure on the person to tell you there and then and they might not be ready to do that. Just assure them. Show support in abstract ways - talk about queer people in a positive way and support equal rights. They aren’t difficult things to do. And I’m not a parent, but if you have children do not make it a taboo topic, because if your child is queer then that’ll be incredibly damaging. 

- when Terry started talking about her dad I started to well up and it wasn’t even ten minutes in

- people who think that queer people have all the rights they need and they aren’t really oppressed are just fucking stupid to be honest. Imagine being at the stage in your life when you need to move into a residential home and have support because you can’t look after yourself in your old age, and having to ask if you and your partner would be accepted by the people in the home. 

- queer history is one of the most interesting things I’m aware of. Lesbian bars being raided?? Witch hunts?? Lives being ruined? Having to wear at least three articles of clothing according to your sex or you’ll be arrested?? That’s our history. 

- I find it so interesting that there’s the debate on gay marriage within the queer community. Not as to whether it should be legal - but individual couples deciding if they want to get married. But actually, that’s not a debate on gay marriage per se, that’s just individual people’s views on the institution of marriage, so it’s reductive to say that that reflects queer people’s views on gay marriage specifically. Just because you can legally do something and people in your community have campaigned to have the right to do it, it doesn’t mean you have to do it if it doesn’t align with your personal views. behave

- BASEBALL

- I don’t follow it but that was such a cool bit. And I am so glad that people take pictures and film stuff because otherwise we wouldn’t have all this stuff!

- “Better a bruise than long pants, hey gals?”

- fuck y’all who say women can’t play sports and it’s not commercially successful

- the story they told of when they met and went skating was one of the most beautiful things. Terry telling it and how pat gave her this note was just stunning and I think I cried I can't remember but statistically its likely

- oh my god kissing in a sandstorm

- this is the real meaning of “risking it all for love”. If they were seen together or people put two and two together then their pictures would have been printed in the papers and their careers would have been ruined. Straight people can’t imagine that happening because of who they were in love with

- pat listing all the men that she was with and how they all died is so funny (obviously not that they died) because it was literally a sign from god going “yo, you’re gay”

- all of the pictures of them in bed together in their own little space were so fucking cute

- I think this also raised some really important things about how expensive retirement homes are like that's fucking ridiculous

- the poem pat wrote for Terry did make me cry. It was absolutely beautiful and the way it was edited with the old footage and the thousands of letters in this box

- they had to rip off the bottom of the letters that they wrote to each other because otherwise they would run the risk of being found out and then their families might know that they were gay. The weight of that is just enormous and it makes me well up thinking about it. We are so fortunate to live in this time. Its not all fixed and acceptance isn’t guaranteed and people probably still have to do this (if people write letters anymore, I hope they do) but it is so much better, obviously, than when pat and Terry were first together

- it has a 100% approval rating on rotten tomatoes and I am so proud of them for that

- I think I cried solidly for the last fifteen minutes or so. Not gonna lie the ending broke me. I was an absolute wreck. Its such an important film and somehow manages to be so informative and we learn a lot about their personal history and the time in general while also making a really genuine connection to the audience. They nailed it

[soundtracktracklist]

Brittany Runs a Marathon Soundtrack by Duncan Thum #comedy #movie #ost #soundtrack #film #filmmusic #JillianBell Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (OST) from the film Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019). The music composed by…

[rogerverhoeven]

DANGER ISLAND from Ryan Gillis on Vimeo.

British poachers explore a string of previously undiscovered islands, in search of the fabled Moth Owl.

Made by Andrew Malek -- andrewmalek.org // vimeo.com/user2151957 & Ryan Gillis -- ryangillis.com

Music by Duncan Thum Copyright University of Southern California

Production blog: gillizamastudios.com/blog/category/danger-island/

[vulturehound]

It's Not Just About Running - Brittany Runs a Marathon (Film Review)

It’s Not Just About Running – Brittany Runs a Marathon (Film Review)

(more…)

[lakeshorerecords]

Premiere: Listen To Tracks From Sundance Film 'Brittany Runs A Marathon' - Soundtrack Out Now | Slash Film

Premiere: Listen To Tracks From Sundance Film ‘Brittany Runs A Marathon’ – Soundtrack Out Now | Slash Film

  Listen to two exclusive tracks, “Results (Alt version)” and “The Finish Line” from the Brittany Runs A Marathon soundtrack, premiering at Slash Film!  The album features score by two-time EMMY®-nominated composer Duncan Thum (“Chef’s Table”, Dealt).  Brittany, starring Jillian Bell, opens in theaters Friday, August 23 on the same day of the soundtrack release!  See film and full album details…

[dearorpheus]

extracted from Musa Dağdeviren’s episode of Chef’s Table

[french-teapot]

(Duncan Thum)

If anyone remembers, months ago I asked if anyone happened to know the name of the music that played during The Chef’s Table episode featuring Bo Songvisava.

I finally found it! Only cos it was released recently, so I thought I’d share. c:

Skip to about 5:40 to hear the bit I was talking about.

[johnsencummingssound]

Activate the Collection - Week 3

Whilst procrastinating this week Christian Henson’s (Spitfire Audio) recent video “Why Are Synths So Difficult To Mix???” popped up on my Youtube recommended. Naturally I watched the whole half an hour video instead of doing work, however, I’m happy to say that watching the video ended up becoming unintentional research. Within the video Henson discusses essentially the reason synths are more difficult to mix as opposed to acoustic instruments is the waveforms are far less complicated, due to sounds in nature having effectively far more frequency content as well as randomisation, things that can be partially replicated with synthesis but not anywhere close to the same extent. Of course the video deviated off into messing around with old cassettes and delay boxes, but the major take away I got from it was when he used a piano sample to created a synth pad (almost a reverse synthesis?). This inspired me to experiment with a similar approach in which I used some midi instruments (unintentionally Spitfire libraries) Rhodes, piano and strings and routed them through a combination of several delays, distortions, pitch shifters and reverbs in order to create a more ‘organic’ sounding synth sound. Not sure entirely what this experiment will amount to yet, however, at the moment I’m treating it as a compositional tool/technique that I may use to generate more etherial/obscure soundscapes within my projects.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18nYAdW09e-ckKPIJR-FFh7fAxBS1m-zJ/view?usp=sharing

My exploration into composition favouring soundscapes this has probably been inspired by my research into Trent Reznor that I’m currently doing for another subject. However, I think there is considerable room for crossover regarding his philosophy in approaching film score. First and foremost Reznor’s core belief for all forms of art is that the artist should remain out of the spotlight in order to preserve a certain level of mythology which in turn he believes facilitates inspiration within listeners and thus creates future artists. I find his aversion to celebrity quite fascinating especially as it directly contrasts to someone among the likes of Hans Zimmer who seemingly thrives on it. On a technical level this can be heard in his work which, as mentioned prior, is heavily soundscape and mood driven, rather than full of leitmotifs, themes and other identifiable characteristics such as one would find in a John Williams score. Reznor has explicitly stated that he scores to fit a world holistically rather than for a particular scene or to serve a specific narrative function. This idea of world building through score is an approach that I feel drawn to for the purposes of scoring Procedural Worlds (not just because of the namesake). If we are to tie this in to class content for the week, one could argue that this approach leans more towards the connect, extend and transform aspects of the Pathway Framework as it allows a certain degree of freedom in which the only constraints are the concept and the mood. Of course this is dependent on the project, and for something like the QLD doco my work would be less experimental (you could say leaning towards the ‘multi’ aspect), however, I feel that the workflow and concept behind Procedural Worlds justifies a more conceptually driven approach.

In tying back to the QLD doco, whilst watching Chef’s Table in order to get an understanding of what the creators are looking for, I have noticed that Duncan Thum (and the other composers) have recently been incorporating aspects of the highlighted Chef’s culture and background into the score. For instance using bluesy, soul inspired guitars and drums in Mashama Bailey’s episode as she grew up and currently operates in Georgia USA. or Dario Ceccini’s episode is largely made up of classical music that wouldn’t sound out of place at an opera due to him being a local butcher in Tuscany. Not entirely sure if the creators of the QLD doco are desiring this level of interconnection/ if the backgrounds of each of their doco subjects are distinct enough to attempt something similar, but on a conceptual level, this is a really interesting approach to building cohesion and immersion through score. However, that being said, it is also as likely that they were simply referring to the main theme which is very much Romantic Classical/ belongs in a British Period Drama. I guess we’ll have to wait for further details.

Something else that has come up within research this week is David Byne’s TED talk on how music has evolved according to architecture. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend, however, to sum up a point he makes towards the end is that the room — and since the implementation of recording; the listening device— traditionally has subconsciously dictated what decisions are made as far as music arrangement and production. As far as how this ties into my work, I think it can be adapted into an early consideration on my behalf as to what medium the work is being designed for. For instance the QLD doco is likely to be viewed on a TV or such device with a relatively limited bandwidth, therefore there isn’t much point including an 808 style sine wave bass within my work. Contrastingly, in the work that I may create for AudioLabs (probably won’t be viewed at all, but let’s just say hypothetically) there is a bit more wiggle room in regards to frequency and space/depth as the most likely place for the consumption of an audiobook/podcast is on headphones. Procedural Worlds is a bit more ambiguous at the moment (and to be honest, too early to tell at this stage). However, considerations that I’m anticipating could be something like mono compatibility, in which I could potentially experiment with ‘binaural-esk’ sound design in order to push immersion yet this is at the risk of it losing that audio when summed to mono such as on a more rudimentary sound device. Of course, at the moment these are all considerations for the future, however I think it is helpful to be aware of them early on in the process. References:

Why are Synths So Difficult to Mix??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nezcJztBR0I

Gone Girl Q&A | Trent Reznor + Atticus Ross https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1OT3bBoRoQ

How architecture helped evolve music https://www.ted.com/talks/david_byrne_how_architecture_helped_music_evolve

[musicalfruits]

The Grey (Bailey) by Duncan Thum https://ift.tt/2uglmPb

[soundtracktracklist]

Duncan Thum - film and TV composer, musician #DuncanThum #filmscore #composer #ost #music #filmmusic #musician Duncan Thum is an American film composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his music to Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019), Street Food (2019), A Secret Love (2019), Ice to Islands (2019), Chef's Table (2015), The Iron Orchard (2018), I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2016), The Wedding Invitation (2017).

[sliceannarbor]

Duncan Thum

Film Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist Music Producer/Lead Composer Chef’s Table, Netflix original docuseries Los Angeles, California duncanthum.com

Photo by Andrew Quinn

SPECIAL GUEST SERIES

Duncan Thum is a film composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California. Last year, he was nominated for an Emmy for “Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)” in the second-season episode of the Netflix original docuseries Chef’s Table featuring Chef Grant Achatz of the acclaimed Alinea in Chicago. In 2015, Duncan was similarly nominated for “Original Dramatic Score” in the first-season episode of Chef’s Table featuring Argentinian Chef Francis Mallmann. He has since scored Chef’s Table: France and the third season of the series. Duncan has worked on a range of features and documentaries, including: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Off The Rails, DEALT, and VICE Media's  Broadly. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program. Duncan also earned a bachelor of arts degree in music and humanities from the University of Southern California. In earlier days, he attended Interlochen Arts Academy, earning a diploma in guitar. When Duncan is not working, you can find him outside exploring the flora with Beckett and Finnie, his most trusted canine advisors. He resides in Los Angeles and composes from an attic studio that moonlights as a rare Suzani emporium.

FAVORITES

Book: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Destination: Peru

Film score: Spirited Away, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Motto: Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. - Oscar Wilde

THE QUERY 

Where were you born?

I was born and raised in Berkeley, California. Later my family moved inland to Lafayette, where I lived until high school.

What were some of the passions and pastimes of your earlier years?

I was indoctrinated to the outdoors by my dad at an early age. I don’t think I realized what a profound effect it would have on me until later on. We took many canoe trips in the Boundary Waters, Quetico Provincial Park; and the Bowron Lakes in British Columbia. I think exploration of the wild is one of the most creative and spiritually fulfilling things you can do.

What is your first memory of music as an experience?

Listening to my dad play the piano. It turns out that he has been quite an influential force in my life. My sisters and I would lie under the piano while he played. He has a wide repertoire that ranges from Dave Brubeck to Bach to this amazing tome of traditional songs called The Fireside Book Of Folk Songs. That was my point of introduction to melody.

How did you begin to realize your intrigue with the guitar?

I actually started out on bass and later segued into guitar. I blame David Gilmour’s solo on Dogs for my treasonous defection. Later my obsession would expand to include Django and Paco De Lucia. The final breakthrough was my exposure to the music of South America, Cambodia, and Africa. The expressive possibilities are endless.

When and how did this intrigue segue into scoring music for film?

I started writing a lot of songs and poetry in college. If you made a Venn diagram between songwriting and film composition, there would a high percentage of overlap. Both rely upon the same tropes (form, melody, harmony, instrumentation) to convey emotion. I think the inclination to tell stories with music naturally lead me toward film composition. 

Why does this form of artistic expression suit you?

Words are powerful things. It would take me a lifetime to command and distill their structure and rhythm. I love the abstraction in music; it frees me from certain obstructive thoughts like ‘it’s never good enough.’ I think of sound like an empty vessel that you fill with your emotional experiences, and that is always good enough. I don’t mean to imply that making music is easy, rather the ideas come more naturally. I decided to focus on that aspect and collaborate with those who specialize in other art forms.

What led to your initial work with the Chef’s Table series?

Many of the creative forces behind the show double as great friends from college. When Chef’s Table creator David Gelb exploded his documentary Jiro Dreams Of Sushi into serialized form, he and director Clay Jeter contacted me because they thought I would be a good fit for the Francis Mallmann episode, having seen me perform over the years in my rock and roll band. Anecdotally the name of that band was Pizza!

How has this endeavor shaped your approach to scoring music to film?

There is something Joseph Campbellian about Chef’s Table. The chefs often cross international borders to apprentice, stay away for years, endure intense scrutiny/hardship, return, innovate, and obtain a form of mastery. Their stories blur the lines between food, art, and humanity. By virtue of immersion, my own sense of musical possibility has been tested and transformed.

What was the greatest challenge in achieving the score Fantastic Amalgams for the Chef’s Table episode featuring Chef Grant Achatz?

Most editors will start cutting scenes to temporary music, which the composer will replace after the scene has taken shape. In the case of Grant Achatz, the “temp” featured the music of Arvo Part. I will say that Arvo Part is one of my favorite composers, but the juxtaposition of his intensely reflective brand of minimalism and Grant’s cuisine was an emotional disconnect. The breakthrough was realizing we needed to write music that put this feeling of introspection into context. Grant’s food, while intellectually and technically rigorous in its execution, is all about theatricality, surprise, and emotional discovery. Once we realized that, a musical plan fell into place.

How would you describe your creative process?

The most important part is knowing what your purpose is before you start. I rely heavily upon improvisation and experimentation while I compose, but I find that having a few limitations allows for much more confident brush strokes. Often the mistakes are usable too.

Where do you do most of your composing?

I’m set up in an attic studio outfitted with tapestries from Uzbekistan. It truly evokes an opium den, except William S. Burroughs is nowhere to be found. There are, however, many variations of guitars. I try to keep all of my instruments accessible, as you never know when the mood will strike to use one. The collection ranges from vintage Japanese synthesizers to Greek and Peruvian stringed instruments.

How do you typically get acquainted with the narrative/theme for which you will compose a score?

In the case of the Chef’s Table Francis Mallmann episode, Clay Jeter (the director) and I watched the cut several times and brainstormed. I’m often looking for adjectives as much I am for the milestones in the story arc. The next step is getting your hands dirty. Often the first ideas don’t work, so you have to be patient while they come and go. The theme is always under your nose and will emerge as long as you keep at it.

Is there a project/period along the way that has presented an important learning curve?

It’s safe to say that every project has presented a learning curve of one type or another. The ratio of risk and error may not be proportionate to success, but effort is always enforcing the foundation. I will add that nothing is more horrifying and exciting as starting out fresh. Carte blanche is a very persistent teacher.

What role does collaboration play in your work?

A huge one. Filmmaking is a great example of the Aristotelian cliché, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Amazing things occur when you are bouncing ideas off each other and building upon one another’s insights. It is a conversation.

How has your style/aesthetic evolved over the years?

Oddly enough, I think I have come full circle. The styles of music I once rejected in my angsty years are what I spend most of my time writing now. I suppose I just needed to collect enough life to be able to appreciate where I started, musically speaking. I wouldn’t change a detail, though, as every moment counts.

Is there a composer living today that you admire most?

Joe Hisaishi.

Do you have an artistic resource that you turn to? 

I would love to take this opportunity to plug BrainPickings by Maria Popova. It’s a goldmine. https://www.brainpickings.org/surprise/

What music do you listen to in your down time?

The last three items on my YouTube playlist are Kaneda’s Theme from Akira, Sia’s Chandelier, and Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio. The latter is performed by Nikola Todor Atanasov, whom I studied with at Interlochen Arts Academy. He’s now the principal flutist with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra and makes an occasional cameo on Chef’s Table.

From where do you draw inspiration?

Often times it comes from not doing what you set out to do. I am guilty of overlooking this 98 percent of the time.

Who are some of your artistic influences?

Cai Guo-Qiang’s work has been very inspirational of late, as has Katherine Johnson’s for NASA. The Coen Brothers always get to me. Bill Watterson. Shigeru Miyamoto. Albert Camus. Alex North. Charlie Mingus.  

What three things can’t you live without?

Laughter, love, light.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Get out of the way!

Is there a book or film that has changed you?

Seeing Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams was a life changing experience for me. Anytime it rains when the sun is shining, I think ‘fox wedding.’

What drives you these days?

When you think everything is someone else's fault, you will suffer a lot. - Dalai Lama

[danielasherer]

“Blue” on The Plus mag

A super nice write up about my little film, and an interview on “The Plus” online magazine.

If you want you can check it out. :) Ok, getting back to work now.

Happy Sat for now, tumblr.  x