CW3PR and ASCAP SCORE AGAIN AT COMIC-CON

TALENTED FILM, TV and VIDEO GAME MUSICIANS and SINGERS SHARE INSIGHT WITH EAGER FANS ON CREATING THE PERFECT SOUND

San Diego, CA (July 17, 2012) – Los Angeles PR firm CW3PR, partnered with the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) treated music fans to a behind-the-music look at fan favorite video games, film and TV for a fourth consecutive year at mega pop-culture-convention Comic-Con. This time the team offered two panels, responding to fan demand from the previous years, and to acknowledge the ever-evolving music industry.

“We’re honored that our Music panels have become an annual staple at both WonderCon and Comic-Con, and each year we focus on a different aspect celebrating the art of composition, to keep it fresh and exciting,” said Charley Walters, founder and CEO of CW3PR. “This year we wanted to celebrate the successful trend of projects involving singer/composer collaborations, as well as the important growth of the video game music industry.  Many of our award-winning clients have made great strides working in interactive media, and it’s time their work was also recognized as part of the fan-popular gaming experience.”

The first panel on Thursday, July 12, Fan Favorite Projects Go Interactive focused on top franchises turned video games, and the music that helps carry their themes and players.  The panel was moderated with geeky wit by “Electric Playground’s” Jose Sanchez, and featured panelists Gordy Haab (“Star Wars: The Old Republic”); David Ari Leon (“Contre Jour”); Gerard Marino (“The Amazing Spiderman”); Kyle Newmaster (“Kinect: Star Wars”); and Jeremy Soule (“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim”).

The panelists discussed how Video Games have anywhere from two to four times the amount of music as feature films, which presents a unique challenge to composers.

“Films have an established timeline. Games’ timelines adjust to user play, and the music needs to respond and develop in the same way,” said Gordy Haab, who frequently collaborates with LucasArts.

“Video game music can be just as epic as in films,” said Kyle Newmaster, who recently collaborated with Haab on ‘Kinect: Star Wars’, and recorded that music with the London Symphony Orchestra. “You can bring that quality [of music] to games, too.”

Over 300 fans attended Thursday’s panel, and were left with anticipation over what’s next to come, musically and otherwise.

“The more energy you can give a game, and feed to the [player] the better off you are,” said David Ari Leon, who writes music for many popular mobile games. “This platform is here to stay… We have a wide open pallet, and it’s exciting,”

On Sunday, July 15, Behind the Music with CW3PR brought together film and TV’s most celebrated composers and singers from animation, period drama, comedy and drama. In front of a large, enthusiastic crowd, the Emmy-applauded “Phineas and Ferb” duo Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh played host, focusing on exploring the dynamic collaborations between composers and singers. The packed panel featured singer Laura Dickinson (“Phineas and Ferb”); Robert Duncan (“Castle”); iZLER (“Revenge”); Danny Jacob (“Phineas and Ferb”); Trevor Morris (“The Borgias”);  Michael Penn (“Girls”); singer Lisbeth Scott (“True Blood”) and industry veteran Marc Shaiman (“Smash”), who made his Comic-Con musical debut.

The composers also spoke about their favorite instruments to use when composing a scene.

Robert Duncan, who has collected a vast array of musical instruments, both old and new, talked about using them to create the perfect sound. “I have quite a large collection, and when people ask me if I know how to play all these instruments, I say ‘I like to forget that I don’t know how to play them.’”

“When it comes to underscore, it’s kind of cool, even when it’s classical music, to have a guitar in your hand,” said Danny Jacob. “But I also always love big background vocals. I’m always big on singers.”

But the recurring theme was the importance of collaboration with top-notch musicians to fully realize the composers’ vision.

Danny Jacob explained that he has long relied on musicians and singers to add that special kick “Phineas and Ferb” requires. To that end, Jacob collaborated with “Queen of Funk” and 10-time Grammy Award-winner Chaka Kahn, “American Idol’s” Clay Aiken, and legendary guitarist Slash, as well as Bette Midler, who has also collaborated with fellow panelist Marc Shaiman.

Trevor Morris, who recently returned from The Cordoba International Film Music Festival in Spain where he conducted his music live in-concert said, “I’m a big fan of what the human voice does. I always try to use a voice whenever I can in a score.”

Both panels concluded with Q&As where enraptured fans got straight to the point by asking, “So, how do I get your job?”

ABOUT CW3PR

CW3PR is a mold-breaking company founded in response to the growing and constantly evolving needs for Public Relations in our modern, connected world.  Embracing a wide variety of creative and corporate individuals and companies, the firm specializes in achieving positive results for their clients in places, events and demographics that expand well beyond their industry’s automatic focus.  The firm was founded in 2007 and recently named by Daily Variety as one of the top emerging PR firms in Los Angeles.  For more info please visit www.cw3pr.com

ABOUT ASCAP

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association of more than 435,000 U.S. composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers of every kind of music. Through agreements with affiliated international societies, ASCAP also represents hundreds of thousands of music creators worldwide. ASCAP is the only U.S. performing rights organization created and controlled by composers, songwriters and music publishers, with a Board of Directors elected by and from the membership.

ASCAP protects the rights of its members by licensing and distributing royalties for the non-dramatic public performances of their copyrighted works. ASCAP's licensees encompass all who want to perform copyrighted music publicly. ASCAP makes giving and obtaining permission to perform music simple for both creators and users of music.

READ MORE

TOP COMPOSERS FROM TELEVISION’S HOTTEST SHOWS ENTHRALLED FANS AT “BEHIND THE MUSIC: COMPOSING FOR WONDERCON’S FAVORITE PROJECTS”

Award-winning music talents Nathan Barr, Jim Dooley, Robert Duncan, Mark Isham, Danny Jacob, David Ari Leon and Blake Neely Gave Large Audience Sneak Peaks Into Their Careers, Lives and Projects

Anaheim, CA (March 20, 2012) – In front of an enthusiastic crowd of television and music fans, actress Ellen Greene (“Pushing Daisies”, "Heroes" and Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors”) dug into her job as moderator and happily grilled seven of Hollywood’s most esteemed film and television composers on Sunday at the  “Behind the Music: Composing for WonderCon’s Favorite Projects” panel at the Anaheim Convention Center.  The panel was well attended by more than 400 eagerCon-goers.

The panel kicked off with a reel of each of the composer's most memorable recently scored scenes, along with a nice surprise for all the panelists: each of their respective showrunners had recorded a special message of thanks to them each.  The musicians were thrilled to hear from “Missing” Executive Producer Gina Matthews; “Wilfred” Executive Producer David Zuckerman; “Phineas and Ferb” Executive Producers Dan Povenmire and Jeff ‘Swampy’ Marsh; “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” Executive Producer Eric Rollman; “True Blood” Creator and Executive Producer Alan Ball; and “Once Upon a Time” Creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Kitsis said of composer Mark Isham’s work: If you’re a fan of ‘Once Upon a Time’ then you definitely have to be a fan of Mark because his music is definitely the heart of the show.”

Likewise, Greene showed her admiration for the composers who sat beside her in her introduction: “There are three original artists – the composer, the writer and the painter. They deserve their due, and people like me only interpret. They are the brave ones for nothing will happen until they begin to create.”

Tinged with humor, Greene quickly zeroed in on the composers' current projects and their day-to-day work schedules, about which Isham quipped: “My wife insists my recording studio be on our property. There are a lot of 2 a.m. days.”

David Ari Leon, composer of “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” passionately described that his craft and his abilities to enhance a show through music gives him great pride. “Bringing the triumph of the will of a character is an honor,” he said.

When Greene asked when was the first time the panelists "handled their instruments," there was a pause and she hastily replied, “Oops, I phrased that wrong” inviting hoots and hollers from the audience. To save the situation, Danny Jacob said he picked up the guitar around the age of 12 and “fell in love with it.” Since then, he’s been on the musical path of live music, and composing, arranging, producing and performing much of the songs from “Phineas and Ferb.” Meanwhile, for “True Blood’s” Nathan Barr, he plays the cello, but also strives to learn new instruments to keep the music fresh. “As a musician, to keep things fresh as a composer, I like picking up different instruments. When I pick up an instrument I don’t know how to play and try to write a melody that’s going to take me down unexpected places.”

During the more serious rounds of questions, panelists went intotheir creative process when scoring for a scene. Robert Duncan of “Castle” and “Missing,” which premiered last Thursday on ABC, said on his best days, it simply flows. “Composing is like writing poetry.” Blake Neely, of “The Mentalist” noted, “All of us like to find what’s missing in a scene when scoring.” Composer Jim Dooley, who currently scores for “Wilfred” and wrote original music for “Pushing Daisies” added: "There's two different kinds of days I have, there's the experimental day where we're making instruments, collecting things, editing sounds, and trying to find them...And then there's the actual work day when I have to get stuff done because it's due in 2 days. I do it really regimentally because that's the only way I can keep focused.”

Perhaps the most anticipated part of the panel was finding out the composers’ next projects. “True Blood’s” Barr is scoring “The Wedding,” starring Robert De Niro, Amanda Seyfried, Katherine Heigl, Robin Williams, Susan Sarandon and Topher Grace. Dooley of “Wilfred,” said he was excited to be working on “Best Friends Forever” and Bryan Fuller’s “Hannibal,” while Neely announced he is scoring The CW’s “Arrow,” starring Stephen Amell of “Vampire Diaries” fame.

After the successful session, panelists and Greene met with fans.   CW3PR, COSTA COMMUNICATIONS and ASCAP hosted the panel. 

READ MORE