Hearty congrats are in order for the student Filmmakers and Composers of the Green Bay Film Festival’s (GBFF) new program! For the first time, this year, filmmaker participants in the GBFF Filmmaker program teamed up with my composer participants, to work on new films with newly crafted film music scores! Two films were completed this year, and both films are headed to the upcoming GBFF for premiere screenings!

Green Bay filmmaker Marisa Jacques’ short animated film MORE THAN PUPPY LOVE was scored by composer Lyndsey Agar, formerly of Bowler High School, now a music student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Green Bay filmmaker Sophie Goska’s short dramatic film SUPERHERO SUPERSTAR was scored by composer Rayna Kupsky, of Gresham High School.

What?! You haven’t heard about this exciting Filmmaker-Composer program happening right in Green Bay? Well, read on!

GBFF Composer-Filmmaker Program

Green Bay Film Festival selected 2 future filmmakers and 2 composing students to participate in a new pilot Composer-Filmmaker Program, offering professional guidance in taking student filmmaker experiences to the next level. This pilot program is to combine the talents of future filmmakers and composers to create a film to be presented at the Green Bay Film Festival. 

The program is designed to go through the steps typical in professional filmmaking and professional film scoring. This opportunity allows the filmmaking students to work with two professional filmmakers, Wyatt and Carolyn Kuether of The Production Farm, and the composing students to work with a professional composer Brent Michael Davids of Doodlebug Music Studio.

Under the new program, the filmmakers had the opportunity to work with Wyatt & Carolyn Kuether to address the challenges experienced and make improvements to their film. From idea to script, acting to filming, production to post-production, the filmmakers experienced one-on-one mentorship in the art and practice of filmmaking. 

The Composers created a new work for that specific film that was rehearsed, performed and recorded by the Civic Symphony of Green Bay, with Seong-Kyung Graham conducting. From “spotting” the film to decide what music should go in it, to composing original music “cues” for the orchestra, the composers experienced one-on-one mentorship in the art and practice of film score composing. 

Proud to say SD Symphony picked up an award (League of American Orchestra’s new Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service) for developing a collaborative orchestral program with Native American people, called “Lakota Music Project.” And equally proud to say I was very much involved as a Native composer, and featured in the program, with my work “Black Hills Olowan” (for drum group and orchestra). We were featured in recent issue of Symphony Magazine (Fall 2016)! Congrats all 'round!

[Article:] "... The Lakota Music Project's most recent iteration was a March 2016 partnership with Joseph Horowitz's 'Music Unwound' project exploring Native American and African American influences on Dvorak's 'New World' Symphony. Presented in Sisseton and Sioux Falls, the program paired the Dvorak with Brent Michael Davids's 'Black Hills Olowan,' performed with the Creekside Singers, a Lakota drum group..." (Symphony Magazine, Fall 2016).

A few quick film announcements
for anyone interested in watching these films locally, film music
scores by me. If you're nearby,
check these out! And thank you!
— Brent

OCT 14, 2016 — JINGLE DRESS TRADITION — 8:30 PM

WHERE — Folk and Traditional Artists Showcase (Minnesota State Arts Board), 400 Sibley Street, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55101

DESCRIPTION — Watch this music filled video documentary produced by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, in collaboration with Twin Cities Public Television on the origin of the jingle dress, with its unique artistic, healing, and cultural significance. (30 minutes) Directed by Rick Anderson. Music by Brent Michael Davids.

LINK — http://www.arts.state.mn.us/FATAartcrawl2016.htm

OCT 16, 2016 — IROQUOIS CREATION STORY — 1:00 PM

WHERE — Kids' Film Day at the Gilcrease (Tulsa American Film Festival), Gilcrease Museum, 1400 North Gilcrease Museum Road, Tulsa, OK, 74127

DESCRIPTION — Combining animation and dance, The Iroquois Creation Story tells the Haudenosaunee tale of Sky Woman and her Grandsons Flint and Sky Holder.. (17 Minutes) Directed by Cat Ashworth. Art by Peter Jemison. Dance by Garth Fagan. Music by Brent Michael Davids.

LINK — http://www.tulsaamericanfilmfest.com/schedule-2016/2016/10/16/kids-shorts

OCT 23, 2016 — WAABOOZ — 1:45 PM

WHERE — “Shorts Block—Family Fables” (Twin Cities Film Fest), Minneapolis Showcase ICON #13, 1625 West End Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 55416

DESCRIPTION — Twelve year-old Rabbit spends most of his days, drawing, collecting comics, and avoiding the teasing of his peers. Insecure and shy, Rabbit dreads dancing in the upcoming powwow and begins to draw Waabooz (Rabbit), a superhero that embodies his desired self; bold and unafraid. Through traditional storytelling, imagination and a little magic, Rabbit’s mysterious Grandfather helps bring Waabooz to life. Starring: Ethan Engberg, Saginaw Grant. Directed By Molly Katagiri. Music by Brent Michael Davids.

LINK — http://twincitiesfilmfest.org/films/family-fables-shorts/

NOV 10, 2016 — IROQUOIS CREATION STORY — 12 PM (noon)

WHERE — Program 12 (American Indian Film Festival), AMC Van Ness, 1000 Van Ness, 1000 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109 (415-674-4630)

DESCRIPTION — The Iroquois Creation Story is a 16 minute film that combines animation and dance to tell the story of a pregnant young woman, Sky Woman, who falls through a hole in Sky World, and lands on the back of a turtle. This oral story, told for hundreds of years, has never been told using film and animation. Directed by Cat Ashworth. Art by Peter Jemison. Dance by Garth Fagan. Music by Brent Michael Davids.

LINK — http://www.aifisf.com/film-schedule2016/2015/11/12/program-12

NOV 10, 2016 — JINGLE DRESS TRADITION — 12 PM (noon)

WHERE — Program 12 (American Indian Film Institute), AMC Van Ness, 1000 Van Ness, 1000 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109 (415-674-4630)

DESCRIPTION — Watch this music filled video documentary produced by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, in collaboration with Twin Cities Public Television on the origin of the jingle dress, with its unique artistic, healing, and cultural significance. (30 minutes) Directed by Rick Anderson. Music by Brent Michael Davids.

LINK — http://www.aifisf.com/film-schedule2016/2015/11/12/program-12

The October 1st concert, the season opener, of the Civic Symphony of Green Bay (CSGB) featured my two composition students Rayna Kupsky and Lyndsey Agar. Congrats to you both for not only completing your new compositions but having your world premieres with the Civic Symphony, under the baton of maestro Seong-Kyung Graham.

But there’s more!

Not only are these two concert works performed in the concert hall, but each composer watched a corresponding film while composing, writing each respective piece to synchronize with the timeline of a particular movie. Ms. Kupsky and Ms. Agar, participated in my “Film Scoring for Filmmakers” workshop, the same workshop I facilitated at the Green Bay Film Festival last year. The recordings from the CSGB concert will be edited into the movies, and the final films — with film music scores — will be screened at the Green Bay Film Festival 2017. So again, congratulations to both composers for some very fine work!

​Author Warren Gerds, of We Are Green Bay, wrote some nice lines the morning after the Civic Symphony’s premieres. We should also congratulate Lyndsey, who has indeed chosen to continue her education this year at UW-Madison as a music major. Way to go Lyndsey!

As the years progress — without my permission I should add! — I’m feeling the growing inclination to share the whatever sum of musical mastery that rolls around in my shrinking noggin. With this predilection, I formerly founded several student composer programs such as NACAP and CANOE, teaching the craft and art of composing to budding composers. Today, however, as a film score composer, I’ve officially started accepting apprentices.

I’d like to welcome Boston composer Daniel Sauceda to the Doodlebug Music Studio, who will be assisting me on a film project currently in production, called “Lake of Betrayal” by filmmakers Paul Lamont and Scott Sackett. Daniel showed up to my opera "Purchase of Manhattan" on its Manhattan premiere, and introduced himself. After listening to some of his music online, I realized that Daniel knows how to handle written music for instruments in a way that’s engaging and enjoyable. I’ve not had an apprentice before, and I think Daniel is a good candidate to be the first.

For folks within the Stockbridge-Munsee rez, and surrounding townships, please join me in welcoming Daniel into our community. You may see him out-and-about the next several days, maybe visiting the Arvid E Miller Library Museum, the General Store, or some other rez attraction. Special thanks to Joe and Jackie Miller for kindly hosting Daniel during his stay. If you spot him this week, say hello and join me in welcoming this up-and-coming composer!

 iIf you were lucky enough to catch the Green Bay Film Festival (GBFF) this year, you may have watched a few short films by young filmmakers, as part of the GBFF “Future Filmmaker” series. The innovative program supports young filmmakers in the craft of filmmaking, including a screening and award show. 

I’m happy to announce a new offering to the 2016-17 festival year, a new program for student filmmakers and student composers! Our first organizational meeting took place just days ago, and we’re set to have two filmmaker-composer pairs, each working intensely on a collaboration, that will result in 2 short films with 2 original musical scores!

The two young filmmakers are working with the team of Carolyn & Wyatt Kuether of The Production Farm in Green Bay, to learn the basics of filmmaking, from script to shooting to editing to finished film. When a “rough cut” and “final cut” are ready, the films will be delivered to the two composers, who are working with me, Brent Michael Davids, to learn the basics of scoring film music, from spotting to composing to editing to final dubbing.

The culmination of this intensive training will be two new films to be screened at the GBFF in 2017, created by our two collaborative filmmaker-composer teams. More updates will follow, as we accompany these dedicated student filmmakers and composers on their exciting journey. There is more to come as we introduce our creative teams, so stay tuned! Special thanks to the Green Bay Film Festival for setting up this tremendous program, thank you Cyndee Sweetland, Kelly Koehler, and Stasia Lenhart!

​The audience favorite, live action, animated dance film, Iroquois Creation Story, is showing at SPRINGFEST 2016 in Syracuse NY tomorrow afternoon! I'm proud to say that the music score won an award from the Native American Indian Film Festival of the Southeast! If you are in the area, go check it out!

​SATURDAY, APRIL 30
SPRINGFEST 2016 (Syracuse NY)
12:30PM — PALACE THEATER

IROQUOIS CREATION STORY by Cat Ashworth  (11 minutes)

The Iroquois Creation Story was made as a collaboration between 3 diverse groups of artists. G. Peter Jemison, a Seneca artist and Site Director of Ganondagan, was the Producer. His artwork and vision guided the film and he recruited many Haudenosaunee performers to voice the characters and perform the traditional dance and music sections. Cathleen Ashworth, a Professor in the School of Film and Animation was the Director. She pulled together over 25 student artists and other faculty from RIT to animate and edit the film. Garth Fagan Dance company choreographed the dancers. The Creative Team: G. Peter Jemison (Producer), Cat Ashworth (Director), Atia Quadri (Animation Technical Director), Brent Michael Davids (Composer), Garth Fagan (Choreographer), Joanne Shenandoah (Narrator).

The new Rick Anderson film, recently aired on TPT-TV and at a Mille Lacs local cinema, was just reviewed in the tribal newspaper Ojibwe Inaajimowin. Check out page 3 of the publication, available HERE as a pdf link. And thanks to Rick for the nice shout out in the interview for my "brilliant musical score." From the review, it appears the "Jingle Dress Tradition” film is rockin’ it!

Sat, March 5, 7pm--The Iroquois Creation Story

I’m proud to announce the Wisconsin premiere of this gorgeous live action and animated film, The Iroquois Creation Story. I was honored to receive an award for the orchestral musical score (Native American Indian Film Festival of the Southeast), featuring Native American wood flute and a song at the end performed by Grammy Award-winning Joanne Shenandoah. The multiple award winning film follows the Turtle Island story of the Haudenosaunee people. This 17-minute film combines animation and dance to tell the story of Sky Woman and her Grandsons Flint and Sky Holder. It was produced by Peter Jemison of Ganodagan Historic Site, featuring Iroquois music and dance and the choreography and dancers of Garth Fagan (Lion King). It screens at the Walter Theatre (inside Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts) on St. Norbert College Campus, DePere WI. Click the link above for tickets!

Sun, March 6, 11am--Film Scoring For Film Makers

This year, I’m facilitating a seminar for those wishing to learn more about film music and how it works (musical abilities not required). "Film Scoring for Film Makers" is an intensive workshop designed especially for producers, directors and editors—rather than musicians. Instruction includes decoding the basic film music vocabulary and film composer jargon, and a detailed examination of the four basic types of film scoring: Scoring the Action, Scoring the Cuts, Underscoring the Mood, and Underscoring Against the Action.

The 2.5-hour workshop covers the four basic types of film scoring by screening both good and poor examples of film clips, for a comparison-contrast type of examination. This method provides a comprehensive overview that producers, directors and editors can truly benefit from, by seeing actual music scoring examples, back-to-back with commentary provided for each. Near the end of the workshop, a “spotting session” is conducted with the workshop participants themselves by screening a film clip with the music removed; then together, the participants take a detailed look at the clip for scoring purposes. It is the intention of the workshop, that participants will learn the basics of spotting a film for music, and learn how to identify the musical shifts and changes within a film scene to accommodate the on-screen subject matter. The workshop takes place in Webb Theater (inside Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts) on St. Norbert College Campus, DePere WI. Click the link above for more details.

Want more information? You can also download the entire Green Bay Film Festival program schedule (pdf), available HERE. If you are in the area, come out to the film festival!

In 2009, I wrote a composition for the Porcupine Singers and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO), called Black Hills Olowan ('Olowan' means /song/ in Lakota). This particular composition has had good staying power, with repeat performances by several orchestras, such as Mankato Symphony Orchestra in MN, and Grand Rapids Symphony in MI.

Well it's exciting news that the 15-minute work Black Hills Olowan is being performed again by the originating orchestra, South Dakota Symphony! If you are in the Sioux Falls SD area—or anywhere nearby—I invite you to go hear this engrossing work! The how-to-attend information is on the SDSO website, HERE.

Here is a description of the work Black Hills Olowan:

One added note regarding orchestral concert advertising—It is perhaps an unfortunate hiccup to not list the individual programmed works on the SDSO website, limiting the announcement to Dvorak's beloved Symphony no. 9, "From the New World." Dvorak doesn't need the shout out, but American Indian composers of new music absolutely do need it, speaking both as a professional composer and as part of a living culture that is routinely rendered invisible by the mainstream. Despite the website slight (hey that rhymed), the music is wonderful, and the upcoming performances on March 5th and 6th—featuring the Creekside Singers—will be absolutely amazing!

My deepest thank you to conductor Delta David Gier and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, and to Lakota singer Dr. Ronnie Theisz and the exceptional Creekside Singers.

​Go see this stirring CONCERT if you can!