I wanted to take a moment and thank all those at VSL for their incredible work. I was just given the 'Best Original Score' for the Hollywood DV Festival for the independent film "Hero to Me".

There were some 1,100 entrants.

The biggest compliment was given in the 'Q&A' session the followed. They asked "with what was a relatively low budget independent film - how were the producers of this film able to AFFORD a recorded live orchestra!!!!!!!"

No bigger compliment can be paid to VSL than this.

Expect my order for the complete VI within 10 days.

Thanks again.


Rob

One word : congratulation

Can you post some mp3 ? I'm so curious ...

Thanks for sharing your joy with us, Rob. I hope this is just a starting point for your continuing success. All the best! (... and yes - please post a link to an example or two ...)

Excellent job. Wonderfully mixed. Kind of reminds me of "The Negotiator."

Clark

Samuel Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Graeme Revell did the score. IMO, one of his better scores. It's a police drama and a fantastic movie. The soundtrack CD is mixed much differently (better=like yours=more subtle) than how it appears in the movie, though.

Clark

Martin and Clark - many thanks for your kind words.

Rob

Yea - very true about PE. Really hoping and expecting VI to be a 'time saver' - now if Herb can just come up with the controller 'fixed crappy cue' - legato of course

Rob

Hi Chris,

This was PE, Chamber Strings (particularily the short staccs), and Epic Ho.

Hope that helps.

Rob

Sure Time - I don't think they are 'secrets' - I am sure many here have their way to approach projects. This is one person's way

i) For me, I watch the entire project a few times. Then I'll very simply follow along improvising various themes - you know when you hit the 'right one' - for that scene (usually on the piano - but sometimes using one of the terrific VSL legato WW patches). I usually start with the 'most important scene - whatever that is. If I can capture the emotional content of that scene everything else seems to work out better.

On this project the Fight Scene (Fight of your Life) actually took me a couple of days to get right. The visuals were up and down - fighting and not fighting (ebb and flow) - it was at first difficult for me to get this 'interplay' right. The Director had some 'sacred' SOUND DESIGN stuff he wanted to be - at times - in the forefront It's all good though - we both ended happy with the cue when it was done.

ii) On this project, I was given 2.5 weeks to write and mix (about 20 minutes of music). It was a little stressful at times (2 days the HOST PC decided to get cranky), plus I just don't write exceptionally fast. Having said that it was a good 'exercise' to test myself. Has given me some confidence to perhaps tackle othe projects that other board members here do day in and day out.

iii) Wish I had more time here - oh well. Really didn't mess around alot with EQ (some shelving of 2-4K on some of the strings - dug some mud out of the low brass (300 K). Used a couple of instances of Giga pulse (narrowed the stereo field to 35%). Had a limiter on the master buss to pick up some of the heavier percussive hits and that's about all.

Hope this helps.

Rob

Thanks Rob