Another "secret" film in the can

On Sunday July 28th I had my live orchestra stream I previously posted about. At 10am on Monday July 29th I dived in on a different project and started scoring an amazing film that I never saw coming, but am so honored and excited to be a part of. Time for us was short. The last three weeks my life was pretty much like the following. 

- Start in the studio at 10am with the director coming over to collaborate.  
-The director would leave sometime after dinner (although often around midnight).
- Then continue till I couldn’t any more (3-4am).  
- Rinse and repeat. Day in and day out. We even had live sessions in there. Though it is now all a blur. 

Last night the score was delivered. 

It is always bittersweet in that I am so excited for the film, but it will likely take months to a year or two before the public sees what we have created. But believe me...you will see this film commercially one day...big time. It will move you and do things you have never seen. To my new friends and colleagues, congratulations on a job well done! Bravo! 

Orchestra Scoring Session Live Stream from Hollywood...

I have composed a suite of music as a demo for a big project I am very passionate about. On July 28th, we recorded the demo music with a live AFM orchestra here in LA and as an aside streamed that session to the world to see (although the exact project this is for I am keeping close to my chest for now). It was fun after seeing the live chat stream comments on YouTube of folks guessing what this was all for.

So thankful for the amazing session at the new Hollywood Scoring stage. Thank you to my orchestrator Ryan Humphrey, recordist / engineer Adam Michalak, Contractor Noah Gladstone, Michael Patti managing the Live stream, Thanh Tran for the amazing copy work, mixer Lisa Fowle for being my extra ears in the booth and perhaps even most important, the amazing musicians of AFM Local 47 bringing this music to life and breathing the humanity into these notes. Blessed and excited. 

The 2hr live stream of the session can be accessed on replay at any time at this link. 

FYI: -I “greet” the live stream viewers around 10min in.  
- And then the stream intentionally goes silent for about 8 minutes while I talk with the orchestra. 
- Sound comes back around the 19 minute mark of the stream where we begin the actual session. I have linked the video to start at the 19min mark to cut out the early non-music stuff for any replay viewers.

Link for the session anyone can watch on replay at:

https://youtu.be/L-ZKloUF5rM?t=1134

Extensive Interview on Cinematic Sounds Radio out of the UK

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the Cinematic Sounds Radio show about my composing journey. It is quite an extensive interview to the point where they split the conversation into two shows. Both parts play extensive music cues intercut between interview segments. It is a fantastic show and I invite folks to check it out. There is even some currently unreleased music played at the end of the show from one of my latest projects.

http://www.cinematicsound.net/tag/brian-ralston/

Chat with the "Hooked On Score" podcast

Had a great time recently speaking with Benjamin Moy on his Hooked On Score podcast. The show just posted this week. We chatted a bit about my scoring process and a little on the future of SCOREcast podcast. Thank you Benjamin for having me on your show and thanks to Sabrina Hutchinson and Kelly Wilson at Defiant Public Relations.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/benjamin-moy/episodes/2019-05-05T15_01_29-07_00

Brian was a guest on The Amani Experience Podcast

I have been talking with some cool podcasts and shows lately about my work on BEING ROSE and recently was a guest on a podcast called The Amani Experience. What made this discussion interesting and different to me was Amani wanted to delve into my science and medical background and what ultimately made me switch to media composing. Amani’s show focuses on individuals who once had a more traditional career path but then transitioned into the arts as a career. This discussion is MUCH more about philosophically navigating the entertainment industry (and any artist career) than anything else. Truly had a great time visiting his show. Thank you Amani for having me on your wonderful show.

Link: https://www.amaniexperience.com/podcast/brian

KUSC 91.5 FM - Interview with John Van Driel

Last week I had the distinct honor of being interviewed by chief content director John Van Driel on KUSC 91.5 FM for his classical music morning radio show about my score for Being Rose and also my film composing journey. 

They have now archived the interview online. Feel free to check it out. Major thank you to John Van Driel for a wonderful discussion and to Sabrina Hutchinson and team at Defiant PR.

https://www.kusc.org/culture/arts-alive-blog/brian-ralston-being-rose/?fbclid=IwAR0PkNQjpSjLKPI3nAtiggK3QG5xOmZW6fZ7tPJp2Qs4En6RvwfHoaciVxs

Composer Brian Ralston with KUSC Chief Content Director and Classical Morning show host John Van Driel.

Being Rose Soundtrack Composer Commentary on The Annotator, Ep 65

I recently participated in one of the coolest things I have had the distinct pleasure to do with one of my scores. Thank you to Christopher Coleman for the opportunity to participate in a “composer commentary” on The Annotator, Episode 65 with 9 cues from my Being Rose score where I was able to add commentary on top of some of my cues, discussing how I managed not being able to record with any of my musicians simultaneously in the same room; how I used specific instruments to represent the two main characters as well as the two main threads of the film: the love story and central character’s spiritual journey.

Pics from the Jan 17th, 2019 SCL Screening of Being Rose

Society of Composers & Lyricists screening of Being Rose

THE SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS & LYRICISTS

Cordially invites SCL Members and one guest to a
screening of the Tesoro Pictures/Gravitas Ventures film

Followed by a Q&A with
Composer
BRIAN RALSTON
Actress
CYBILL SHEPHERD
Executive Producer
J. TODD HARRIS

MODERATED BY TIM GREIVING
Film Music Journalist - NPR, LA Times

Thursday, January 17, 2019
7:30PM
Lionsgate Screening Room
2700 Colorado Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90404 
Validated underground garage parking.
Take elevator to first floor lobby, theater is off the lobby entrance.

***Limited capacity - RSVP asap***

After being diagnosed with serious health issues, ex-cop Rose Jones (Cybill Shepherd), goes on a road trip in a wheelchair to search for her estranged son. Along the way, she falls in love with Max (James Brolin), a handsome old cowboy, who has come to a crossroads of his own.
not rated | 89 min.

Los Angeles-based composer and conductor Brian Ralston has spent the past 15 years creating compelling, heart-pounding, uplifting, and beautifully melodic tracks that delight and inspire audiences. His creative gifts lend themselves to an extremely rich and beautiful sound that can not only be seen, but felt throughout his works.

After studying film music composition and conducting at the University of Arizona under film/TV composer Jeff Haskell, Ralston completed graduate level work in the Scoring for Motion Pictures & Television program from the University of Southern California in 2002. His studies and musical background sparked an extraordinary desire to enhance the heart of a film’s narrative with the language of music.

Ralston is best known for his work on the film score for Crooked Arrows, the first mainstream Hollywood movie about lacrosse, starring Brandon Routh and Gil Birmingham, directed by Steve Rash. The score reflects richly thematic melodies set against the thrill of victory and the pains of defeat in the action-packed sports drama, which has won him much praise within the film community. Most recently, Ralston worked on the intimate score to the dramatic love story Being Rose, which will hit theaters nationwide January 2019.

New Being Rose Trailer an Apple Trailers Exclusive

The new trailer for Being Rose just dropped exclusively on Apple Trailers. Check it out.

https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/being-rose/

BEING ROSE to have a nationwide theatrical release in January 2019.

BEING ROSE is finally coming to theaters January 4th. So excited and proud of this one. The score was recorded right here in Los Angeles featuring some amazing AFM Local 47 musicians, including Belinda Broughton on violin, Chris Bleth on Native Winds, Andrew Synowiec on guitars, Deane Ogden on drums and yours truly on Piano and keyboards. Noah Gladstone and the folks at Hollywood Scoring contracted.

From Variety…

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/cybill-shepherd-james-brolin-romancer-being-rose-gravitas-1203069476/

“Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to Rod McCall’s romance “Being Rose,” starring Cybill Shepherd, James Brolin, and Pam Grier, Variety has learned exclusively.

The film will be available in theaters and on demand on Jan. 4. Shepherd plays an ex-cop diagnosed with serious health issues who goes on a road trip in a wheelchair to search for her estranged son. Along the way, she falls in love with Brolin’s cowboy character, who has come to a crossroads of his own.

“I consider ‘Being Rose’ the crown jewel of my career,” Shepherd said. “Rod McCall, who wrote and directed the film is one of the finest directors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.”

McCall said, “When I started ‘Being Rose,’ the comic and dramatic possibilities of the story of a female ex-cop on a road trip seemed delicious. The cast of seasoned pros, Cybill Shepherd, James Brolin and Pam Grier – and the gorgeous New Mexico location – made the film a joy to realize. We are so excited to be partnering with Gravitas Ventures in bringing the film to such a wide audience.”

Tony Piantedosi, director of acquisitions for Gravitas Ventures, negotiated the deal with Greg Clonts on behalf of the filmmakers.”

Scoring video from Is Someone There? at Warner Bros.

I recently finished scoring a little horror thriller short film that I am also producing and thought I would share a little glimpse of how that was all put together. So here is a performance video of that suite. Honored to be able to record this with LA's finest musicians at the Warn Bros Eastwood stage. Thank you to all the amazing musicians and WB stage crew and everyone else that has supported this project. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn7M__2P_ys

Score suite to the Horror/Thriller short film "Is Someone There?" 

-Music composed and conducted by Brian Ralston.

- Orchestrated by Ryan Humphrey and Brian Ralston.
- Score Recordist Adam Michalak.
- Score Mixer Damon Tedesco
- ProTools Engineer Tom Hardisty
- Score Tech Engineers Ryan Robinson.
- Eastwood Stage Crew Richard Wheeler.
- Eastwood Stage Manager Jamie Olvera.
- Music Editor Marc Perlman.
- Contractor Noah Gladstone at Hollywood Scoring. 
- Score Coordinator Elisa Rice.
- Scoring Assistant Evita Wagner
- Score Videographer David Spates
- Recorded at the Warner Bros Eastwood Scoring Stage August 10, 2018.
- Performed by members of the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra, AFM Local 47.

Listen to a cue from Brian's score to ROSE

Here is a cue of the main theme from Brian's score to the film ROSE.

ROSE World premiere at Lone Star Film Festival in Forth Worth, TX

“ROSE” HAS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE LONE STAR FILM FESTIVAL

Tesoro Pictures’ “ROSE” starring Cybill Shepherd and James Brolin opened the  Lone Star Film Festival with it’s world premiere on Thursday, November 9th, at The Four Day Weekend Theatre in downtown Fort Worth. The film, and Cybill Shepherd, who was in attendance, received rave reviews and an enthusiastic response from the sold out audience. 

“We were thrilled to see the film touch the audience the way it did,” observed Rod McCall, “Rose” director/writer. “They went nuts. Cheered. Cried. Laughed. It was amazing.”

“’ROSE’ definitely struck a chord with the audience, said Greg Clonts, the film’s producer. “On a gut level I think the audience identified with the film. They were moved by Cybill’s performance and charmed by James Brolin.”

“ROSE” is the saga of Rose Jones, a widowed ex-cop, who discovers that she might have a life-threatening illness and decides to go on a solo road trip in a wheelchair through magnificent rural New Mexico. Her journey introduces Rose to Max (James Brolin), a charismatic, older rancher, who has his own life-changing issues.

Cast members present at the “ROSE” screening were Julio Cedillo, who plays “Nesto,” a New Mexico cop who befriends Rose on her journey, as well as Mark Vasconcellos, who is “Duke,” a felon who attempts to rob Rose. Other actors present included Delana Michaels and Mary Maxson, who are featured in the film as members of Rose’s bowling team, and Amiee Williams, who plays the role of “Bonnie,” James Brolin’s daughter. 

Members of the “ROSE” production team, who attended the premiere, included Eric Williams, Executive Producer, from Austin, Stephen Griffin from Dallas, who edited the film, Brian Ralston from Los Angeles, who composed the score, Colemar Nichols from Albuquerque, who was the Director of Photography, Randy Huke from Austin, Set Decorator, Script Supervisor Dave Adams of Delaware, and from Houston, Mario and Miguel Martinez, gaffers.