On this page, you can find the Culminating Experience (CE) Projects for all graduate students from the Berklee College of Music master’s program Scoring for Film, Television and Video Games (SFTV) from 2015 – present. Click on any title for more information and access to the full paper and other deliverables (if available).
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From Darkness to Light: Inspired by The Allegory of the Cave by Plato
Eli Ben Avi
2023My goal in this project was to expose and use what I have learned and gained as a composer during the year at Berklee Valencia. “From Darkness to Light” is my composition that represents and reflects the Allegory of the Cave by Plato from my point of view. The experience this year was beyond what I expected and had imagined, I have learned so many things from so many people and learned about myself. I want to present in this paper my whole process that led me to compose “From Darkness to Light.” I will talk about my first ideas, such as creating 3 different paintings and how it has converted to a video that I have been editing with my interpretation of the allegory. I will talk about my first thoughts, about the “color” of the composition, music and visual inspiration and the unforgettable experience of recording in Air Studios while conducting an orchestra for the first time in my life.
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The Finnisters: Scoring a Fantasy Script
Julián José Barbieri
2023A most adequate term, culminating experience, is used to refer to the final project developed herein. Throughout the duration of the Scoring for Film, Television and Video Games program; technical, analytical, practical and theoretical resources were established in order to achieve full independence in the creation of the whole musical chain1. This means that the composition, production, editing, mixing and mastering of the piece are all taken care by the student, especially so at the end of the course, where the general syllabus has been already taught. This reflective paper will attempt to explain how this process took place from the beginning to the end.
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The Silver Streaks
Nathan Bieber
2023In this paper I will describe the many roads that led me to the completion of my Culminating Experience as a student at Berklee Valencia. I will also discuss the confluence of factors that led me to study here in the first place, from my first experiences with composition, through my classical training, and finally, to the shift in outlook I experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper includes details about my background, both personal and musical, as well as an exploration of my goals for the future. It also includes the process by which I came to settle on composing The Silver Streaks for my C.E. as well as how I came up with the title of the piece. The paper also provides a detailed musical analysis of The Silver Streaks; in the analysis I discuss the formal construction of the piece, trace its harmonic development, and elaborate themes I composed, and how I developed those themes throughout the piece. Finally, I will discuss the process of preparing for a major recording session with top level musicians in a world-class studio and reflect on what the experience has taught me about music, myself, and life more broadly.
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THE LOST MIND
Sophia Calder
2023In this paper, I will describe the story my score was written to accompany: a fantasy novel I have been writing for the last few years. I will delineate some of the key sources of inspiration that influenced my work - both musically and thematically - as well as my approach towards composing my piece. This conceptualization process was largely rooted in the visual - creating drawings, paintings, and mood boards to get a better sense of the look and feel of the scene I had only written about - but also included further clarification of the pacing of the protagonist’s actions as well as the camera movements capturing them. I will then analyze both the music and narrative I have written - and their crucial interplay - before outlining some of the notable challenges I navigated throughout this process, from conceiving to realizing to recording. The appendix includes the full script - including the timestamps I scored in alignment with - I adapted the opening of my book to.
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AS THE CREST VIEWS THE TROUGH
Matt Carson
2023My project is an orchestral piece based on the poem Fear by Khalil Gibran. The poem describes fear by using the image of a river, which has flown beside mountains and valleys its entire existence, being afraid of merging with the vast ocean because it does not want to lose its sense of self. My piece attempts to convey the same emotions as the poem (nostalgia, anxiety, and eventually transcendence) and eventually will be dubbed to a video using nature shots in Valencia and Los Angeles and a VoiceOver reading of the poem by a male voice actor.
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The Making of Beautiful Life
Marcel Castillo
2023Beautiful Life is a deeply personal and introspective piece that represents a year’s worth of hard work, growth, and education gained during my pursuit of a Masters in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games from Berklee Valencia. My aim with this project was to create something that represented me as an individual and drew from my perspective on life as well as included many of the feelings that we, as humans experience, in our life. The piece follows the journey of a woman’s life from birth to death and serves as a means through which we can observe life from a holistic perspective. Throughout this year I learned a lot about myself and experienced many of the same feelings of fear, doubt, happiness, and fulfillment as my protagonist faces in Beautiful Life. I arrived in Valencia with a background in Jazz having never written for orchestra before, unlike many of my classmates who came from the classical tradition. I was concerned that my background and approach might prove to become an obstacle so made sure to immerse myself in the world of orchestration and concert music during my time at Berklee. During the process of educating myself in orchestration and concert music, I learned how to merge my musical sensibilities with what I had learned at Berklee and develop on my foundation rather than change it. The process of creating the script, writing the piece, preparing a mockup, orchestrating it, printing the score and parts, and finally conducting the whole thing at Air Studios was truly instrumental in my development both musically and personally. Pausing to appreciate life is a core principle found in Beautiful Life so, in homage to this, the following paper aims to reflect on the process of my culminating experience and take time to document and appreciate the journey.
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Casa Tomada
Fernando de la Barreda
2023The present study focuses on all the different stages (both creative and technical), that were addressed by the student in the process of preparing his final composition for the Culminating Experience at the Master’s Degree in Scoring for Film, Television & Video Games, at Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus.
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The Approach of Storytelling Through The Use of Orchestral Music
Ahmad Farhan Sarasin
2023As one might already know, music has been heavily utilised to accompany various media such as film, videos, video games, and all sorts of visual media content. In this opportunity of the Culminating Experience project, the capstone project to complete the writer’s master’s degree requirement, the author attempted to explore the means of orchestral music as a storytelling medium based on an original storyline. The project utilised a number of tools and resources that are very similar to the ones that are used in a professional music production/film scoring environment, albeit the absence of a video material and having to do multi-task several aspects of the production due to the relatively short amount of music needed to be written. This paper will get through the writer’s process, thoughts, and hurdles in producing an orchestral storytelling piece “The Golden Carrot”.
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The Quest of Everlight
YiCong Gao
2023The Quest of Everlight, is a CE project that explores the symbiotic relationship between film scoring and storytelling, and its potential to enhance cinematic experiences and captivate wider audiences of film music.
Through an in-depth examination of the function and impact of musical narratives in film, the study uncovers the transformative role of film scoring as a language of emotional enhancement.
The research reveals the potential of effective orchestration in rendering film music a more universal and profound medium, emphasizing the capacity of music to accentuate and elevate the emotional landscape of cinema. As such, the paper calls for greater focus on music as a powerful tool in filmmaking, positing it as more than an accessory but as an essential component of the narrative's pulse and breath.
The goal of the study is to encourage a deeper connection with the audience and promote the universality of cinematic narratives through the prism of musical storytelling.
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Composition and Recording: The Eaglet in Vast Sky
Chenghong Jin
2023The main body of this thesis consists of a comprehensive and profound account, exposition, and analysis of my graduation work, "The Eaglet in Vast Sky," at the Berklee College of Music. It explores my understanding of the film, the conceptualization and composition of the musical motives, the utilization of harmony and instrumentation, as well as the documentation of the recording and conducting process. By presenting the entire creative journey, it exemplifies my comprehension of the field of film scoring throughout my graduate studies, delving into the potential of film scoring, and unearthing the techniques of film music as a comprehensive culmination of this learning phase.
Through this CE paper, the author, as a composer, conductor, and sound engineer, comprehensively examines the entire production process of the work with meticulous attention and creative thinking. The paper serves as an excellent model for anyone seeking reference and guidance in film music production. For music directors or film directors who are interested in engaging young composers and conductors in their film music production teams, reading this thesis also provides an opportunity to discover talented individuals.
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Nothing Is Silent
April Kerr
2023“Nothing is Silent”, as you will hear much more about in the Development part of this paper, comes from a story about Henrietta Leavitt, a female american astronomer who had a big discovery. It took a lot of time to get to the final decision of this topic for the project, but I feel I have grown and learned new things through each idea I tried to make happen. The general idea I wanted to create here was a project that represented me in the best way possible. It has a mix of vocal, almost musical theatre kind of feel, but still has the aspects of cinema. The song has the ability to play on its own or with the vocals. I love when music can be used in diverse ways and I am proud I was able to accomplish it in my own way.
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Scoring “The Old Man and the Sea”
Shadan Kohboor
2023“The Old Man and the Sea” is a project based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. This 3 - minute piece which is the culminating experience of one year of hard work as a masters student of Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games at Berklee College of Music. The piece was originally composed to stand without picture, however, after finishing the recording and mixing process, a video was added to the music.
During the course, I gained the crucial skills, including writing idiomatically for instruments, orchestration, building mockups and creating score, conducting recording sessions, and mixing; all in order to complete the final thesis project, which is the most important music project that I have done so far.
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Celestial Gateway: From Storyboard to Orchestra
Jonathan Lapierre
2023This paper reflects on the process of creating Celestial Gateway, my culminating experience project as a student at Berklee College of Music in the Master in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games program. After looking for opportunities to score projects from film schools in France, I ended up decided to write my own script and draw a storyboard for a story I had in the back of my mind for a few years. After creating a mock- up for the music using Digital Performer 11, making the score and parts in Sibelius. I ultimately went to AIR Studios in London to record the music with some of the best musicians in the world in also one of the best studios in the world. This was a project I got very involved in as I wanted to create something special that was representative of my own musical voice and that I could be proud of for years to come.
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Into the Deep: Exploring the Sea Through a Musical Lens
Leigha Logan
2023Into the Deep is a piece that I have written with an abundance of passion. It is based on the novel The Deep by Rivers Solomon and formerly the song The Deep by the rap band Clipping. The novel is about a society of underwater mermaids who are descendants of pregnant mothers thrown overboard into the sea during the Atlantic slave trade. My piece and script follows a young girl who finds one of these mermaids and is taken to see their underwater city. Though cultivated through many different inspirations, this entire process was fueled through my love of fantasy, romance, horror, afro- futurism,and the countless other genres these two title works find themselves in. I composed music to a 3-minute, self written script that was based on my own addition in perspective to the novel. The concept of the novel remains, but I add a main character who discovers the main narrative at the same time as the reader. Through this lens, I am able to have the reader introduced to this entire new world along with this character and have the music and visuals/ visual script work as a catalyst to help guide them through it. In this paper I will talk about my process writing the piece, along with how I came to choose my topic, score analysis, revisions, working with A.I., and other inspirations. I hope this paper can spark interest in those with a love of fantasy stories and urge to delve deeper into genre-fusion.
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Rescoring Passengers: “Spacewalk”
Giuseppe Mondini
2023“Spacewalk” is taken from the movie Passengers (2016). Directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Jon Spaihts, with the original music composed by Thomas Newman, the film didn't receive significant critical acclaim or perform as well at the box office, which, in my opinion, didn't reflect the impact it deserved. Falling under the genres of romance, drama, and science fiction, these elements immediately pique my interest. I sought to not only create new music but also extract a concept from the film's storyline to express my personal musical ideas for the final project. The decision to record the music at London's AIR Studios with a full symphony orchestra greatly influenced the creation of the music. In my discussion, I will delve into the selection of the scene, musical ideas, and the compositional process, as well as the preparation of the score, the experience of recording and post-production. Finally, I will explore the art of self-compromise.
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The Snail and the Whale
Joëlle Nager
2023This paper encompasses the compositional process to the animation-score “The Snail and the Whale” (Magic Light Productions, 2019) recorded at the Air Studios London in June 2023 within the scope of the Culminating Experience as part of the Master’s Program in Scoring for Film and TV at the Berklee College of Music. Exposed are the initial ideas, the actual compositional process, the recording session at the Air Studios including its preparation as well as the post-production covering the mixing and mastering of the recorded composition. In order to underscore the animation, different compositional devices were used, such as orchestration, texture, timbre, harmony, rhythm, and articulation, which are closely discussed in line with a detailed narrative analysis of the movie in order to manifest the possibilities of underscoring the animation with an orchestra.
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A MUSICAL RETHINKING OF THE HALF LIFE UNIVERSE: “Stories from City 17”
Daniel Osiewala
2023This paper focuses on the composition of a 3-minute orchestral piece inspired by the aesthetic and narrative universe of the acclaimed video game saga "Half-Life." The research aims to capture the essence and atmosphere of the saga by merging stylistic and orchestral influences from the video game composers who have significantly impacted my personal journey as a fan of this genre. Additionally, it explores the combination of these musical languages with my own musical language, emphasizing the use of vintage analog instruments.
The creative process behind the composition of the piece is described, starting from the conception of musical ideas to its complete development. Specific compositional decisions are analyzed, such as the use of thematic motifs, formal structure, and manipulation of instrumentation, with the aim of establishing a deep emotional connection to the "Half-Life" universe.
Through this research and creative endeavor, the thesis contributes to the understanding of the creative process in video game-inspired orchestral composition and highlights the importance of merging personal style and influences. The outcome is a composition that not only reflects my artistic vision but also pays homage to the immersive and captivating world of "Half-Life."
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The Land Where the Sun Sets
Jason Polychronakos
2023For this project I edited together a 3-minute video from footage of nature that I shot in Morocco over the winter break, and then scored the video in an orchestral style. The music was recorded at AIR studios in London with a group of professional studio musicians, and then edited and mixed by me. Ultimately, this was a comfortable experience because I am very familiar with writing orchestral music, but also a challenge because I have never scored nature before, let alone a nature video that I shot myself. The paper outlines the whole process of creating and scoring the video, from traveling to Morocco to shoot the footage to recording the music in London and editing the resulting recording. I hope it is interesting and informative.
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UN LUGAR AL QUE LLAMAR HOGAR (“A Place To Call Home”)
Lidia Pozo Pérez
2023This paper serves as a crucial component of my Culminating Experience project, aiming to shed light on the events that took place in Algeciras during the Spanish Civil War. Additionally, it delves into the background of my composition, titled "1936," and explores the influences and inspirations that shaped the decision-making and development of the written and recorded musical piece. At first glance, this project may appear similar to those undertaken by former students or my peers. Hence, throughout the project's development, I strived to maintain a personal perspective both in terms of the narrative storyline and the music. To achieve this, I drew upon the real-life experiences of my grandfather, his family, and the interplay between various musical genres, such as flamenco, which is deeply rooted in southern Spain. Undertaking this entire experience has proven to be a significant challenge, both academically and personally. While writing, I endeavored to capture the most relevant events related to the creation of this work, offering readers a glimpse into everything I have experienced during these past few months.
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The “Pura Vida” Journey
Daniel Quesada
2023The “Pura Vida” Journey is a final musical project inspired on pictures from landscapes and cultural scenes of Costa Rica, in collaboration with the film maker Verny Argüello. This thesis goes through my musical inspiration process, the composition, the recording experience, the mixing and mastering process, and the ending experience that established a sense of who I am as a composer. Moreover, I created an orchestral analysis between my inspirational resources and the composition, and how the music reflects through the film. The entire work explains what I have learned from Berklee College of Music in mixture with the meaning of what being the first Costarican person on culminating this program means to me.
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ETERNAL FLIGHT: The Willow Pattern Story
Lara Simpson
2023Eternal Flight is a 3-minute musical composition based on the ‘The Green Willow’ which is a traditional Japanese fairy-tale (it will also be the soundtrack to an original animation of the story). This piece of music is the culmination of an extremely rewarding year of hard work as a masters student on the ‘Scoring for Film, TV & Video Games’ programme at Berklee Valencia. Throughout the year, I have learnt important skills as a composer including screen-reading, creating a tempo map, advanced orchestration, creating professional mock ups, conducting & running a recording session and orchestral mixing and mastering. All these new skills I have acquired throughout my studies were essential in allowing me to create this final thesis project which I am very proud of, and I believe showcases all that I have learnt this year, whilst retaining my personal character and style. The following is a detailed analysis of the making of Eternal Flight; outlining the whole journey from initial conception to final realisation (and recording it at AIR Studios, London - one of the most iconic studios in the world, with a 51-piece orchestra made up of some of the best musicians working in the industry today).
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Scoring based on the story: Black and White
Farnaz Tabatabaee
2023The pre-production, compositional process, recording at Air Studios, and post-production of an orchestral piece based on parallel universes are all covered in this project. I used the skills and knowledge I obtained this year in my master's programme in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games while doing this. In this process, I looked for two musical environments that were extremely diverse and strongly contrasted one another. In my master's thesis, I'll discuss the inspiration behind this entire composition, the musical themes I created for it, and the orchestral techniques I employed to reflect the piece's conflicting emotions.I aim to take you on a captivating journey to London, Where I had the incredible opportunity to record and conduct my own musical composition at the renowned Air Studios.
This unforgettable experience allowed me to translate my emotions into music. Additionally, I will provide insights into my meticulous post-production process, specifically focusing on mixing and mastering techniques employed in orchestral pieces. Through this project, I hope to encourage aspiring musicians to harness their creativity and transform their innermost feelings into the universal language of music.
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FULL CIRCLE: A CANARIAN ODYSSEY
Edwin Toh
2023Full Circle: A Canarian Odyssey, is a musical exploration of the complex connections between music and nature. Set amidst the lush landscapes of Spain’s Canary Islands, the viewer is drawn into a montage of sceneries, themed around the natural elements of earth, water, and air. More than being a mere travel chronicle, Full Circle explores humanity’s elusive, hidden urge to explore and discover our natural world, especially at a time when ‘virtual living’ and the conveniences afforded by the latest technology take up so much of our modern lives. It highlights the ironic paradox that technological progression toward the future needs to be balanced with regression toward nature – the core origin of humanity. The notion of “coming full circle” is a key feature of this work, with the proposal and subsequent reappearance of musical themes celebrating the very miracle of life itself. A humble homage to the knowledge of those who have come before us and an aspiration for those who will come after – Full Circle makes the bold assertion that even though change may be the only constant, the essence of music, nature, and humanity will not be so different after all.
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El Pescador: An orchestral piece based on Sorolla’s works
Julián Trujiillo Bonilla
2023This written work records a description and analysis of the most important aspects of the 50+ orchestral piece "El Pescador" based on three paintings by Joaquín Sorolla, one of the most representative artists in Spain, whose 100th anniversary of death is commemorated this year. The works represented are: Going Out to Sea (1909), The Breakwater of San Sebastian (1915), Arrival of the Fishing Boats (1899). These paintings are recreated and articulated in a script proposed by the composer, in order to generate a musical work according to industry standars with a clear narrative full of emotion that pays homage to the prolific valencian artist, but that also evidence the learning process, preparation and a sample of the author's compositional style.
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Perspective of You: Scoring to Transform a Traumatic Narrative
Ana Vázquez-Landeros
2023Perspective of You is a project based on true events and created with respect to a traumatic chapter in a Mexican immigrant couple’s life. Their continued success inspired me to create a script based on their personal experience in achieving an American dream. As a film composer, I aspire to work on projects that illuminate social injustice which, this family’s life story allowed me to do as a fellow Mexican American. The decision to base my culminating experience from a script was made as it is not uncommon for film composers in the industry to begin their work without a visual and are instead provided with a script or other supplemental materials. Scoring to a script challenged the storytelling skills within my compositional process and (to my belief provided a deeper understanding) into a specific element that pertains to the film scoring process: considering and imagining more emotional perspectives of the drama beyond what the action of the visual solely provides. My scoring process was initiated through a cyclical piano theme which was developed into the final score version through exploration of thematic development and the soundscape of a hybrid score, which, I felt was appropriate for the extent of the emotional turmoil the couple’s family endured. In addition to the wealth of detail, within the couple’s firsthand accounts that inspired the script, I had to imagine my own emotions within their narrative similar to how film composers carefully analyze characters and plan how to elevate moods at appropriate times. In the process of writing Perspective of You, my ultimate goal was to further develop narrative strengths in my approach to film scoring.