On Saturday, 10 October 2020, The American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC) hosted an online event as part of their Master Class Series, featuring a very special guest: the prolific Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated composer John Debney.

Moderated by composer, arranger, pianist and ASMAC board member, Sylvester Rivers, the master class was cleverly structured into five main topics:

•  Anatomy of a comedy score

•  Anatomy of a rom-com

•  Anatomy of a big action movie

•  How to get inside a director’s head

•  Surviving post-pandemic Hollywood

Famously charismatic and friendly, Debney began the master class with the cheerful statement, ‘Let’s have fun! Let’s have a look inside my crazy musical brain!’

JOHN DEBNEY

A musical chameleon, John Debney has composed music for over 100 films and shows in a variety of genres during his career that spans over three decades, including ‘The Passion of the Christ’, ‘Iron Man 2’, ‘The Jungle Book’, ‘The Princess Diaries’, ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’, ‘Sea Quest DSV’, ‘A Pup Named Scooby-Doo’, ‘Inspector Gadget’, and ‘The Ant Bully’, to name but a few.

For this class, the composer chose to analyse in detail three big genres: comedy, rom-com, and action. As such, Debney dissected a few of his memorable cues from films like ‘Liar Liar’, ‘Bruce Almighty’, ‘Isn’t It Romantic’, and ‘Iron Man 2’, providing aspiring film composers with advice on how to go about writing music for these genres and important aspects that need to be taken into consideration in each case.

Over the course of three and a half hours, the composer received a plethora of fantastic questions from ASMAC members and attendees alike, graciously answering each and every one of them and offering invaluable advice, as well as words of encouragement to aspiring film composers. He also elaborated on some of the challenges the industry is facing in the time of COVID-19 and how the musicians are adapting.

ASMAC Executive Board President, Gayle Levant, who is also Debney’s long-time friend and harpist on many of his films, joined the composer in reminiscing about their experience of working together. Among other things, she praised Debney for his professionalism, excellent conducting skills, and ability to keep calm in stressful situations.

JOHN DEBNEY PRESENTING DURING THE MASTER CLASS

There were two notable nuggets of wisdom the composer shared with the attendees that are perhaps the most important pieces of advice he has offered during the class. Firstly, Debney encouraged aspiring composers to ‘become the best composer you can become’ by learning all styles of music (even the ones they dislike), studying everything from how to write a melody, to counterpoint, orchestration, conducting and the ranges of each instrument, to work hard, be a good person, treat people well, and to always remain humble.

And secondly, following a question from an attendee regarding the toll that this profession can take on one’s mental health, Debney urged film composers to be disciplined, take care of themselves, make sure they have a great support system and not ‘take it so seriously that it will eat you alive’.

Needless to say, the hours flew by very quickly. The master class was a great opportunity for aspiring composers to get a sneak peek behind the curtain with one of the most successful composers in Hollywood and to learn a few tips and tricks on how to navigate this increasingly competitive landscape.

Now it is perhaps more important than ever to have access to such events, considering the exceptionally challenging times brought about by the pandemic. Not only do they provide attendees with invaluable and entertaining information, but they also help keep the community together and the conversation going on how industry professionals can adapt to the new normal.

To keep up to date with ASMAC future events, visit www.asmac.org, where you can also become a member, or follow their Eventbrite page.

Bridge to Broadway has announced their next line-up of industry superstars who will mentor students and young professionals during the June masterclasses.

TONYA PINKINS, DONNA MURPHY, CHUCK COOPER AND LILLI COOPER

Actress Ciara Renée (‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’, ‘Frozen’, ‘Big Fish’) will join Tony winners Tonya Pinkins and Donna Murphy who will lead a joint master class (available as a bonus class for June ClassPass holders only), Tony winner Chuck Cooper and nominee Lilli Cooper who will lead a father-daughter master class, Two-time Tony-winning composer and lyricist Adam Guettel (who is also the grandson of legendary musical theatre composer Richard Rodgers), Emmy winning casting director Jeff Greenberg (‘Modern Family’, ‘Frasier’, ‘Cheers’), Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy nominee Joshua Henry, Drama Desk Nominee Stephanie Hsu (‘Be More Chill’, ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’, ‘The Path’), internationally acclaimed audiobook narrator Edoardo Ballerini (‘The Sopranos’, ‘Boardwalk Empire’, ‘Dinner Rush’), and master on-camera acting teacher Gary Perez (‘When They See Us’, ‘13 Reasons Why’, ‘The Blacklist’). Mickey Rowe of ‘Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’, who is the founder and Artistic Director of National Disability Theatre, will also be among the guests on Bridge to Broadway in the following weeks.

JOSHUA HENRY AND ADAM GUETTEL

Bridge to Broadway matches emerging artists with seasoned pros in live conversations and Q&As supporting The Actors Fund. Actor and author Erik Liberman teaches master classes around the country and is a recent inductee into the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. Marissa Lynn Daniel produces this series. Director Dan Fishbach associate produces.

Readers of The Cinematic Journal receive 25% off all classes and class passes in May and June. Just use the code TTEP74GF during checkout.

For more information, visit www.bridgetobroadwayonline.com/.

NYU Tisch alum, actor, and producer Jeremy Boros (‘My Crazy Ex’) launches Movie Mentors, a new podcast featuring Oscar and Emmy-winning filmmakers, actors, and creators. Boros explores his subjects’ inspirations, anecdotes about their greatest hits, and nuts-and-bolts advice for aspiring pros.

The current Mentors line-up includes: Dan Jinks (Oscar-winning producer of ‘American Beauty’, ’Pushing Daisies’, ‘Milk’), Frank Coraci (director of ‘The Wedding Singer’, ‘The Waterboy’, ‘Click’), Wendy Calhoun (writer-producer of ‘Empire’, ‘Prodigal Son’, ‘Station 19’), James V. Hart (screenwriter of ‘Hook’, ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’, ‘Contact’), Mollye Asher (producer of ‘The Rider’, ‘Songs My Brothers Taught Me’, ‘Fort Tilden’), Allan Arkush (Emmy-winning director of ‘The Temptations’, ‘Heroes’, ‘CSI’), Leigh Kilton-Smith (acting coach on ‘Aladdin’, ‘Murder Mystery’, ‘Baywatch’), Susan Shopmaker (casting director of ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’, ‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’, ‘James White’), and Mark Goldblatt (Oscar-nominated editor of ‘Terminator’, ‘Showgirls’, ‘Starship Troopers’).

JEREMY BOROS

Boros explains, ‘As film education becomes institutionalized, we have lost the tradition of direct mentorship in our industry. With Movie Mentors, my hope is that listeners leave with big-picture lessons, specific tools, and also a positive sense of being cared for by industry giants.’

Jeremy Boros has performed Off-Broadway, created the first-ever Instagram TV show, produced films in the Amazon jungle, and is pursuing his MFA at the prestigious Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

Movie Mentors is available everywhere podcasts can be found, including Apple, Spotify and Google.

Bridge to Broadway continues to quickly fill up its masterclass calendar for May and June with industry superstar guests.

The newly-announced mentors who will join Erik Liberman over the next few weeks are three-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown, Tony and Olivier winner and ‘Disney Legend’ Lea Salonga, Tony-winning master voice teacher Joan Lader, two-time Tony-nominated composer Craig Carnelia, Emmy-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones (‘This Is Us’), TV star Yara Martinez (‘The Deputy’, ‘The Tick’, ‘Jane the Virgin’), animation voice-over director, producer, casting director Ned Lott (Miyazaki films, ‘Cars’, ‘Monsters, Inc.’, ‘The Incredibles’, ‘Lord of the Rings’), and Lucille Lortel Award winner Larry Owens, who starred in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical ‘A Strange Loop’.

RON CEPHAS JONES in ‘THIS IS US’. © 2017 NBCUNIVERSAL MEDIA, LLC

Previously announced guests on Bridge to Broadway include Tony-winning actors Andrea Martin, Ben Vereen and Christine Ebersole, nominee Austin Pendleton, showrunner Joshua Safran (‘Gossip Girl’, ‘Smash’), Vincent Rodriguez (‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’), and ‘Wicked’ star Alexandra Billings, among many others.

Bridge to Broadway connects theatre students and emerging artists around the world with their role models and supports artists by donating a percentage of net proceeds to The Actors Fund.

Bridge to Broadway is now offering payment plans for those in financial distress and 25% off discount codes for students/alumni/teachers at any performing arts training centres who would like to enhance their educations with Bridge to Broadway’s offerings.

For more details about Bridge to Broadway and their previous guests, check out this article or visit Bridge to Broadway’s website, where you will find the complete masterclass calendar.

Actor Erik Liberman (‘War Paint’, ‘The Band’s Visit’, ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’) has recently launched Bridge to Broadway, an online training platform that connects young professionals with Broadway actors, directors, music directors, composers, lyricists, casting directors, and vocal coaches in behind-the-scenes conversations.

As social distancing seems to force everyone to adapt to the ‘new normal’, Bridge to Broadway came as a swift and welcome solution to help keep theatre students and emerging artists around the world connected with their role models. Furthermore, the initiative supports artists by donating a percentage of all proceeds to The Actors Fund.

The star-studded line-up recently included Tony winners Judith Light, Alan Menken, Harvey Fierstein, Joe Mantello, Victoria Clark, Christopher Gattelli, Joan Lader, Ali Stroker, Michael McElroy, as well as Hamilton’s Javier Muñoz and composer-lyricist Steven Lutvak, to name a few.

JAY DUPLASS

Prominent actor, author, writer, producer and filmmaker Jay Duplass (‘Transparent’, ‘Room 104’, ‘Togetherness’, ‘Wild Wild Country’) will make his guest appearance on Bridge to Broadway on Saturday, 2 May, at 01:00 p.m. EDT.

Jay, together with his brother Mark, recently executive produced the documentary ‘Not Going Quietly’, which was scheduled to premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, but unfortunately missed a Tribeca launch.

The documentary chronicles the life of Ady Barkan, a political activist, lawyer and Be a Hero PAC co-founder diagnosed with ALS who embarks on a nationwide campaign for healthcare reform. Over the course of his career, politicians like Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and others have acknowledged and supported his work.

The perfectly timed documentary comes at a critical time, as the novel coronavirus pandemic keeps highlighting the importance of a solid healthcare system.

NOT GOING QUIETLY. © DUPLASS BROTHERS PRODUCTIONS

According to IndieWire, Jay recently stated that he and his brother had been preparing, unintentionally, for the global crisis brought forth by the pandemic with their ‘epically small’ approach to filmmaking. Their glass-half-full perspective might bring some comfort to filmmakers working on small productions during these difficult times.

Duplass explained, ‘We could be among the first people back on track and shooting. For us to make a small movie, we could take 17 people to a special rural location. We didn’t invent this model, but we’ve gotten good at it, knowing where to spend our time, energy, and resources. Actors can do their own hair and makeup and socially distance, not stacked on top of each other. That isn’t a big incubation risk.’

Jay is also scheduled to star in Amanda Peet’s six-episode series ‘The Chair’, co-starring Killing Eve‘s Sandra Oh. The show, which is executive produced by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Amanda Peet and Sandra Oh, is set to start shooting in late summer, if the current global situation permits it.

Other notable upcoming guests on Bridge to Broadway in the next few weeks will include Tony-winning actors Andrea Martin, Ben Vereen, and Christine Ebersole, Tony winners André de Shields, Ted Sperling, Michael Cerveris and Ann Reinking, nominees Arian Moyaed, Michele Shay, Michael Berresse, and Austin Pendleton, casting director and AMPAS Board Member Bernie Telsey, showrunner Joshua Safran (‘Gossip Girl’, ‘Smash’), trans-advocate and Broadway/TV actress Alexandra Billings, and Vincent Rodriguez (‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’), among many others.

“This is a time of isolation and financial contraction for many, so we want to engender a spirit of community, accessibility, belonging and above all, service, among participants.”

In addition to actors, directors, writers, producers, casting directors, composers, lyricists, music directors, choreographers, Bridge to Broadway’s roster includes writing coaches, nutritionists, photographers, mental wellness experts, dyslexia specialists, diversity advocates etc., so that conversations transcend the world of acting.

The sessions are structured into a 30-minute interview between Erik and his guest, where they touch upon topics such as the guest’s creative process, pivotal personal and professional junctures and underlying missions, followed by a 30-minute Q&A with the participants. Each session runs for a minimum of one hour, although a few past guests have graciously shared their time and knowledge with the students for up to two hours.

Apart from being packed with invaluable behind-the-scenes tips from industry giants, these mentorship classes also come at a bargain price, so that as many students and industry professionals can join in. Additionally, those who enroll in Class Pass (granting them unlimited access to classes in May) by the end of May 1 will receive a half-hour 1-2-1 coaching session with Erik, who is a seasoned mentor and teaches all over the US.

‘Our sessions are affordable because we don’t believe students should be denied education at any age. This is a time of isolation and financial contraction for many, so we want to engender a spirit of community, accessibility, belonging and above all, service, among participants. We believe that every participant should be able to identify a role model within our roster of guest artists and should feel empowered to give something richer back to their communities after spending time with us!’, Erik explained.

ERIK LIBERMAN. © PETER KONERKO

Chameleonic actor Erik Liberman is recognized for originating roles in several productions on Broadway and off, including ‘War Paint’ with Patti LuPone, ‘The Band’s Visit’ with Tony Shalhoub, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’, and Hal Prince’s ‘LoveMusik’. Television work includes ‘Transparent’, ‘Modern Family’, and Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger’s ‘Vinyl’. Liberman has also performed in Carol Burnett’s ‘Hollywood Arms’, portrayed Groucho Marx at the Obama White House, appeared in acclaimed Stephen Sondheim revivals, as well as opposite Topol and Harvey Fierstein in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, later leading the show’s all-star 50th anniversary celebration at New York City’s Town Hall with Chita Rivera.

The Bridge to Broadway series is produced by performer and producer Marissa Lynn Daniel.

For more information and to sign up for classes, head over to https://bridgetobroadwayonline.com/

The 49th edition of IFFR (International Film Festival Rotterdam) kicked off on Wednesday, 22 January with a screening of Mosquito, a WWI drama directed by João Nuno Pinto.

The festival’s focus is on recent work by talented new filmmakers. Featuring over 600 carefully curated fiction and documentary feature films, short films, media art and an alluring programme for the music buff, the festival promises to delight and inspire every single one of its visitors.

One of the highlights of this year’s edition is the world premiere of David Cronenberg‘s 1996 cult thriller ‘Crash’ live in concert. The cinematic score will be brought to life by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Mike Schäperclaus.

Almost a quarter-century old, the film got a highly anticipated uncut, NC-17 4K restoration last summer and premiered at Venice Film Festival on 6 September.

ELIAS KOTEAS AND DEBORAH KARA UNGER IN CRASH

This particular production will feature Howard Shore’s original (albeit restored) sheet music, including the original instrumentation (did someone say 6 electric guitars?!).

Howard Leslie Shore is a prolific, multiple Oscar-winning film composer world-renowned for his film scores, including classics such as ‘Se7en’, ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ and Martin Scorsese‘s ‘The Departed’, ‘The Aviator’, ‘Hugo’ and ‘Gangs of New York’. His popularity reached new heights with the birth of his magnificent opus for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ film trilogy, which is arguably the most complex sonic world-building since Richard Wagner’s ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’. This timeless score effectively established the sound of Middle Earth.

HOWARD SHORE ©BENJAMIN EALOVEGA

Shore is also a long-term collaborator of David Cronenberg, having scored most of his films since 1979, including the dark horror thrillers ‘The Fly’ and ‘Videodrome’. The two will be reunited during this very special event taking place in the heart of the festival, the main auditorium of de Doelen, on 31 January at 21:00.

This is a unique event promises to be a tantalising live audio-visual experience not to be missed.

Masterclass with Howard Shore

However, the film in concert is not the only surprise Howard Shore’s fans will get to enjoy during the festival. The composer will also be attending a masterclass moderated by Kaleem Aftab (The Independent, Indiewire), where the composer will give the audience an insight into his working methods, his collaboration with various film directors, his views on music, and much, much more.

The masterclass will take place on 1 February, at 13:00, at De Doelen – Willem Burger Hall.

This year’s edition of IFFR is taking place between 22 January and 2 February 2020. For more information, tickets, as well as the full line-up on, visit the IFFR website.