LA Live Score Film Festival 2019
The Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival features short films with original scores performed live-to-picture. The 2019 festival on Saturday, July 20th at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre is presented by Helix Collective in collaboration with the Academy of Scoring Arts. Films for the 2019 festival are curated by the faculty at the L.A. Film School, New York Film Academy – Los Angeles, and Columbia College, Hollywood.
6:00pm Composer and Filmmaker Panel
7:30pm Screening
9:00pm Reception
Free Parking in Barnsdall Art Park
Selected film composers are paired with a winning filmmaker to create an original score for the festival. The film is screened with the score performed live by the renowned performance and recording ensemble, Helix Collective. The screening includes an interview with the filmmakers and composers with arts journalist Tim Greiving. The audience votes for Best Picture and Best Musical Score and the awards are presented at the close of the festival.
Here’s the festival lineup!
A Deep Breath – Directors – Ion Legarda, Aliza Jafri, Composer – Cali Wang
After relocating to the United States, Ion Legarda uses his passion for Freediving to help him with the stresses and difficulties of adjusting to a new home, far from family and friends, whilst exploring the underwater world.
Cali Wang
Raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Cali Wang worked on various TV series, commercials and short films before she attended USC Thornton’s Masters of Music program in Screen Scoring in 2017. Currently based in Los Angeles, Cali continues to work on projects and with other industry professionals. She has recently received BMI Pete Carpenter Fellowship 2018, and the Public Vote Winner Award of Pannonia Music Competition. caliwang.com
Ion Legarda
Born in Seville, Spain. He recently moved to the United States to study Production at the New York Film Academy. From a very young age, Ion was a competitive swimmer, until he got drafted to the IDF (Israel Defense Force) at the age of 18. Shortly after being released from the army, during a trip to the Philippines, Ion decided to take his love for the water to the next step and become a Freediver.
Aliza Jafri
Born in Karachi, Pakistan. She grew up in Canada for most of her life before coming to the United States to pursue a degree in Film and TV Production. Aliza has produced many short films including the short film “Keepsakes”, which has won several awards including the Award of Excellence at the Global Shorts Film Festival in Los Angeles. Aliza has also served as the 2nd Assistant Director for the film “Sherdil”, shot in Pakistan, Dubai and Egypt.
Enigma – Director – Vaibhav Arora, Composer – Philip Timofeyev
A man recounts his life while suffering from the illusion that he transcends space and time.
Philip Timofeyev
Coming from a Russian upbringing, Philip Timofeyev is driven by the classical greats and passion for the arts. Studying piano and composition throughout his life, he developed an immense love of storytelling through music which brought and bonded him to the limitless world of cinema. PhilipTimofeyev.com
Vaibhav Arora
Vaibhav Arora is from New Delhi, India. He was always fond of films since childhood but never thought of pursuing it as a career. I found my love for camera & lighting techniques after leaving playing cricket and came here to USA to learn and pursue cinematography and filmmaking.
HONEST – Director – Jonathan Samukange, Composer – Michael Paraskevas
A young teenager desperate for a way out of poverty, makes the wrong decision.
Michael Paraskevas
Michael is a LA-based film composer, enthusiastic collaborator, and nostalgic film nerd. He also works closely with mentor, Christophe Beck, where he has written some additional music and co-composed the score for Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles. When not busy writing music he can be found watching Dodgers games, biking, or stuffing his face with tacos. www.paraskevasmusic.com
Jonathan Samukange
Jonathan Samukange is a film director in his final year at the New York Film Academy where he collaborates and creates films, music videos, fashion editorial clips, commercials and even cartoons. Organizing and working with other creatives, building teams and telling exciting stories is his true passion. All the way from Zimbabwe.
Last One – Director – Carlo Tonda, Composers – Isabelle Engman & Gerardo Garcia Jr.
In a post-apocalyptic future, the last woman on Earth journeys to find other survivors and reconcile the loss of her loved ones.
Gerardo Garcia Jr. and Isabelle Engman
Gerardo Garcia Jr. and Isabelle Engman are a composing team based in LA. They are graduates of the film scoring program at USC and have several years under their belt collaborating with clients like Microsoft, Sony Pictures and HBO. Combining their expertise, they’ve created a unique sound and teamwork. www.suitetracks.com
Carlo Tonda
Born and raised in Guatemala, Carlo Tonda came to the U.S. to pursue filmmaking and minority representation in media. His films explore taboo subjects through a lens of fantasy. Recently, he shot and co-edited the feature drama film Abide, and is directing Poor Connection, a long-distance romantic comedy.
Lillith – Director – Marco Martínez, Composer – Sergei Stern
Ryan is a depressed man who begs to see his dead girlfriend. His desperation will lead him to make a bad decision.
Sergei Stern
Sergei Stern is a Sundance Composer Fellow (17′), whose music was featured in ‘GOTHAM’ TV series, ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ TV Show as well as ‘Pawn Stars’ and ‘American Pickers’ and other shows on History Channel, National Geographic, E!, HULU, Netflix. The latest feature film he scored, Queen Of Spades 2: The Looking Glass, was picked up by Disney receiving distribution all around the globe. Sergei has won 6 ‘Best Original Score’ awards at various film festivals. One of the latest documentaries he has scored was co-produced by Werner Herzog. So far he has scored 8 feature films and more than 80 shorts. www.sergeistern.com
Marco Martinez
Marco Polo Martinez is 30 years old, proudly born and raised in Mexico City. He studied in Mexico City and Spain and has 9 years experience in the film field. He has worked with directors and brands from all around the world.
Odd Job – Director – Meaghan Hellmers, Composer – Javier Colmen
Gavin, an average 20 year old, responds to an advert for open interviews at a locally owned shop that, unbeknownst to him, is owned and frequented by otherworldly beings.
Javier Colmen
Javier Colmen is a Film & Video Game composer from Madrid (Spain). After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he moved to Los Angeles where he’s been composing music for short films, video games and concert music as well. His influences include Spanish and Brazilian music, Jazz and classical composers among others. www.javiercolmen.com
Meaghan Hellmers
Meaghan is 20 years old and a senior at Columbia College Hollywood. Originally from San Diego, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue an education and career in the film industry. She is passionate and dedicated to bringing important and entertaining stories to life through film.
SHHH! – Director – Devaughn Hooper, Composer – Lasse Elkjaer
“SHH” is a horror film about a timid young boy, who after being kidnapped by a deranged woman, is forced to indulge in her wicked fantasies.
Lasse Elkjær
Los Angeles-based Danish composer, Lasse Elkjær recently received an award for his gothic score for the horror movie Sticks (2018), featuring prominent Hollywood cellist Tina Guo. Elkaer moved to LA in 2013 to study at the Screen Scoring Program at USC. Since then, he has been involved in blockbuster movies, award winning documentaries, over 70 short movies and TV series. lasseelkjaer.dk
DeVaughn Hooper
After serving in the United States Navy for four years, De’Vaughn Hooper decided to pursue his dream as a writer. He then attended Full Sail University where he obtained a Bachelors In Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing, and is now studying film at Los Angeles Film school.
Siblings – Director – Savannah Sivert, Composer – Alex Robert Heinrich
Three siblings deal with the loss of their mother.
Alex Robert Heinrich
Alex Heinrich is a composer from Brazil. After attending USC’s film scoring program he had the privilege to collaborate with composer Tony Morales on scores to Disney’s TV show “Elena Of Avalor”, Discovery Channel’s “Alaska: The Last Frontier”, ESPN’s “30 For 30: The Dominican Dream” and the upcoming feature “Wish Man” among others. alexheinrich.com
Savannah Sivert
Savannah Sivert is originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland. After completing her Bachelors of fine arts in Quincy, Massachusetts, Savannah moved to Los Angeles for her master’s program in filmmaking in 2015. During her program, she wrote and directed her short film, Siblings, a film dedicated to her late mother and her family.
Together Forever – Director – Nirupan Dhakal, Composer – Jesper Ankarfeldt
Together Forever’ follows a mother grappling with the death of her daughter as she encounters a presence in her house.
Jesper Ankarfeldt
Jesper Ankarfeldt is a Danish LA based film composer with more then 100 films to his name. Latest his music was awarded the Golden FIPA award for Best Original Music at FIPA / Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuals for the Van God Los: Kerstkado. www.ankarfeldt.dk
Nirupam Dhakal
Nirupam Dhakal is an 18-year-old who hails from the city of Biratnagar, from Nepal. He came to Los Angeles nine months ago to study film in the Los Angeles Film School. His main dream is to write and direct horror movies. He also likes doing production design.
Won’t You Be My Friend – Director – Vionna Lam, Composer – Logan Stahley
A ghost seeks out a friend in a teenage girl but when loneliness encloses on ghost, their real motives start to reveal themselves.
Logan Stahley
Logan Stahley is a native of Billings, Montana, and holds a BA in Music Technology from Montana State University Bozeman. In 2015, he graduated with an MFA in Music Composition for the Screen from Columbia College Chicago. In 2015, he moved to LA to work as film composer and producer. loganstahley.com
Vionna Lam
Vionna Lam is a writer and director currently based in Los Angeles, CA. She has directed 4 short films including the 2019 short, Between the Line, which was a semi-finalist at CineFest. A Colorado native, Vionna is an artistically, ambitious, Chinese-American filmmaker who is fluent in both English and Cantonese.