Trailer: Blanket

Trailer: Blanket

Michael W. Bell
Composing, Trailer

Another project has landed my way from collaborators over at Silver Lining Pictures. The upcoming feature, 'Blanket" was filmed in just three days using a DSLR and has been described by producer Louis W. Frost as "A beautifully brutal romantic, story with a dramatic twist that will send your heart racing...".

With this in mind, I had the task of writing a score for the trailer which was both romantic, but also had a sense of dread, entrapment and horror, you can check out the results below! I'm currently spotting the film before composing the music for the short, Blanket is currently set to hit the festivals during 2016 with a release date early next year.

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Trailer: Spirit Hunters

Trailer: Spirit Hunters

Michael W. Bell
Composing, Trailer

Silver Lining Pictures recently got in touch and asked me to compose the soundtrack for the trailer of their upcoming proposed TV Series, Spirit Hunters".

I'm told the idea is still much in development with the Silver Lining team prepping and pitching the show for TV as we speak and as with any start-up programs, a pilot episode must be produced but from what I hear, the show will promise humour, fun and of course, ghost hunting but it it's own very unique way featuring views and opinions from both believers, and non-believers. 

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Trailer: Cutting Room

Trailer: Cutting Room

Michael W. Bell
Sound Design, Collaborations, Composing, Trailer

I recently worked alongside my friend and colleague Emily Jackson to produce the score for Silver Lining Pictures upcoming feature film, Cutting Room, check out results below! I've always loved the idea of collaboration which I guess is a plus point given the crazy deadlines we are gives as composers, It's always interesting to see where something goes when two minds work together.

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Band: Black Noire's "Tales of the Unaffected" EP

Band: Black Noire's "Tales of the Unaffected" EP

Michael W. Bell
Mastering, Mixing, Recording, Bands & Artists, Producing

I was recently given the opportunity to work with Baroque Pop/Rock band Black Noire to produce, mix and master their debut EP, "Tales of the Unaffected" and am pleased to announce that that work is now complete!

Black Noire is made up of Daniel Smith (Guitar/Bass), Emily Jackson (Keys/Piano/Orchestrator) and Darron Connett (Vocals/Lyrics) and from the very beginning I knew it was going to be an interesting project...

I agreed fairly early on that I would work on the post production for the EP, I knew Dan killed it on the bass and what with Emily being my VP over at Aurora Eclipse Productions, I was fully aware that the project would be different and merge genres to create an interesting listen; I had nothing to be worried about, if only just a just little intrigued by what they were cooking up in the writing rooms.

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Documentary: Legends: The Kray Twins Story

Documentary: Legends: The Kray Twins Story

Michael W. Bell
Documentary, Animation, Composing

After the recent success of the Frankie Fraser online documentary which hit 35,000 views in just one month, I recently collaborated with my friends Louis Frost and Bob Taylor of Silver Lining Pictures to produced yet another original score for another short animated documentary, this time focused on the notorious London gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray. 

Silver Lining provided me with just a few drawings of which I was to base a 13 minute composition on, this was a real challenge for me as I'm so used to composing directly to picture. I was told the music would need to be atmospheric, but still musical and repeat but still change in timbre and mood, below are the results.

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Documentary: Frankie Fraser: His Last Interview

Documentary: Frankie Fraser: His Last Interview

Michael W. Bell
Documentary, Composing

Silver Lining Pictures have just released their first online documentary film focused on the life of Frankie Fraser, a notorious gangster from London in the 1960s. The film begins with a brief introduction to Fraiser himself, detailing some of his crimes and experiences before moving onto the last documented interview with Frankie himself just before his death at the end of 2014.

Silver Lining Pictures were looking for an ambient, but ominous soundscape to use in the background of their film and subsequently licensed Mike's track "Lurking In The Delta Waves" from the AEP Library. Impressively, they managed to use the entire 13 minute track!

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Short Film: Jogger

Short Film: Jogger

Michael W. Bell
Short Film, Sound Design, Composing

I was recently completed the score, sound design and final mix for the short film "Jogger".

Jogger is the second short film produced by Silver Lining Pictures during the summer of 2014 and the second time I have worked with director/actor Matthew Clark (Francis). The film was shot with no dialogue or location sound and as such, I was responsible for producing an original score, sourcing and manipulating foley and adding sound design to the film.

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Short Film: Local Girl

Short Film: Local Girl

Michael W. Bell
Composing

“Lucille Phillips lives with her mother in a council estate. She pretends to be more mature than her years and visits bars regularly with her friend Becky, wearing stolen designer dresses and on the prowl. Since her father left when she was very young she has always looked for older gentlemen to date that can look after her and support her financial needs. She lies about her age and her background in order to appeal to these more mature men. On this particular night she meets Derek, but will her deception and lies come back to haunt her?” — Synopsis"

I was contacted by the lovely Eva Marie Wilshere who had been on the look out for a composer to add some romantic/atmospheric music to a scene in her beautifully shot short film, 'Local Girl'. We snapped up the opportunity and collaborated with her to underscore her picture in time for the festivals. Local Girl was shown on a number of nights at the Brighton Media Festival during the summer of 2014.

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Short Film: Survival

Short Film: Survival

Michael W. Bell
Short Film, Composing

Survival is the first short film produced by Silver Lining Pictures during the summer of 2014 and shot on location in Eastbourne, East Sussex. I was luck enough to spend the day with the team during filming before taking on the responsibilities of for producing and mixing an original score for the short film.

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Hans Zimmer: Bleeding Fingers Competition Entered

Hans Zimmer: Bleeding Fingers Competition Entered

Michael W. Bell
Competitions

I have just completed my submission for the Bleeding Fingers competition, in which composers are invited to “reimagine, replay, recompose or revise to your heart’s content” the “Destiny’s Door” cue originally composed by Hans Zimmer. The lucky three winners get the opportunity to work full time in Los Angeles for Bleeding Fingers alongside high respected composers at Zimmer’s Remote Control Productions facility.

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Documentary: Night Owls

Documentary: Night Owls

Michael W. Bell
Documentary, Composing

Check out my latest scored project, Night Owls.

Night Owls was a photography workshop devised by Julia Horbaschk for the Brighton Digital Festival. The workshop evolved into an event with the support of Daniel Harrera (MD of the Dream Factory), Filmmaker Roy Peterson (aka Roy Zoner), Make up Artist Elena Peratikos, model Violetta and a small crew of volunteers.

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Animation: Æ Har Det Bare Bra: In The Festivals

Animation: Æ Har Det Bare Bra: In The Festivals

Michael W. Bell
Sound Design, Animation

I have just heard that Meredith Strandquist’s “Æ Har Det Bare Bra”; a short animated film I designed the sound for has been entered into the festivals!

The film was shown at the following film festivals during 2013, winning 3rd place on two occasions and receiving some great feedback from Innsbruck, very well done Meredith!

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Band: Shores of Acheron [Intro]

Band: Shores of Acheron [Intro]

Michael W. Bell
Sound Design, Composing, Bands & Artists

Something a little different! US based (Baton Rouge, Louisiana to be precise) Metallers Shores Of Acheron were looking for a composer to work on an atmospheric track for them which could be used as an opener for their live performances as well as to serve as an introductory track to their upcoming release 'End of Reign'.

Having grown up on a healthy diet of heavy metal, Mike composed a piece of ambient sound design and combined it with a crescendo of dark ambient and orchestral elements. These were all designed to build tension to give the band a great opportunity to begin their set with everyone's attention firmly on them. 

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Short Film: Francis

Short Film: Francis

Michael W. Bell
Short Film, Composing

I was approached by Matthew Clark who informed me that he was writing and starring in a short horror film and was looking for some original music and a few sounds effects for the film. The brief required an atmospheric orchestral score which would focus on the mood and drama of the picture. Whilst being emotive, the score would need to accompany in a way that would not detract from the visuals or narrative.

While adding ambient sound design elements to accompany the score, I also took on some extra duties to put sonic emphasis on the integral parts of horror within the narrative, for example; during the poem excerpt read by the main characters mother during the ghastly vision sequence, followed by the imaginary swarm of flies which were to chase the main character during the films final dramatic moment.

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Band: In The Studio With Demental Recording "Hatriotism”.

Band: In The Studio With Demental Recording "Hatriotism”.

Michael W. Bell
Mastering, Recording, Mixing, Bands & Artists, Producing

Had a great few sessions in the studio recording with Brighton based Thrash Metallers Demental for their upcoming single ‘Hatriotism’.

We recorded the single in the larger studio at City College East, Brighton which uses an old Audient console (originally used at Olympic Studios by the likes of U2 and Brian Eno to name a few). While I love the console, we did have some initial problems! The console had been overheating which meant that the studio door had to be left open throughout the day and fans permanently facing the desk, fine for us but maybe not so great for others trying to work with Thrash Metal blasting through the complex ;).

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