"Korea Dreambus" Pilgrimage and Documentary Film

I'm over the moon that L.A.-based composer Terry Taegwoo has agreed to work with me on the score to Korea Dreambus! You can listen to some of his sample tracks on his website. Terry has composed for film and television, and he currently works for Bear McCreary's studio, Sparks and Shadows.  So far Terry and I seem to be on the same page regarding the use of Korean folk music -- specifically Arirang -- as well as choral music in the film. Some of the sections are more about the martyr saints, others are about my pilgrimage, and still others are pure reflections, so there will be a couple of themes to work through those sections. Ulsan's JinHa Beach area, Sept. 2024 Summer spins by so fast. I have, in fact, decided to move the screening date to Jan. 17, 2026. The film will still be finished by the end of this year, but I realized that a Nov. 1 screening date just wasn't feasible. If I didn't have two or three other jobs and was 100% focused on this film 100% of the ti...

I'm just about wrapped up at the high school where I teach. By this time next week, I'll be done, and that means that Korea Dreambus editing will be my main focus (after my job at the paper). The editor, Derrick, has the footage that I organized, so now I'll be diving into creating an assemble edit with some copious notes.  I'm also looking for a composer at the moment - someone who understands something about Korean culture and traditional music, even if the score isn't completely traditional-sounding. I'm hoping for a mix of traditional sounds and instrumentation (or approximation thereof) along with melodies that will resonate with the themes of the film, which revolve around the martyrs themselves and the personal reflections I'll be making. Speaking of which, writing the script for the narration will also be on my platter this summer.  I'm planning a small vacation to my homeland (Massachusetts) at the end of the month, otherwise, it's going to ...