I’m supposed to be writing some fantasy/adventure music right now to be licensed for trailers and such. The guy for whom I am writing the cues needs me to be specific to the genre without ripping anyone off. We don’t want to be sued. Oh, and also, it should be highly original and modern–nothing from 10, 20, 50, or (God forbid) 200 years ago. I need to be original.
Shoot.
That’s a tall order, friends.
AUGH. I need the creative juices to flow…
Just to keep you on the up and up, here are some exciting things that have been happening in the So-Cal-Semsen household:
-Nathaniel is currently shooting a couple of commercials for Gap. He’s doing two different things for them–an internet spot and a TV commercial that will eventually turn into something like 11 different spots. I’m sure you’ll see them on TV towards the holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas time?). That’s just a guess, though…the internet spot will be an interactive card-making device of some sort. I think from what I heard that you’ll be able to make custom video holiday greeting cards where Nathaniel pops out of a large Christmas present and says something to you…but stay tuned…more on that to come…
Random facts: he is rehearsing and shooting all last week and this week. He’s not the only one in the commercial, there’s a whole troop of dancers and three other kids, so he will be one of many. This is SUPER exciting for us and a great experience for Nathaniel. He got his own private trailer last week on the set and Christy just about flipped out. “Hey Nathaniel, lets go back to your trailer and eat lunch.” What?!? It is a tad surreal. He is shooting more this week…and we’re attempting to gently guide and teach him to be grateful and humble in regards to this opportunity and to not think he is entitled to star treatment 24 hours a day. We will be measuring his head daily with a tape measure to make sure it doesn’t start growing…
-Nathaniel also shot some stuff for an independent film titled “Pickin’ and Grinnin’“. This means he now has his own IMDB page! Check it out!
-I just finished scoring my fifth episode of Travelscope, and now have my own IMDB page as well. If you click over and see it, you might notice that only three episodes of the show are listed, as the other two are in pre-production for season 4 (which airs in June 2010?) and aren’t up yet.
-I recently orchestrated Travis Cottrell’s Easter musical “Run to the Cross”. I can tell you from hearing the songs (again and again while I orchestrated) that it is a tremendous, powerful work. He and his team wrote some beautiful songs that will stir your heart to worship. It is one of my favorite projects of his and I can’t wait for y’all to hear it. I think it’ll release sometime in the next month or two from Brentwood-Benson. You’re gonna wanna hear it, its awesome. Also–the Jesus Saves Live books/orchestrations just got released and shipped out to Midway. We sight-read through “To the King” yesterday and it was very fun. Can’t wait to do more of these songs and hear our peeps sing/play them…what a GREAT album!
-Christy and I are finishing up our kids musical for Word Music and will be flying out to Nashville in two weeks to record and making the DVD this Christmas with the Midway Kids Choir. We’re SO stoked for this cool, cool adventure. Christy has done the lion’s share of this thing and she has done an AMAZING job. I’m getting a bit choked up just thinking about how lucky I am to have such an amazingly talented wife. She is creative, passionate, and talented…and I’m get to work with her. I’m happy.
The kids at Midway are already rehearsing the songs and they are loving it…we are trying to soak it all in, but again, it is a bit surreal…
-I started doing some work here and there for www.praisecharts.com (my absolute favorite worship leading resource in the universe) and my first chart was published yesterday on their site. It’s a Christmas song by FEE, and it’s a COOL one. I kinda fell in love with it while transcribing it/arranging it and I’m sure we’ll do it this year. It COOKS. But in regards to this opportunity, it is a privilege to work for a company that puts out a product I use on a weekly basis and that I respect and love so much. I don’t know what I’d do without them, and I KNOW my ministry wouldn’t be the same…not even close. With praisecharts + planning center + Travis Cottrell, I feel like I have everything I need on a weekly basis. It’s hard to remember how I survived before these great resources were around…so thanks Aaron, Travis, and the praisecharts peeps, you’re awesome. I love you.
-Midway Baptist is awesome. We just cast our Christmas show and were blown away by the talented people that auditioned. We’re doing The Christmas Post this year (a broadway-type show) and this cast is going to rock the stage. It’s suuuuuper great to see that already, and not just the week or two before the show…
We had a sweet, sweet time of worship yesterday and my choir and orchestra people are becoming more and more committed and passionate about worship than ever–and they’re doing it TOGETHER. Even though we were working hard yesterday in rehearsal there were some moments of musical bliss where things clicked and they GOT IT. Those times make me so happy…and I just delight in seeing the altos work and work to get a tricky part and then NAIL it, and nail it again…and then for the basses to finally get that tricky line that they missed three times before…and then GET IT. I dance a jig in my head when that happens…and it’s happening more and more lately…which means a happy three-hour ride home in the car instead of a crabby one…
And in the interest of linking at least one thing in every section, here’s a link to Midway’s newly designed site. You’ll find bios from Christy and I on there, and I won’t spoil the surprise, but I will tell you there are some little treats in there…
All in all, we’re thankful for how much is going on and praise God for the opportunities He has laid out before us…
Not quite as good as the clip at the end of last night’s show, but still a WINNER of a preview…
I CAN’T WAIT
