Who Dat Wednesday: Trigger, a short film
You might ask, "How is BINACT covering a short film?" Well this is my first time writing about the musical score of a movie. I'm moving on up in 2017.
I interviewed my good friend, Imari Anderson (Surviving Child) and his partner in love and crime, Mona May at the end of last year. I learned so much about their creative processes in the filmmaking and how much work goes into composing the score for a flick.
I played Trigger no less than 45 times. Each time I picked up a nuance or theme that urged the viewer to respond. It's no secret that movies appeal to our senses in numerous ways. Musical score plays a huge part in controlling the viewer's feelings. With a simple tone or genre selection, Imari & Mona could make me feel any emotion of their choice.
Trigger chose dark trap sounds sounds to convey their message. The dramatic bassline coupled with the close up, visceral shots help the viewer identify with the internal struggle of the character. You can check out a few songs that inspired the production on Spotify.
I got more insight on the dynamic duo and how creating with a romantic partner changed both of them for the better.
Did you enjoy working with your lover to create Trigger?
Imari: It's one of the biggest tests of a relationship. Two people creating one project takes the right amount of patience and ability to come to a creative compromise.
Mona: It's great working with someone who has so many opinions. Drawing the boundary between the working and romantic relationship is key.
Why did you choose trap music for this project?
Imari: Trigger uses ominous trap beats to drive the fight or flight message home. They are aggressive and instinctive in nature with added melodic and ethereal undertones. We gave the sound design "skeleton" to our producer, Aylon Mello and he fleshed out the finished sonic product.
How does creating in the digital age affect your creative process?
Imari: Accessibility is the main positive aspect. Everything is right at your fingertips all time time. However, that creates limitations. It's hard to make something unique that hasn't already been done. Trusting in yourself and your ability makes creating in the digital age easier and more effective.
Check out Trigger and let BINACT know how it made you feel!
