Linkedin! I'm sure we have come across this biz network site, I'd thought I'd post some of the recomendations others have made about me from this site:
“Philip is a real pro, always trying to find that extra something for the project. I have no hesitation in recommending Phil to provide musical composition for the simplest arrangement to the most complex orchestration.” September 16, 2009 "Slow Joe" annimation & "Roary The Racing Car"
Top qualities: Great Results , Expert , Creative
Phil Chalk
hired Phillip as a Musical Composition and performance in 2007 , and hired Phillip more than once. END:
“Phil Lawrence is simply the Man. Hard working, insightful, dilligent and highly creative, with an enormous understanding of the history of music/instrumentation to the present day. Equipped with his own small but wonderful recording studio and professional facilities. Meets every deadline delivering quality, on time, everytime. Apart form all this he is a charming and witty man, that makes working with him a real pleasure. I can throughly recommend him as the best person, indeed only person, to contact when you need professional written/compossed music. Ref by Ray Brady Director/Producer” July 29, 2009 "Intergalactic Combat" feature film & "Egression" Gritty Drama short.
Top qualities: Great Results , Personable , Expert
Ray Brady
hired Phillip as a Composer in 2006 , and hired Phillip more than once. END:
“Phillip has been relentless in forging a relationship with SMA whereby we officially represent him and as I told him, flattery will get him anywhere. Not only is he a delight to work with and has a great sense of humour, he takes his music very seriously indeed. We have enjoyed discussing music briefs from time to time and he always researches projects in great depth. He certainly knows his stuff and is a wonderful composer. I look forward to the time when budgets recover, the British film industry regains some of its confidence - and funding! - so that we can help Phillip to secure more of those commissions he so richly deserves.” June 30, 2010
Top qualities: Great Results , Personable , Expert
Carolynne Wyper
hired Phillip as a Film music in 2009
Off to Liverpool this FRiday to meet the "Catweazle" team!
All becomes clearer now back from Cannes. Stealth Media (Universal/arm of) are standing by “The Magnificent 11” to dist, and, they became so impressed with our producer/script writer John & Pete Adams they have created a new arm of Stealth Media, “Stealth Indie” John & Pete have now the go-ahead to make and produce three to four films a year on the £1.2/£1.7 million budget. The press release party for “Mag 11” was a bute, and I joined many of the other Stealth LA contingency at their villa some 2 miles up in the mountains (apparently Michael Cain & Paris Hilton had stayed there some weeks before). I was also lucky enough to meet a budget searching mob from Liverpool who want to make a film of the old 1970’s series “Catweazle” (I also met the original writer), so I convinced them that they also needed a Liverpuddlian composer, they have already land the main part and cast Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) in the star role. I go to the Pool in a few short weeks to begin formal chat! Apart from that “Mag 11” goes into production in late August, so I best start etching soon!
I also met Clive Davis-Frayne who has a great script, he’s already said that “the music is so important, we might do the album first” the script is under heavy consideration at present, and, Clive wants me to do it, I’ll have to study my Balkan Beat music now (?)!
So, another Cannes and ready to go on the 11th next week through to the 22nd! My episode of “Roary The Racing Car” is done and dusted recording it with Faireys (35 piece brass), the scenario for this episode was the race track owner wanted a brass band for the race finale; problem was none of then knew what a brass band was until it was basically explained and then they decided to make the instruments from spare race car parts.
This did present a few problems.
One, dealing with real instruments but on screen they use knock-up car parts, how should one manipulate/write for the real instruments to make them sound, erm, strange?
Two, in, “The Brassless Brass Band” (as the episode is called) they gather as a group with their car parts to play, and giggle about, or move up and down in a supposed tempo, for E.G “Flash” (Mr. Rabbit) has a pair of hub caps as clash cymbals and bashes them in near crotchet tempo for the duration. I had to mimic the tempo perceived from the animation and get the piece that I could see them playing correct in style and mood. Not easy!!
SNUB is out on DVD on May 24th from W H Smiths, Amazon, and all good retail outlets, its taken 2 years + but we are now there! Now, for
“The Magnificent Eleven” tis all go, press launch party at Cannes on the 13th given by Stealth Media (arm of Universal) champers & cocktails all round! The funding is now 100% and we go end of June with a very strong cast, Sean Bean, Robert Vaughn, (and new) Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible II) and the fab Paul Barber & Johnnie Spitfire. Apparently other projects will be spoken of while I’m there, but as yet I’m not privy to any facts!
Equipment pinnacle: In the last six months I have strived to update the studio to cope with just about any kind of score that comes my way or the way of some of my fellow composers that use Elms. So now I’m proud to say that in recent weeks, over 175,000 rex files have been added to RMX Stylus, Absynth 4 has been added, Real Guitar 2L has been added, Omnisphere (40+gig), Trillian (49 gigs of bass), Superior Drummer S2, the Play version of Symphonic Choirs (39 gig), all the soft versions of the EMU collection via Dimension LE which inc’s. Planet Earth/Virtuosi/Ex lead1/2000. Combine these new additions to the present Vienna Orch cube, Philharmonik, Raging Guitars, Overdrive, Vienna concert guitar, FX percussion, Epic horns, and scoring with Sibelius 6 it makes Elms a noise power that won’t run out!
*Well, happy 2010! I can now release the star info on the casting of "The Magnificent 11" (even though it was let out of the PR bag 2 weeks ago) we have Mr. Bean (not Rowan Atkinson!) Mr. Sean Bean in front, Robert Vaughn (playing the role of a baddie), Paul Barber & Johnnie Spitfire, there are some other casting to be set in stone, but as we've just been put back 2 weeks due to the weather in Wales, there's time yet!
I'm setting to work soon with Shahin Badar ("The Prodigy" vocals) on some ideas for a single for the film, besides other musical aspectswithin the production. Meanwhile I'm off to Liverpool with the GSMD to do a series of educational concert featuring several of my works as a part of a brass project within Liverpool/Sefton/Knowsley, and one will actually be in my old primary school Anfiled Rd Jnr. School just 2 minutes from the hallowed ground, this Thursday 21st to Sat 23rd, pop in to the Liverpool Arts Centre Saturday morning between 9am & 12pm opposite the Liverpool Phil Hall if you want to say hello! Next news might be about some material I working on that might just get in front of Robbie Williams!!!
Sorry, not been too much to report, but things are hoting up nicely! First on the BB front I’ll be going up to BIC at the Sage Newcastle on the 15th where Fairey will be sporting three or four of my arrangements and possibly one composition. One arrangement was hot off the printer just last night which promises to be a real hoot and exposé for one of the Fairey band which should make a jaw drop or two! I can only say the arrangement is a blend of two very unlikely musical bedfellows!
Film: Well this one is going to drop and splash big soon when the final casting is announced plus the distribution we now have with one of the mega names for the last 60 years in film backing and distribution. One of the casting names that looked good for a while (and I can now tell as it’s not happening) was Robbie Williams who has always fancied himself (well fancied himself full stop!) as a bit of a footballer, he pondered over the script for a while but when the “Take That” was a possible get together went Pete Tong so did the idea of staying in the UK for the film! Vocal-wise, though, I’m going to be working with a great Indian/crossover star (picked her myself) Shahin Badar (her web is www.shahinbadar.com) we hope to write a great number both integral to the film with chart-single qualities; and I can hint, there also might be another mega pop diva in the cast, but we still await a reply?
Come January the work will start on the film, they hope to start filming on the 11th. I’ll also be taking a visit to my old home town of Liverpool with the Guildhall School of Music’s brass band under the baton of my old friend & best man Paul Cosh. It’s an educational flying two day visit for Liverpool Music Service and also Sefton Music Service, the band will also sport some of my arrangements and compositions to give a point of view of local boy makes good. I hope to add some more just before Xmas. Cheers! And remember, fireworks aren’t just for Christmas!
Lecturing in Havant College:
I was invited to speak for the day in a 4 lecture format at Havant College on Music Careers, Music Composition for film, Film Music Genre's & history and the Music business itself. Well, I started at 8.55am and finished at 2.30pm with a half hour for lunch (much jaw lubrication needed). My first session was to 141 students both music & film studies, and from then on just music students. It was a really good day and the students were indeed very attentive and I enjoyed it very much. Today, I got some feed back from the head of film studies mailed to the head of music (Wayne Morley):
"Dear Wayne,
On behalf of the nearly 100 Film St and Media St Students who attended the Lecture on 'Film and Music' on Wed morning can I thank you and your organizational skills for a truly excellent learning experience. Feedback from students and their energized engagement in follow up sessions indicate that this 'Session A lead-lecture format' worked really well and I'm sure could be developed and used more widely. An area of investigation for 'Advanced Practitioners 'perhaps. Thanks again for doing all of the hard work and inviting Phil along!"
It's been a while!
So, the BBC series didn't work out, you can't win em' all! But what has been most rewarding which is something most composers don't get a chance to do, is to work on animation where the music is the sole source of interpretation throughout, and 6 minutes worth t'boot! Having said that, I picked up a lot of sync tricks working on fight scenes, and short adverts. The animation/cartoon is in the Ardman style and is called "Slow Joe" it's about a northern bloke and his racing pigeon that's too fat to race which is a bit of a disgrace as his lineage of family has reared some great racers in the past. So, for this one I've had to dig out and wipe the dust off my old cornet to do some old brass band style playing, which was tough as I've not really played for some 12 years "proper like" I finished this one this week. I'll post broadcast date as soon as I know.
There's more on the animation scene with a "Rory The Racing Car" episode named "The Brassless Brass Band" expecting this to start early Sep.
The omnibus situ! Yes, just when you've sat there for 12 years waiting the 99c to turn up, six of them turn up in triple tandem! As you well know I've recently announced that I'm on the job for "The Magnificent 11" And since coming back from Cannes I'd heard nowt from a fast friendship made while I was there; until last week! Just when you least expect it, on a bike, in the countryside, raining, your mobile goes off in your third inside pocket while free-wheeling at 22 mph, and it was him - "I thought you were dead" I said! he explained that budgets and directors and principal cast had to be drawn in for the funding, and he'd just walked out of Darren Ewing's office at Fox in LA with an agreed budget of $8.9 mill and did I want the job---? "Well, I'm kinda busy cycling now Clive" I said *&^% Of course I didn't say that!!! I cant say much about the film, but it's one of those that will be very hush until it's in yer face. Meanwhile I also wait for the BBC to see if they liked a demo I stuck in for a 26 part series, Pixar-like of a mickey-take on "Lord Of The Rings" called "Muddle Earth". And then comes along a 15 min animation for C4 about a pidgeon who's too fat to race, "Slow Joe" and now also waiting in the wings another animation named "The Brassless Brass Band" kinda up my street. I suppose the bus must reach the terminus eventually??
Well it's splashed official, all has hit the major news area from Google to Variety to the Daily Mail. Irvine Welsh to direct "The Magnificent 11" and I'm scoring/composing for the film. Hey, it's only taken 10 years of bust'in me puds from door to door, I've got septic knuckles and a flat nose, but has it been worth it? I'll let you know very soon!
Back from Cannes! It was great to find my feature SNUB in the British Film catalogue when I go out there, and, on the next page to "Slumdog Millionaire" page 182! This made a good opener when in conversation/networking: "What have you been doing then?" I'd reply: "You know Slumdog Millionaire?" then a big "Yes" would come from the enquirer: "Well, (as I quickly thumbed through the catalogue to page 182), I'm on the next page to it, here (showing page 183)!" Which broke the ice real nice! There were several director/producer friends of mine there inc. some financial/lawyer/accountants, and it's good to talk to these peeps too to get an understanding of how the whole financial gubbins works to get a film up and running! But networking is what it is essentially all about, and, I met a chap from Film Utopia out of Milan and ex Brummie, we hit it off very well and we talked mucho on everythingo inc. his next feature where he hopes to cast David Tennant (Dr. Who) in the lead role. I think there might be future in this relationship? Apart from that, one partied till the obvious 4am (on one night only), eat rather well and drank a tad too much. Admired the sites from scantily clad grandmothers to scantily clad granddaughters, to the odd Lambo, and one very fine totally chromed Mercedes McLaren to three storey yacht's! It went so quick. Back in Blighty, I can now look forward to my next project in June which is short animation for C4, don't know much about it as yet, but I'll blog the info soon.
Great news on the way to Cannes, it seems we have a flickering green light on the next film "The Magnificent 11" as Irvine Welsh (author of "Trainspotting") has agreed to direct. Shooting should start in September!
On prep for Cannes which is now just a month before take-off! Recent addition to my publishing catalogue with www.mostynmusic.com is another fun trombone trio just like my last on the album with Faireys (It's Not Unusual). Again, I'm not sure how I arrived at this unlikely title for a trombone trio, but, my fave ("pop"/motown) singer of all time is Stevie Wonder, and from the radio as I was driving came his great Motown commercial number from 1965, "Up-tight, out of sight" a well-worn saying for those on the whacky-backy back in the 60's! There's no doubt it's a real foot-tapper, and the trombone parts are well peppered with technical trips yet not spoiling the over-all original line!
There's much talk in the biz on my next film that's way down the pipe-line (I have to say), hopefully starring Ray Winstone, Robert Vaughn (Man from Uncle/Hustlers), Richard Fairbrass (Right Said Fred) and Raj Kapur (no 1 Bollywood star), looks like to be in the line of "East meets West/Brassed Off/Bend it Like Beckham/The Full Monty" but the light is still on amber until the first million is raised!
Italian Earthquake! I was shocked to see one of my closest friends from my youth orchestra days from back in the 1980's telling a BBC reporter that she had lost all inc. her town, and very close friends. Joanna Griffiths-Jones was a very close friend for more than 10 years inc. the time she left Liverpool to study at the Guildhall and we kept in touch there to, until she joined an orchestra in Rome, then later the opera on violin. All she has now is a mobile phone and a borrowed caravan. If there are any of you out there that are from those days and wish to help, her sister, Robyn has set up an appeal account Abbey Sort code 09 - 01 - 27 Account 36138043.
So, the immediate? I have partnered up with a screen writer, and between the two of us (over the next year) we hope to come up with the basics for a new musical, but as yet, no ideas as the partnership is only 2/3 weeks old, but he's a great chap and talented writer who is extremely well stage/screen/& book-read & well really hope to begin to search various scenarios/plots/books/original ideas over the next few months! Keep in touch now!
RNCM Festival of Brass: Faireys premiers "Time Machine" 1/2/09.
I dashed from London to Stockport on Saturday night to be at the rehearsal of "Time Machine" I snook in at the back during a percussion sectional to witness a red faced percussion player on xylo, slam his sticks down onto the keys and proclaim; "whoever's written this is a mad bastard!" Twas at this point the conductor pointed my way and said "Don't stop there, that's him in the corner" Which indeed got a jolly-bon larf! It was hard and also especially for the cornets, and for their new debut soprano player who played a blinder. In the concert, I felt rather concered as I had sat behind me John McCabe, and in front Gilbert Vinter's son. The band was on form, and indeed played a blinder, I received personal congrats from John McCabe & Paul Hindmarsh the organiser. Can't wait for our next little collaboration, meanwhile I'm editing some of the "Acid Brass" series that Faireys successfully take on the road!
Phil gains entry to "Screened Music Network" via his M25 tone poem.
This esteemed web site is run by some of the top film/TV composers in the UK, Phil recently submitted his jaunty quirk to join this band of (for E.G the composer of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire") UK screen composers, follow this link to see what they thought of it! http://www.screenedmusic.co.uk/track.aspx?TrackID=1129
Seasons greetings! I suppose you banders will already know the popularity of my trombone trio "It's Not Unusual" (from the album of the same titles with Faireys & Frank Renton SP&S), well there's another trom trio to be let off soon with the same, "What!?" reaction once one has been told the title. Again, it came to me in a blinding flash as the famous Tom Jones number did; and, here's a minor leak; it just might premier soon at a holiday camp near you! My next date with a band will be at a premier at the RNCM February 1st at the Paul Hindmarsh Festival of Brass, where my new short tone poem "Time Machine" will hopefully make a mark(?).
Next year looks to be busy where I'll be scoring a major UK feature co-staring Ray Winstone & Raj Kapur, but more of this when things begin to firm up. Have a great holiday, and peace to you all.
The SNUB single preview! In a few days now the single will appear here, under "film music" next to the SNUB picture icons! The film has now been premiered in LA at the AFM Festival with great reviews and up to 10 buyers coming on board for WW distribution! The single, "The Words Out" recorded last June in Phil's studio (Elms) plays out the end sequence of the film. Written & recorded by the "Tin Soldiers" & produced by Phil Lawrence & Tim Keep the single hopes to make a mark to begin with local radio. It will also be under early scrutiny by Sony BMG as the Sony Picture arm has some interest in the film itself. So, come back to here soon to auditon some X factoring as it happens!
Sony invtes Phil to attend the AFM Film festival in LA.
It is indeed unusual for the backers to invite others than director/producer to the launch, but the score to SNUB has indeed added much ambience to the dark fast paced horror, lending more umph to the power of this new camera which thrives on darkness; just as the music does: says Jeremy Lee!
Phil's/Elms CLIENT LIST THIS LAST QUARTER (just to keep you up-dated on who is usuing Phil's music!
BBC Radio Wales, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Guernsey, Jersey, Swindon, Wiltshire, Somerset Sound: CBBC, ITV1 Grampian & STV Scotland, BBC Radio 4, Bermuda Cablevision, iTunes, Vodaphone, Canadian Films, Angry Badger Productions.