For many music creators, the audiovisual world still holds plenty of mysteries. How do you find your place in screen music, a field that brings together a wide range of collaborators—filmmakers, screenwriters, copyists, instrumentalists, and more—and draws on so many different areas of expertise? For a few days, the inner workings of composing for the screen came into focus at the École de musique de l’Université de Sherbrooke.
That’s where 16 composers from across the country got the full experience of creating music for the screen as part of the Screen Music Lab, presented by SOCAN Foundation and SOCAN in collaboration with the École de musique de l’Université de Sherbrooke. Working from four scenes from the short film Dormance, co-directed by actor and screenwriter Alexa-Jeanne Dubé, the 16 participants immersed themselves in a creative process where every note has to find its place within a story already in motion.
The Lab brought together a group of acclaimed industry mentors to guide them through the process: composers Robert Kraft, Erica Procunier and Jérémie Corriveau, along with filmmaker Alexa-Jeanne Dubé.
Just before hitting the road, the group kicked things off in Montréal with a presentation from SPACQ-AE. Then it was off to Sherbrooke. Within hours of settling into their home base for the week, the composers were already sharing their first sketches in one-on-one sessions with the mentors—a chance to test their ideas, get feedback and, above all, begin shaping the musical direction of their scenes.
Day 2 brought the ideas off the page and into the studio. The participants worked on their scores with nine copyists—students from the École de musique de l’Université de Sherbrooke—under the guidance of Thierry Pilote, Program Manager at the École de musique de l’Université de Sherbrooke, before beginning their first recording sessions with a string quartet. That afternoon, the mentors shared tools, resources and stories from their own careers during the panel The Journey of a Screen Composer, moderated by Mike Rocha, SOCAN’s Director, Film & TV, and the conversation could easily have gone on for hours. With a wealth of professional experience and insight gathered over the years, Robert Kraft is one of those people who always has a story to tell and a thoughtful perspective to share.
The final two days were devoted to bringing the compositions across the finish line: final orchestral recording sessions, refinements, critical listening and work on the final mix. In just a few days, a musical idea had become a fully realized score for the screen.
The week naturally culminated in a final screening, open to the public and presented by the SCGC. The composers each presented a three- to four-minute score for the same excerpts from the short film co-directed by Alexa-Jeanne Dubé. Four scenes, 16 different ways of making them heard.
Beyond the screening itself, the evening created a space for connection that felt equal parts warm, inspiring and vulnerable—a chance to finally take a step back after several intense days of creating. The celebration continued with a cocktail reception presented by BEAM: a starry evening, mölkky, bites and, above all, plenty of great conversations.
Julien Boumard Coallier, Grants Manager at SOCAN Foundation, underscores the importance of the program: “Every year, the Lab gives emerging screen composers hands-on professional experience, helping them develop their craft and take their first steps into the industry. Over four days, the École de musique de l’Université de Sherbrooke provided them with a setting that met the highest industry standards and became a true hub for creativity, collaboration and knowledge-sharing.”
Another edition of the Screen Music Lab came to a close with finished compositions, new collaborations and, for 16 composers, a hands-on taste of what it means to create music for the screen.
Thank you to the 16 participants:
Cohort 1 :
- Alexandre Roche
- Arzhel Morel
- Carol Mak
- Erik Ingalls
- Ivan Ovsky
- Kalen Smith
- Lynna Bao
- Mika Zahar
- Shelby Pfeiffer-Reinitz
- Vincent Suddaby
Cohort 2 :
- Béatrice Bédard-Lepage
- Hannah Mok
- Jaasmaan Singh
- Mikel Hurwitz
- Olivier Soudin
- Zachary Greer