ASCAP composers once again stormed the San Diego Convention Center and made their mark at the annual pop culture mega conference, Comic-Con International. Packed rooms of fans and fellow composers were entertained and educated by ASCAP music creators and their collaborators.
The ever-expanding integration of music and media found music makers featured on multiple panels and events throughout the conference. ASCAP composers Nathan Johnson (Looper, Brick) and Joe Trapanese (Tron: Uprising, The Raid) spoke about their working relationships on projects at a Character of Music Panel on the first day of the conference, while composer Ryan Shore (The Shrine, Prime) joined iconic movie poster illustrator Drew Struzan on a panel for the feature documentary he scored based on Struzan’s life.
The Fan Favorite Projects Go Interactive panel, co-presented by ASCAP and CW3PR, focused on the unique challenges that composers face when scoring video games. Moderator Jose Sanchez of Electric Playground led the all-ASCAP panel, featuring composers Gordy Haab (Star Wars: The Old Republic), David Ari Leon (Contre Jour), Gerard Marino (The Amazing Spiderman), Kyle Newmaster (Kinect: Star Wars) and Jeremy Soule (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim), in a lively discussion about the increasing amount of music used in video games, and what it’s like to work with game developers.
In addition, ASCAP composers Robert Duncan (Castle), Trevor Morris (The Borgias) and Marc Shaiman (Smash) were highlighted on a Behind the Music panel exploring the collaborations between composers and singers. Each spoke of the challenges and triumphs of achieving their musical vision and how they have built their careers.
As if we needed any more indication that the ASCAP talent at this year’s Comic-Con was stellar: two weeks prior, Soule took home the Top Video Game award at the 2012 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, and the week after the Comic-Con, Shaiman, Morris, and Duncan were all nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards.