As part of their strategic vision for VIFF Amp, Rob Calder & Tony Scudellari wanted to include a more advanced composer program. Renowned composer Miriam Cutler was brought on to conceive and curate the new Composer Filmmaker Accelerator (CFA) Program in 2023.
Building upon the success of year one, the CFA program returns to offer a new cohort of emerging composers an intensive, practical experience and a unique opportunity to work alongside filmmakers while receiving mentorship and guidance from industry professionals.
Miriam Cutler, Program Curator
The program is curated by three-time Emmy-nominated, award-winning film and television composer Miriam Cutler, based on her vast experience mentoring and leading workshops for both filmmakers and composers with Sundance, the International Documentary Association, Film Independent, US State Department / USC School of Cinema American Film Showcase (international), and more.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Our musical partner, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra curated a group of 20 VSO players to record in studio with the 12 composer cohort, who worked in collaboration with their respective film director. This culminated in the VSO musicians performing these original compositions live in their first-ever public facing concert at VIFF Amp.
Composer Filmmaker Accelerator Showcase
In 2023, the concert performance featured all 12 original scores by the inaugural cohort of the Composer Filmmaker Accelerator Program. The concert was the culmination of 7 weeks of online and in-person class work, recording the score and final mixing in the studio. The composers presented the music to the public in a live-to-picture performance, featuring the 20 musicians of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra with whom they collaborated in the recording studio.
Program Faculty
Damon Tedesco
Recording Engineer and Scoring Mixer
Damon Tedesco is the Recording Engineer and Scoring Mixer for the Amp Composer Filmmaker Accelerator. For the last 25 years, Damon has specialized in recording music for film and television. A member of the Television Academy, he has recorded and mixed music for hundreds of commercials, TV shows, films, and documentaries. He is currently the scoring mixer for Family Guy and American Dad, and recently worked on Lost City and Hocus Pocus 2.
Michelle Sudduth
Scoring Session Producer
Michelle Sudduth is the Scoring Session Producer for the VIFF Amp Composer Filmmaker Accelerator. Michelle is a composer, songwriter, and classically-trained pianist, and has worked in the booth on many film and TV recording sessions in Los Angeles. She called Vancouver home while in graduate school (UBC) and credits UCLA’s Film Scoring program with equipping her to create music for media. Most recently, Michelle has joined a cohort of composers for MTV / Paramount’s FirstTime Composers initiative through 2024.
Alex Clark
Copyist and Librarian
With a composition degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and over a decade as an orchestra librarian, Alex Clark has spent most of his professional career behind the scenes of large classical music productions preparing music for musicians or leading the digital video production teams. In recent years Alex has gained experience in sound design, cinematography, directing cameras for live orchestral concerts and recordings, arranging for orchestra and rock band as well as composing for chamber ensembles, full symphony orchestra and electronic music for a short film.
Aside from writing, Alex has remained active as a viola player and conductor during his time in Arts Administration. His career philosophy has been to continue to learn and understand as much about the music industry as a whole as possible while maneuvering in and around it. This has naturally led to a strong interest in the film and television industry as well. Alex is always looking for projects that will help him learn new skills, collaborate with other creative individuals and grow his music creation studio and business. Most of Alex’s music publishing and production business is run through his company AseosA.
