Over a 6-week period, the Composer Filmmaker Accelerator program (CFA) takes 12 talented composers to collaborate with 4 filmmakers. Each filmmaker gets to work with 3 composers on that director’s film clip through 5 weeks of virtual lessons, and discuss the work as a group.
During that time, the participants develop musical cues together, exploring both traditional and innovative scoring techniques, with mentorship from industry experts. In Week 6, the CFA program shifts to Vancouver for in-person mix sessions at the renowned ‘The Warehouse Studio’.
CFA remains a pivotal program for emerging talent, driving the future of music in film through professional development, community building, and encouraging diverse participation.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Our musical partner, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, curates a group of 20 VSO players to record in studio with the 12 composer cohort, who work in collaboration with their respective film director.
Program Faculty
Miriam Cutler
CFA Founder and Program Curator
The CFA 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.
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.
