Philip Sheppard

Author: Philip Sheppard

  • Keanu Reeves Brawn Soundtrack

    Keanu Reeves Brawn Soundtrack

    Keanu Reeves with thje Brawn F1 car

    Philip Sheppard’s soundtrack to the Keanu Reeves series; ‘Brawn: The Impossible F1 story’. Music score from the new Disney+ Hulu series

    Philip Sheppard’s soundtrack to the Keanu Reeves series; ‘Brawn: The Impossible F1 story’. Stream here

    About Brawn and Keanu Reeves

    In a Hollywood-worthy narrative that Keanu Reeves insists had to grace the tv screen, the saga of Brawn: The Impossible F1 Story unfolds against the backdrop of Formula 1’s tumultuous 2009 season. The symphony of triumph and tribulation crescendos with the documentary’s pulsating soundtrack, a creation of Composer Philip Sheppard, perfectly attuned to the highs and lows of the series now streaming on Disney+.

    In the annals of motorsports lore, the departure of Honda from Formula 1 in 2009 stood as a seismic event, leaving Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello without a team. Enter Ross Brawn, a maestro of managerial prowess, who orchestrated a takeover of the team for a mere £1, an audacious move that set the stage for a tale that few believed could unfold favorably.

    Brawn’s audacity paid off in a dazzling display of resilience and skill. Against the odds, Jenson Button claimed the world title, and Brawn GP secured the constructors’ championship, transforming what seemed like a eulogy into an exultant ode to triumph.

    Keanu Reeves, our tour guide into the inner workings of that fateful season, takes us on a riveting journey through the lens of a four-part documentary series. Brawn: The Impossible F1 Story peels back the layers of disruption preceding the season, unveiling the meteoric rise of Button, who, despite the early-season turmoil, clinched victory in six of the first seven races in 2009.

    The climax of the season, aptly set in Brazil, witnessed Button’s dramatic ascent from 14th to finish fifth, securing the championship in a heart-stopping finale. Button’s quote resonates like a poignant soliloquy in the ears of BBC Sport, “I could have finished eighth and still clinched the title at the last race by finishing fifth or sixth. But I wanted to finish on a high – prove to yourself as much as anyone else that you’ve got that killer instinct.”

    The heartbeat of Brawn GP’s success lies in their innovative approach to Formula 1’s new regulations of 2009. While others saw problems, Brawn GP saw opportunities. Episode one of the documentary delves into the intricacies of their strategic gamble, focusing on a ‘double diffuser’ that ultimately passed the scrutiny of the FIA despite protests from rival teams.

    Bernie Ecclestone, the sage of Formula 1, opines in episode two that interpreting rules has been a timeless art, and Brawn, a seasoned architect of Michael Schumacher’s triumphs, wielded his rulebook wisdom with finesse.

    The narrative weaves through Brawn’s journey from orchestrating Schumacher’s victories to the Honda tenure, sealed with a symbolic pound coin – an artifact now sacredly carried by Honda executive Hiroshi Oshima.

    The revelation that Brawn GP operated on a shoestring budget adds a gritty subplot to the fairy tale. Button, reflecting on the challenging times, notes the camaraderie forged in adversity but can’t help but rue the financial constraints that often left the team “running out of bits.”

    The Music

    Philip Sheppard’s musical score, an epic accompaniment to the series, resonates through the twists and turns of the Brawn GP saga. It is a testament to a team that, against all odds, turned a symbolic £1 into a priceless championship triumph.

  • Shut Your Eyes – Philip Sheppard’s new album

    Shut Your Eyes – Philip Sheppard’s new album

    Shut Your Eyes – Philip Sheppard’s new Album: I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest album, “Shut Your Eyes.” It’s been a while since my last album! I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for postclassical music and electronica with you through this collection of seven tracks recorded with my friends at Abbey Road Studios. Each piece is an expression of my love for music and my unwavering dedication to my craft. This album was created with my friends at Audio Network – and if you sign up… you can download it from them for free!

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    Shut Your Eyes

    One of the highlights of the album is the titular track, “Shut Your Eyes,” which has been described by critics as a “mesmerizing piece” and a “lullaby that feels like undulating waves across a sea of sleep.” To capture a sense of ebb and flow, I asked the musicians to breathe extra deeply while recording this track. As musicians, we are often inclined to hold our breath in..! The result is a hauntingly beautiful playing that I hope will take you on a journey to the deepest recesses of your subconscious.

    Rain Begins

    Another favourite track is “Rain Begins,” which has been lauded for its “gentle ode to a pastoral landscape that incorporates an electronic bouncing pattern in the background.” This fusion of genres is just one of the ways that I strive to push the boundaries of classical music and create a unique sound that is entirely my own. This trip hop vibe is deeply inspired by my work with UNKLE.

    Walking in the Lodge

    “Walking in the Lodge” is piece that tries to capture the feeling of awakening to the smell of jasmine and honeysuckle on the morning breeze. The use of long glissandi tunes, created through experimenting with writing solos entirely from slides, adds an uneasy ethereal quality to the track.

    The Dock On The Lake

    “The Dock On The Lake” is an attempt to paint glass-like water disturbed by the smallest ripples in an inspiring landscape. The use of a cycle of 5ths in the harmonic structure is thought to provoke a positive physiological reaction in listeners, which I hope makes this track the perfect antidote to a stressful day.

    Komorebi Sunburst

    “Komorebi Sunburst” takes its inspiration from the Japanese word for the effect of sunlight on – and through – leaves. This delicate and intricate piece showcases my love of soundscapes, and nature at balance with the weather.

    Amber Sky

    “Amber Sky” was inspired by a hike I took in Montana and captures the colour of twilight as day turns to night, with a melody designed for dreams.

    I Give You This Earth

    Finally, “I Give You This Earth” offers a contemplative journey through the rotating night sky, dotted with satellites and little meteors. I’ve been fascinated with space since working with the Apollo astronauts on my first movie – In the Shadow of the Moon

    in conclusion….

    I hope that “Shut Your Eyes” is a serene and contemplative experience for you. As one reviewer put it, “put on your headphones, close your eyes, and let the music take you away.” I hope this album will transport you to another world and leave you feeling refreshed and inspired.

    For those interested, the album is available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music. [Links to Philip Sheppard Shut Your Eyes Album] Thank you for taking the time to read about my latest work, and I am deeply grateful for your support.

    See below for a live performance of part of the album.

    In short: Shut Your Eyes – Philip Sheppard’s album – Multiple Emmy and Grammy-nominee Philip Sheppard shares a hybrid orchestral set spanning moods from pensive to optimistic. Joining a mix of plucked and legato strings are synths, piano, harp, electronic patterns and minimal tuned percussion.

  • Ukrainian National Anthem Sheet Music Free Download

    Ukrainian National Anthem Sheet Music Free Download

    I wanted to share my orchestral sheet music here for the Ukrainian National Anthem in pdf form. Here it is along with my recording with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

    Please feel free to download and share and perform under Creative Commons free licence. Philip x

    NATIONAL-ANTHEM-OF-UKRAINE-Score-and-partsDownload
    Here is my recording with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Detroit Become Human Sheet Music

    Detroit Become Human Sheet Music

    The Detroit: Become Human sheet music for Kara’s theme can be downloaded HERE. Password is LittleOne

    We have flute, clarinet, guitar, violin, cello, piano, or any combination of the above! We do not have other scores available from Detroit: Become Human at this time.

    If other friends would like copies, please direct them to this page too.

    There’s no charge for this, but if you want to look at my other albums you’ll find them here, and there are lots of resources about the soundtrack here.

    Thanks for your amazing support!

    Philip Sheppard – Composer – Kara – Playstation/ Quantic Dream Soundtrack Detroit: Become Human

    Detroit become human sheet music
    OOOOOH Sheet music for Detroit!

    “If that’s the case, and we’ll soon be living with walking-and-talking Artificial Intelligence: fuck our lives. But still, if our lives must be fucked, then please can we have Philip Sheppard’s beautiful compositions playing in the background – all the cellos moving in wonder together as the final sequence of our life plays out in slow motion like a scene from a science fiction film. That’s a dark image, sure. If we’re going to go out that way though, then that’s the way I want to go.” – Noisey / Vice Music Review

     

  • The Minsky Tapes

    The Minsky Tapes

    Here’s how Marvin Minsky found his way into the PlayStation game Detroit: Become Human via Abbey Road Studios.

    https://youtu.be/P3pUYCHzSLM

    Marvin Minsky was the godfather of Artificial Intelligence. One of the modern world’s great thinkers, Marvin had a profound effect on the future of science, as well as the popular consciousness. He designed the concept of  HAL for Kubrick in 2001 A Space Odyssey, and taught Arthur C Clarke and Richard Feynman.

    Marvin was a friend of mine – a great raconteur, dinner party companion and fellow musician. I had met him through his friend and student, my friend Michael Hawley – the polymath and amazing impresario behind the EG conference.

    After Minsky passed away, his daughter, Margaret Minsky, shared Marvin’s musical archives with me. It’s maybe not a widely known fact that Marvin was a fantastic composer and pianist. (I honestly think there was nothing he couldn’t do).

    He had composed many short piano pieces directly onto reel-to-reel tape, hand splicing them with a razor blades and tape, recording them at different speeds to create pitch effects. It was a real treasure trove.

    One of Marvin’s pieces sounded so beautiful, I decided to write a musical frame for it – a sort of concerto accompaniment around his recording.

    I took Marvin’s tape into Abbey Road Studio 1, and recorded orchestral musicians around it using the Beatles’ microphones – I mean – why not?!

    Gloria Minsky and Philip Sheppard at EG 2018
    Gloria Minsky and Philip Sheppard at EG 2018

    Over the last year, I had been working on a soundtrack for the game Detroit: Become Human – a PlayStation title developed by Quantic Dream, itself a deep mediation on Artificial Intelligence and the sentience of Machines – entirely Marvin Minsky’s realm of expertise.

    Here’s the director of Detroit, David Cage to explain the coda to this story in his own words;

    You never know where ideas come from. Sometimes it is something you heard or read years ago. It is there, somewhere in your brain, but you don’t know it… until it comes to the surface. When I was looking for a name for the inventor of the androids, the name “Kamski” came very naturally. It sounded like a very good name for a genius working on AI and creating a technological revolution. It is only years later during the development of Detroit, when composer Philip Sheppard evoked Marvin Minsky, that I made the connection.

    Who other than Marvin Minsky could be the inspiration for a precursor and absolute genius of AI? He worked on the first prototype of virtual reality (in 1963!), worked on artificial neural networks, theorized the concept of self-replicating AI, and was even the consultant on one of my favorite movies (Kubrick’s 2001).

    What I absolutely didn’t know about Minsky is that he was also a fantastic composer and piano player. When Philip mentioned this to me, we felt it would be a great opportunity to pay a tribute to Minsky by adding his music to the game. So we recorded one of his beautiful soundtracks, orchestrated by Philip and recorded at Abbey Road studios, and we used it in one of the most dramatic scenes in the game.

    Minsky would have probably enjoyed having his music in an interactive experience talking about androids and AI, and how machines could become a new form of intelligent life. It was also a way for us to pay homage to one of the most brilliant minds of our time. I would like to thank Philip and Minsky’s family for this amazing opportunity.

    Footnote… I’m lucky not only to have been friends with Marvin Minsky, but also with many of Silicon Valley’s most exploratory thinkers. My friend Tom Gruber was one of the inventors of Siri, and he’s a great believer in the power of AI to augment rather than replace human work and play. Here’s a rather lovely, optimistic talk on the augmentation of Human intelligence:

    Marvin Minsky at the piano
    Marvin Minsky at the piano

     

  • Chosen Road

    Chosen Road

    [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=75147650 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=3634784012]

    Chosen Road from Fall From Earth – by Philip Sheppard – Clio Gould Violinist

    For Clio Gould

    This track was written in a single afternoon just before our Abbey Road Sessions for my album Fall From Earth.

    I had just had confirmation that Clio Gould would be leading the orchestra for my recordings. I knew I had to write something special for her.

    I’ve known Clio’s playing for most of my life – in fact, we first played together when we were 15 years old.

    Even then, her sound was utterly and totally breathtaking and I’ve been in love with her playing ever since. Her sound is effortless, silken, chocolatey and quite unlike anybody else.

    Chosen Road is about the paths that you take and the routes that you choose through life. Sometimes the going is hard, but the views can take your breath away.

    Clio is the greatest violinist in the world. This is my way of saying thank you to her.

    Order from Bandcamp
    [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=75147650 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=small tracklist=false tracks=4061886354 esig=009513d550468b4c06c10eaa8d787d62]

    Order from iTunes

    Featuring Clio Gould (solo violin), conducted by Philip Sheppard

  • Grammy News with Odesza!

    Grammy News with Odesza!

    ODESZA’s third studio album, A Moment Apart, came out on September 8, 2017. This album marks my second collaboration with the Seattle-based electronic music duo. I scored and performed the strings for 3 of the tracks on the album: Line of Sight, Higher Ground, and Just A Memory.
    And now there’s some BIG news…

    The album has just been nominated for two Grammy Awards! I’m stoked about this as I’m a huge fan of what Harrison and Clay create and they’re constantly on rotation on my playlists despite the fact there are some noises by me in their tracks!

  • 1971 on PBS Streaming now!

    1971 on PBS Streaming now!

    1971 scored by Philip Sheppard is streaming on PBS here.

    In 1971, long before Edward Snowden’s revelations of NSA surveillance, a group of citizens broke into a small FBI office in Pennsylvania, took every file, and shared them with the public. Their actions exposed the FBI’s illegal surveillance program of law-abiding Americans. Now for the first time, these anonymous Americans who risked everything share their story publicly.

    In the past several decades, whistleblowers have helped shape the nation’s history, from Deep Throat exposing President Nixon’s Watergate scandal to Edward Snowden’s revelations about the NSA’s surveillance. But long before the dawning of the digital age, one group of citizens risked everything when they uncovered illegal government spying programs.

    The FBI, established in 1908, was for 60 years held unaccountable and untouchable until March 8, 1971, when The Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI, as they called themselves, broke into a small FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, took every file, and shared them with the American public.

    After the break-in, the group sent the files to journalists at the Washington Post, which published them and shed light on the FBI’s widespread abuse of power. These actions exposed COINTELPRO, the FBI’s illegal surveillance program that involved the intimidation of law-abiding Americans, and helped lead to the country’s first congressional investigation of U.S. intelligence agencies.

    The activist-burglars then disappeared into anonymity for forty years. Until now. Never caught, these previously anonymous Americans — parents, teachers and citizens — publicly reveal themselves for the first time and share their story in the documentary 1971. Using a mix of dramatic re-enactments and candid interviews with all involved, the film vividly brings to life one of the more important, yet relatively unexplored, chapters in modern American history.

    Soundtrack/ score by Philip Sheppard.

    Stream 1971 on PBS Independent Lens.

     

    Film Credits

    A Film by
    Johanna Hamilton

    Directed and Produced by
    Johanna Hamilton

    Edited by
    Gabriel Rhodes

    Produced by
    Marilyn Ness
    Katy Chevigny

    Executive Producers
    Julie Goldman
    Abigail E. Disney
    Gini Reticker
    Laura Poitras

    Cinematographer (Interviews)
    Kirsten Johnson

    Cinematographer (Recreations)
    Andreas Burgess

    Original Music
    Philip Sheppard

    Written by
    Johanna Hamilton
    Gabriel Rhodes

    Associate Producer
    Danielle Varga

    Animation and Motion Graphics
    Dave Tecson

    Additional Photography
    Neil Barrett
    Nicholas Blair

    Sound
    Judy Karp
    Mark Maloof
    John Zecca
    Nejc Poberaj

    Recreations Unit

    Recreations Producer
    Maureen A. Ryan

    Production Designer
    Markus Kirschner

    First Assistant Director
    Sara Neuffer

    Production Manager 
    Brian Birch

    Art Director
    Shawn Anabel

    Casting Director
    Adine Duron

    CAST
    Peter Gregus: Bill
    Lauren A. Kennedy: Bonnie
    Jonathan Joel Brennan: Bob
    Rich Graff: John
    Daniel S. Taylor: Keith
    Dennis Brito: FBI Agent
    John Isgro: Custodian
    Kerry Malloy: FBI Agent
    Brian P. McCarthy: #9
    Matthew Smith: Citizens’ Commission
    Marilyn Ness: Citizens’ Commission
    Danielle Varga: Citizens’ Commission
    Paul Darren: Security Guard

    The filmmakers do not know the three unidentified burglars or the ninth person who withdrew from the break-in team.
    Any similarities that may exist between any of them and the actors in the reenactments are purely coincidental.

    Costume Designer
    Eniola Dawodu

    Key Hair/Makeup Artist
    Vera Stromsted

    Gaffer 
    Nicola Guarneri

    First Assistant Camera
    Alex Peterson George Alvarez

    Production Coordinator
    Jacey Heldrich

    Assistant Editors
    Eric Rockey
    Nora Ballard
    Michael Peterson

    Archival Clearances 
    Nan Wakefield

    Legal Services
    Karen Shatzkin

    Post Production Services
    Final Frame

    Digital Intermediate Online Editor 
    Owen Rucker

    Digital Intermediate Colorist
    Will Cox

    Digital Intermediate Producer
    Caitlin Tartaro

    Audio Post Provided by 
    Gigantic Post, NYC

    Sound Designer and Re-Recording Mixer
    Tom Paul

    Dialogue Editor
    Sam Edelstein

    Sound Effects Editor
    Andrea Bella

    Foley Artist
    Les Bloom

    Foley Mixer
    Carl Shillito

    Bookkeepers 
    Phil Lane
    Kelley A. Trotter

    Archival Materials
    All in the Family ©1972 Tandem Productions, Inc.
    Episode “Archie and the FBI.”
    Fight of the Champions © 1971
    Director: Art Fisher Producers: Neal Marshall & Art Fischer
    Interview with former FBI agent Terry Neist by Sam Green
    © The Free History Project
    ABCNEWS VideoSource and WPVI
    Critical Past
    FBI ©1965 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
    Historic Films
    KPIX-TV
    KRON-TV
    KYW-TV
    Pat McGrath
    National Archives and Records Administration
    NBC Universal Archives
    Nixon Library
    Oddball Film & Video
    San Francisco Bay Area Television Archive
    T3Media
    Temple Urban Archives
    UCLA Film & Television Archive
    WHAM-TV
    WPA Film Library
    Anne Flitcraft
    Associated Press
    Baltimore Sun Media Group
    Chicago Tribune
    Courier Post, Cherry Hill
    Carl Stern
    Delaware County Times
    Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, NY
    The Raines Family
    Keith Forsyth
    Sarah Davidon
    Corbis
    David Kairys
    Delaware County History
    Getty Images
    Greg Moore
    Haverford College
    Life Magazine
    Los Angeles Times
    Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection
    LSUS Archives and Special Collections
    New York Times
    Newsday
    Philadelphia Inquirer
    Saint Joseph’s University Archives
    Theodore Hetzel Photograph Collection
    Swarthmore College Peace Collection
    Anthony Giacchino Camden 28 [Motion Picture] Collection
    Swarthmore College Peace Collection
    Temple Urban Archives
    University of Arkansas Libraries Special Collections
    Washington Post
    Washington Star

    Music
    “I Spy (For the F.B.I.) / Foxy Devil”
    Luther Ingram & The G-Men‎
    Smash Records Re-released in 1971 following the revelations of the Media Burglary

    “A Whole New You”
    Written by Enion Pelta-Tiller
    Arranged and Recorded by David Tiller and Enion Pelta-Tiller
    Taarka, 2012

    Special Thanks
    The Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI
    Sarah Davidon
    James Kirkpatrick Davis
    Paco de Onis
    Kate Doyle
    Henry Dunn
    Mike German
    David Kairys
    Betty Medsger
    Laura Poitras
    Thom Powers, Ian Olds, and Rachel Rakes
    Max, Theo and Layla van Zyl
    Paul van Zyl
    Ben Wizner
    Pam Yates

    Fiscal Sponsor
    Women Make Movies, Inc.

    Executive Producer for ITVS
    Sally Jo Fifer

    Funding provided by
    The Ford Foundation JustFilms
    Candescent Films
    Fork Films
    Open Society Foundations
    Sundance Documentary Film Program
    New York State Council on the Arts
    The Fledgling Fund
    San Francisco Film Society
    Richard and Marianne Hamilton
    The Fund For Constitutional Government
    Vital Projects Fund
    Steward R. Mott Foundation
    Michael Hirschhorn and Jimena Martinez
    AMJ Foundation
    Susan Parker and Alan Belzer
    Keating Hawkins Gift Fund
    Puffin Foundation
    David Rudovsky
    Dr. Edward Herman
    Rick Cummings
    Josh Markel and Eva Gold

    1971 is a co-production of Maximum Pictures LLC and the Independent Television Service (ITVS) in association with Big Mouth Productions, Motto Pictures, and Fork Films, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

    This film was produced by Maximum Pictures, LLC, which is solely responsible for its content.

  • The Final Year at Toronto International Film Festival

    The Final Year at Toronto International Film Festival

    This weekend saw the premiere of Greg Barker’s new documentary ‘The Final year’ at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

    The movie charts the astoundingly exhaustive efforts by Barak Obama’s diplomatic team to manage complex international problems. The unfettered access to Obama, John Kerry, Samantha Powers, Ben Rhodes and Susan Rice has created an incredible witness document to the often unseen and unappreciated efforts that operate below the surface of a successful administration.

    Control Room at Abbey Road during our session. Photo by Nathan Azopardi

    We recorded the string score in Abbey Road Studio One with an orchestra after not many weeks of writing. The soundtrack for this movie was one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced as a composer. Putting music under political figures is fraught with ethical and artistic problems. In documentary, the role of the composer is to frame the action, NOT tell the audience what to feel. I wrote entire soundtrack three times until I found a way in, that didn’t feel biased or dramatic.

    The reviews from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety are here and I feel reflect the importance and peculiarity of this movie.

    Here’s Ben Rhodes – Obama’s speechwriter – speaking after the premiere.

    Here’s a track from the movie:

  • Kitty Nigiri – a new VR game

    Kitty Nigiri – a new VR game

    The cat in space, sushi catching, laser puzzle solving, fireball dodging, kitten saving, chopstick wielding, flying VR game your cat’s been dreaming about. Use your wits and dexterity, and prove yourself a potential champion…..
    This brilliant VR game has been created by my Hatch friend Jacob Ellenberg and his team. It’s an extraordinarily different task writing music for an immersive environment….

    From the official blurb:

    It’s not about you. Sure, you want to use your wit, agility, Dynatron Shield and Cyberite Chopsticks to survive The Chef’s Deathtrap Dinner Theater. You’d do anything not to become the cuisine du jour, Feline Nigiri.

    But it’s not about you. It’s about saving thousands of other hastily evolved cats, enslaved in gladiatorial games aboard the 1950’s leisure cruiser, the Starliner Fairbrother, a generation ship overdue for the promised land of Alpha Centauri. More importantly, it’s about saving the one you love, LeChat, held hostage to rein in your rebellious tendencies. Today is the day Kitty steps up, the day Kitty flips the script, the day Kitty rises as a champion, a hero, and a savior.

    Kitty nigiri is a VR Danger room puzzler that challenges your wits and dexterity in its trials.

    Hours of training that will stretch your mind, tickle your senses and get your heart racing. You play as kitty the engineered hybrid cat thrown into a life or death battle of will and cunning.