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A 3-Minute Epic Fantasy Adventure
Exploring the Timeless Bonds between Fathers and Sons, Forged in Fire and Tempered by Time.
A Father’s Legacy
Emerson Mitchell faced a dilemma. He had just written a heartfelt song inspired by his son leaving for college and daughter’s pending marriage, However, this emotional ballad didn’t quite fit with his band’s usual repertoire of humorous songs.
Seeking advice, he turned to his bandmate, Rev. Samuel. Samuel, eager to test out a new music system and fulfill a long-held dream of creating an orchestral piece, saw this as the perfect opportunity. Having worked near the Eastman School of Music and connected with many young composers, he decided that this project deserved a full orchestral treatment.
The composition process spanned two and a half months, beginning with a simple guitar melody and evolving into an arrangement for an 80-piece orchestra. Realizing the scale of the project was beyond his own mixing abilities, Samuel enlisted the help of Calvin May, a respected music producer and fellow member in their college radio band, The Living.
Calvin, who had previously worked with Emerson and Samuel in their current band, Mad Cow Tippers, found himself deeply involved in the production, even programming drum tracks from scratch. Despite his extensive experience in rock and pop music, the sheer number of tracks in this song made it one of his most challenging projects.
While Calvin focused on mixing, Samuel envisioned an animated video to accompany the music. He wrote a script reflecting on the journey into manhood with only the tools passed down from father to son. After creating a compelling animated storyboard, he realized that a team of artists would be necessary to bring his vision to life. However, instead of assembling a team, he turned to the emerging AI image creation tools. Integrating these cutting-edge tools into the production process, Samuel embarked on what he initially thought would be a month-long project. Thirteen months later, the major animations were finally complete.
The song and the accompanying story reflect the deep love and guidance a father gives to his son as he ventures out into the world. All three artists—Emerson, Samuel, and Calvin—share a deep connection with their own fathers, who supported their musical journeys in Western New York.
In honor of his father, the director has planned the official release of ‘Torch and Hammer’ at a private event on his father’s birthday, September 27, 2024, at the Art Museum of Rochester (AMOR), 610 Monroe Ave., Rochester, NY 14607. While the video won’t be publicly available immediately, it is currently being submitted to local and international film festivals.
So impressed with your creativity and ability to leverage the latest technology…
William Sauer | Arts & Ideas Guy
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