Partner/Creative Director
New Math Music
1) The creative team on the agency side was so passionate about the work that they didn’t confine themselves to the whole “fixed length” thing in the edit. They were sending over :63s, :57s, :72s… We knew it would eventually end up as a :60 for broadcast, but of course we obliged their requests to make it work a bunch of different ways. At the end of the project there was a feeling of accomplishment that came from more than just long hours… I think what we really learned was more of a reminder… that taking the long way around, raising the bar, pushing past a familiar set of confines can ultimately loosen things up and allow the creative process to flourish. It’s good when people care about things.
2) The North Face “Neverstop” spot was special to work on. Mainly because so much of the music was written in real time and in person… and because our client really believed in what we were doing. I also thought that license of “Fantastic Man” by William Onyeabor was great in the Apple “Barbers” spot. We had nothing to do with that, but it worked!!! Hats off to stuff that works.
3) I think music shops function best as partners. Dedicated, committed… not just to writing and creating but to communicating about one of the most subjective and visceral parts of the creative process. An evolution I’d say has been a tendency (for reasons that totally make sense) for people to cast wide nets… and while wide nets keep you safer, they don’t actually write music. People do. Finding something nobody hates isn’t as cool as creating something somebody loves. I think the evolution of the music shop is to focus on that.
4) What year is it again?
5) Despite one of my partners and several of our composers being gaming maniacs, we haven’t done many projects within the VR/AR space yet. we have friends who do, though. outside of the gaming world – and even within the gaming world – we haven’t sensed the kind of demand for content that would necessitate us entering the space. We’re very much intrigued by it, however.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More