The score to “Free Throw,” Court Crandall’s uplifting documentary about eight inner city students from Compton, CA, competing for a college scholarship, is as surprising as the film itself. Composer David Grow of Nashville-based www.howlingmusic.com.>Howling Music Group describes the music as “simple, understated arrangements,” which are in stark contrast to the gritty, urban setting of the film.nn”Free Throw” documents a challenge issued by Crandall, a successful screenwriter and creative director of Los Angeles advertising agency Wong, Doody, Crandall and Weiner, to students from Compton High School, traditionally one of Southern California’s most gang-plagued and poorly performing schools. Eight students took part in a free throw shooting contest with the winner receiving a $40,000 college scholarship. nnThe documentary, which follows the contest and tells the stories of the students’ remarkable struggles to succeed against the odds, has a surprise ending that Crandall, himself, did not anticipate. The winner of the contest, Allan Guei, spontaneously donated his prize to his seven fellow finalists after receiving a separate athletic scholarship.nnGrow, who had previously worked with Crandall on commercials for ESPN and Dr. Pepper, was Crandall’s first choice as composer. "We’d worked together several times before," Crandall explains. "He’d created music for ESPN that I felt was some of the best music we’d ever done. He was an obvious choice for the movie."nnAfter some trial and error, Grow arrived at a score that was far removed from the rhythms of contemporary urban music, but closer to the heart of the documentary. nnGrow calls the project among the most challenging of his career, largely because the subject matter required a particular kind of sensitivity. “It’s striking how courageous these kids are in overcoming obstacles,” he observes. “But to me, this film is not about Compton per se. It’s about courage and determination. I felt the music needed to reflect what was happening with these kids internally, which is one of the reasons we stayed away from something obvious like hip hop. It also couldn’t be sad or maudlin, but had to carry a certain emotional weight.” Grow believes that audiences who see the film will be as affected by the subject matter as he was. “Court is a very compassionate person,” Grow says, “and he’s made a compassionate film.”nnnnAbout www.howlingmusic.com.>Howling MusicnFounded in 1999, www.howlingmusic.com.>Howling Music is an original music production company specializing in creating original music for commercial spots in the television, film and emerging media. Since their inception, www.howlingmusic.com.>Howling Music has scored hundreds of national and international commercial spots alongside many of the top advertising agencies in the world including Wieden and Kennedy, Chiat Day, Crispin Porter Bogusky, and J. Walter Thompson, New York, among many others. In 2006, www.howlingmusic.com.>Howling Music moved their headquarters to Nashville, TN.nnFor more information, call (615) 614-3364 or visit www.howlingmusic.com.
Contact:David Grow www.howlingmusic.com.>Howling Music 615.614.3364 Contact David via email
Contact:Media: Linda Rosner ArtisansPR 310.837.6008 Contact Linda via email
A&Gโs New Third Space Studios Fills A Community Gap
A&G's (Allen & Gerritsen) new Third Space Studios is not just a full-service production offering for the creative agency. It's filling a gap in the community by making a complete video and production facility (live-action studio, production extension, editorial & motion, and audio services for podcasting, voice-over and online audio) available to all. Larger organizations like Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts and Meet Boston, individuals like creators and collaborators, and nonprofits like the Boston Symphony Orchestra and The Wonderfund are already accessing both the space and the affordable creative and production support that comes with it. The Wonderfund has even tapped the studio for an entire brand relaunch.ย The studio is an extension of A&Gโs Third Space, a new concept the agency opened in Boston and Philadelphia last year to give employees, clients, creators, and even startup incubators (Boston currently has two) a place to gather, dream, and innovate in comfortable surroundings. Located inside its Boston location (125 High Street), Third Space Studios is available to the Tishman Speyer buildingโs tenants who can use its ZO building app to request studio services ranging from studio rentals to co-creation to full-service production. Other businesses nationwide can request services through the studio website. Albolene, Certain Dri, and ThermaCare are examples of national clients that have utilized... Read More