BMI Foundation Reinstates Pete Carpenter Fellowship With Sonic Fuel Studios
The BMI Foundation is pleased to announce the reinstatement of the annual Pete Carpenter Fellowship, a competitive residency for aspiring film, television, and video game composers. The newly enhanced program will award a $3,000 stipend for four to five weeks of intensive mentorship with award-winning BMI composers Christopher Lennertz and Timothy Wynn at their Sonic Fuel Studios in Los Angeles, CA. The 2016 fellowship begins in October and also includes opportunities to consult with other distinguished composers and leaders in the entertainment industry.
“For over twenty years, the Pete Carpenter Fellowship served as one of the foremost catalysts for the creative and professional development of exceptional young composers for visual media,” BMI Foundation President Deirdre Chadwick remarked. “We are delighted to resume its mission with the support of Chris and Tim, who are two of the most sought-after young composers in Hollywood. The benefit of their industry experience and expertise will be invaluable to our PCF fellows.”
The Pete Carpenter Fellowship was established in 1989 by BMIF Advisory Panelist and iconic composer Mike Post, in memory of the late Pete Carpenter, who was Post’s co-composer of television themes and scores including The A-Team, Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files (for which they won a GRAMMY), Hardcastle and McCormick, Hunter and Riptide. Also the winner of an Emmy and fifty BMI Film & TV Awards, Post is best known for his TV theme songs for series including Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, and NYPD Blue. Over the years, the Pete Carpenter Fellowship has nurtured thriving television and film scoring careers, including those of Emmy-winning composers Chris Beck (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Frozen) and Roger Neill (Chicago Hope, King of the Hill, Mozart in the Jungle), as well as Christopher Tyng (Futurama, The O.C., Suits) and Atli Örvarsson (The Perfect Guy, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago PD).
Örvarsson said of his experience, “The Pete Carpenter Fellowship changed my life! I can more or less trace my entire career in Hollywood to the opportunities and relationships that I have had as a result of coming out to LA to do this program. Additionally, what I learned there in terms of the craft and how things actually work in the business was just priceless education which no school can provide. I really can’t say enough good things about this program, the team at BMI, Mike Post and everyone else who supported me along the way, and I strongly advise young composers interested in music for TV and film to give it a go!”
The Fellowship is open to U.S. citizens between the ages of 21 and 35 who are pursuing a career in film, TV, and/or gaming composition. BMI Director of Film and TV Relations and BMIF Board Member, Anne Cecere, serves as Director of the competition. For the first time this year, applications may be completed entirely online. Candidates must submit a one- to three-minute original composition that is either scored specifically to a film scene provided in the application or otherwise appropriate as the theme of an imaginary film, television, or gaming program. Applications must be submitted no later than June 30, 2016. For complete rules and details, visit bmifoundation.org/carpenter.
About Christopher Lennertz
Christopher Lennertz is a composer and producer for film, television, records, and video games. He first made a splash with his breakout score for Alvin and the Chipmunks and has since proven his steadfast talent with films like Horrible Bosses, Thanks for Sharing, Identity Thief, Ride Along, and more recently, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and The Boss. In television, Chris has written the music for NBC’s Revolution, and his longtime run on the series Supernatural led to an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Underscore. He also worked with Oscar and Tony-winner Alan Menken on ABC’s musical comedy Galavant. Chris is celebrated for his video game scores with hits like Steven Spielberg’s Medal of Honor series, which won Best Original Score from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. He followed that up with work on James Bond 007: From Russia With Love, Quantum of Solace, the hugely popular Gun, EA’s Mass Effect 3, Starhawk and Warhawk for Sony, and the 25th Anniversary edition of the iconic Madden series. Christopher Lennertz continually draws excitement as one of the freshest and most versatile young composers in Hollywood.
About Timothy Wynn
Timothy Wynn started his professional career writing scores for Last Chance and Macon County Jail and during this time met aspiring music supervisor Alex Patsavas. The two would continue working on feature films The Prophet and Recoil. In 2000, Wynn worked with Steven Spielberg on a Holocaust documentary and went on to score other documentaries including D-Day, Moments of Truth, and Filmscapes, as well as the ABC television series The Chair and feature films Descendant and Partners. In 2007, Wynn wrote the music for the international television series Odyssey: Driving Around the World and the hit television series Supernatural. In 2009 he worked on the ABC television series The Deep End, and more recently, the film Superfast!. Wynn began writing music for video games in 2005, starting with Marvel Comics/THQ, The Punisher. In 2007, he teamed up with longtime partner Christopher Lennertz to write the score for Warhawk (Sony), which was chosen one of Best Scores of 2007 at IGN. He went on to score The Simpson’s Game, the award-winning franchise Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 and Tiberium Twilight, and most recently, XCom2.
About Sonic Fuel Studios
Sonic Fuel Music was formed in 1999 by award-winning Composers Christopher Lennertz and Timothy Michael Wynn. Building on successes scoring network television, documentaries, independent and studio features, Sonic Fuel has adapted their work to serve short form and video games. Their unique insights into both the classical world and current music styles have helped Sonic Fuel find a niche serving the musical needs of film, television, games and commercial enterprises from their comfortable studio facility in El Segundo, California.
Sonic Fuel Studios is a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly tracking and mixing facility specializing in Film, Television, and Interactive Media music and events. The 7,000-sq. ft. “industrial zen” space includes writing rooms for 9 composers, a 32’x25’ live room large enough to record 30 musicians, 2 primary isolation booths, an expansive producer friendly control room that boasts a Euphonix System 5 console, and a plethora of analog gear. Sonic Fuel Studios offers the highest level of available technology and professionalism in a boutique environment that caters to client comfort and creativity.
About the BMI Foundation
The BMI Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 to encourage the creation, performance, and study of American music. The Foundation’s programs include competitive scholarships for songwriters and composers, operating grants for nonprofit arts presenters, and support for innovative music education initiatives in schools and communities across the country. For more information about the work of the Foundation, please visit www.bmifoundation.org. For exclusive news and content, follow @bmifoundation on Twitter at twitter.com/bmifoundation and like “BMI Foundation” on Facebook at facebook.com/bmifoundation.