ANGUS J SHAND

I’m a composer and musician, and I’ve always been drawn to the way music can completely change the way we experience a story.

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My work is mainly in film and television, writing original music for picture, but I’ve never really seen composing and being a musician as separate things. I grew up with a classical background and spent my early years singing in choirs, which gave me a strong musical foundation, but a lot of my musical life since then has been spent playing, recording and making music with other people. I think that mix of experiences has shaped the way I write.

 

When I’m working on a film or television project, I’m interested in what the music can bring to the story that the picture cannot do on its own. Sometimes that means something very subtle, sitting underneath a scene and letting the characters breathe. Sometimes it means doing something much bigger and more unexpected. For me, the important thing is always understanding what the story is trying to say and finding the musical language that belongs to it.

 

I love the collaborative side of composing. Working with directors, producers and editors, finding out what matters to them and then gradually discovering the score together is one of my favourite parts of the job. I’m not particularly interested in writing music in isolation. I want the music to feel connected to the world of the project and to have a real reason for being there.

 

I also still spend a lot of my time simply being a musician. I play drums in the noise punk duo That Band Called Susan, and I tour with Projector. Those projects are a very different side of my musical life and I love that. They keep me playing, experimenting and making music without having to think about where it is going to end up.

 

I think that is probably why I enjoy writing for film and television so much. I can move between very different musical worlds, and I’m always looking for something that feels honest to the project rather than trying to make everything sound like me.

 

Ultimately, I just love making music and finding the right place for it. Whether that is a piece of music supporting a quiet moment in a film, a larger score carrying a story forward, or standing behind a drum kit in a very loud room, I’m happiest when I’m making something with other people.