Spring 2010

Late July's debut EP, Sideswept, produced by Adrian, is now available! CD Release performance May 21st at The Central!

Adrian is also a delegate at this year's Worldwide Short Film Festival,and will be moderating a panel on the Director/Composer Relationship.

October 13, 2009

Two great docs I worked on, Dust of the Earth and Bubbles, play at Moving Image Film Festival next weekend - 1pm on Sunday October 18th at the Giggleshorts Theatre - 296 Brunswick Ave.

Just back from a successful CD release in London with Pink Moth. This Friday we are in Guelph at the Albion! Check out the link for music, info on the band, and the tour dates!

September 3, 2009

MOBIUS at Scotia Bank Nuit Blanche!

Zone A Independent Project

Image by Blair Renaud

Mobius

Jason Leaver - Toronto, Canada
Music by Adrian Ellis
Video Installation

Deja Vu, paranormal activity, and seemingly co-incidental events: all will all be explained. This is a journey into the center of a time paradox known as a "Mobius Event".

Presented on four screens, each offset by 25% of the duration, key elements of the paradox temporarily interact with each other as past, present and future intersect in an infinite loop. Effect proceeds cause, reactions proceed actions and the paradox results in itself.

August 13, 2009

Currently working with independent artist Late July on her upcoming EP. Having a lot of fun developing, writing, and producing tracks!

Playing some dates with Pink Moth in September - check out the link for music, info on the band, and the tour dates!

I'm also working with a crack team of programmers and artists to create an awesome mod based on the ultra popular Left 4 Dead game - intense 1st person shooter zombie fun!! I love being able to say that playing a video game is 'part of my job'. That's right, Mom!!

Looking forward to getting started on the music for a multi-media installation that will have it's premiere at Nuit Blanche in Fall... more news to come!

May 21st

A busy few months! In January, I was once again very happy to be recording at the CBC's Glenn Gould Studio with the GG Royal Conservatory Orchestra for a joint project with the GCFC and the Canadian Film Center. Check out the video of the recording session here!

As part of my work with the GCFC's seminar planning committee, I developed and planned a seminar on music in video games and interactive entertainment titled 'Music for Moving Pixels' which happened in April.. It was a wonderful and eye-opening event featuring games composer David Logan, composer/sound designer Drasko Vucevic, and Bitcasters founder and CEO Nathon Gunn. Thanks to everyone who came out and made the event such a success!

I also scored Sean Carley's thrilling 'Headcount', which is currently festival-bound, and a fascinating documentary for the Doc Challenge. Currently, I'm producing a local singer-songwriter and working on my lats and glutes in the hopes to dispel the myth that composers are skinny runts. Just checking to see if you are still awake. Why are you? It's 2 a.m.!

January 30, 2009

Blog Launched!

Come and check out my new blog on music composition and production, filmmaking, and creativity, Adrian Ellis' The Music Creative!

Here are some things you will find coming up:

Videos! I�ll be documenting some of my projects as they unfold, everything from composing to recording, from the studio to the sound stage, and everything in between - it�ll be an intimate look at the mysterious �creative process� you�ve read so much about. You�ll also find videos that delve into the technical side of the craft. I�m hoping that it will be interesting to both those who are musically inclined, as well as those who work in other fields.

Podcasts! for download and listening on your favorite YouPod-a-maphone. Collections of my tracks for personal use (sounds kinda dirty, doesn�t it) and episodes where I do a little talking about the tracks, what they were for, how the collaboration worked, and insights and anecdotes.

Blogs! web based text-talky things, where an �author� goes on and on about �stuff�. I heard you liked media, so I put some media in your media so you can enjoy your media while you� wait, uh� never mind. Here are some future topics:

1. Using limitations to enhance creativity
2. Creating your �myth� or �legend�
3. The composer as filmmaker
4. Creative rituals, creative time
5. Creating your niche, standing out, being different
6. Stuck? Ways to break out of your own mold

� and plenty more (right, brain? Say yes� good).

December 2nd, 2008

New Music in the Player

I've added some new tracks to the music player on my main page.

Here are some quick descriptions of the pieces:

"Courage" - electronica with a world-inspired beat, and beautiful bansuri lead.
"Head Count Theme" - a haunting journey into the darker parts of the mind, featuring classical and electric guitars.
"AAAAAH! Theme" - is a wild ride through horror music styles, from classic to synth and a rock/metal closing!
"Pawns Cue" - this piece is a twisted and mischievous little waltz, with string and wind sections, and a singing saw lead!
"Crackwalker Cue" - unsettling music and sound design from the recent stage production of The Crackwalker.
"Hard Lemonade" - an uplifting and groovy electro-rock anthem to Summer fun!

November 27th, 2008

AAAAAH!! Indie Horror Hits, Volume 1 Trailer (2:26) - Music by Adrian Ellis

Get a copy for yourself today. And don't forget about your friends, loved ones, casual acquaintances, sworn enemies, and any one else you want to impress with a quality gift of scary films.

 

October 8th, 2008

RAVE REVIEWS!!

"Adrian Ellis' moody sound design is a near-perfect aural background for the gloomy action."

- Graeme Stewart, BlogTO

Now in the final week of it's run, Staged and Confused's production of The Crackwalker has enjoyed fantastic critical reviews and popular success, and many sold out shows. NOW Magazine gave it "NNNN" and called it a "near-flawless production", and it received 4 stars from Eye Weekly, who called it "riveting theatre" and said it "lives up to the legend and maybe even surpasses it". Congratulations to all at S&C! The show closes on Oct.11th, so if you've not yet seen it, this is your last chance!!

September 8th, 2008

The Crackwalker goes into tech this week. Being a part of this production has been fantastically exciting, challenging, inspiring and creatively fulfilling, and I'm very excited and proud to see it open on September 18th. It's been amazing watching the producer, director and cast, and designers develop the work, and see it grow into something that is truly moving and gripping. It's not to be missed. For a very cool behind the scenes look at the production's design process (including sound design, of course), check out this excellent featurette:

Sean Carley's short film, "Pop. Six Billion", shot on a Motorola cell phone as part of the TIFF Talent Lab 08, premiered at the Royal Cinema on Sept. 3rd. Sean not only managed to tell a captivating story in 5 minutes, but was able to capture some pretty evocative imagery despite the limitations of the medium. And all it cost him was a quart of blood and the loss of about 158 hours of sleep! Congrats to him on that success, and the ensuing and well deserved shoulder rubbing with some of film's royalty.

August 13th, 2008

The end of Summer has erupted into a full-scale production madness! I've got my plate full with a number of exciting and challenging projects - films, plays, video games, recording projects and even some down-home corporate work... it's like a smorgasbord of projects!

Greg Breen's short "Pawns" premiered on last Saturday. It was a pleasure to score this clever and funny film about a couple of low-on-the-totem pole workers in an office building who discover that their chess board comes with some ... interesting extra features. Like, causing their superiors to disappear. I also look forward to scoring a short for TIFF Talent Lab participant Sean Carley - congrats to Sean for being accepted!

The Crackwalker is now in rehearsals, getting ready for it's September 16th opening at Theatre Passe Murraille. Please see www.stagedandconfused.com for information on the play, tickes, and company bios. The whole production is going to be amazing - it's great material and presents all sorts of challenges, which the talented team is more than up for. There are rumors of a production diary 'mini-documentary' being produced - more on this later!

The AAAAAH!! Indie Horror Hits � Volume 1 DVD will be available on-line in September, and will be holding the DVD�s WORLDWIDE DEBUT at the Crypt Club Productions Inc. booth (#1216) the Rue Morgue Festival of Fear here in Toronto, August 22-24 at the Metro Convention Centre!! AAAAAH!! Indie Horror Hits is a new feature length collection of award winning independent short horror films - featuring a frightfully tasty musical theme!

AAAAAH!! Indie Horror Hits

 

 

May 1st, 2008

The May 2008 edition of Uncharted Sounds Magazine features an interview with Adrian Ellis!

March 26, 2008

Last Wednesday, I had a cue recorded to picture at CBC studios, on the wonderful sounding Glenn Gould stage. It was captured by a number of hall and surround mics, as well as close mics, and it was multitracked through a NEVE 'VR' Legend Console to Protools. The ca. 25 piece orchestra was made up of the advanced students of the Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould program, and they played beautifully. Seeing musicians expressively play through music they've only just seen for the first time 5 minutes ago never ceases to amaze me. Special thanks to the GCFC for putting on another top-notch, professional orchestral reading workshop, Darren Fung, Chris Dedrick, Josh Tidsbury, Susan Alberghini, and everyone from the Glenn Gould School and the CBC!

Adrian gets feedback on his score from the orchestra

GCFC President Chris Dedrick discusses aspects of the score

Darren Fung conducts the Glenn Gould Orchestra

January 30th, 2008

I'm thrilled to announce that the first 2 episodes of Playing the Game, Season 1, are now live!

Please visit PlayingTheGame.TV to watch the first season!

I'm also very excited to announce that I've signed on as Sound Designer with Toronto theater production company Staged and Confused, for their upcoming Fall production of Judith Thompson's "The Crackwalker". I'm looking forward to working with the team at S&C and producing sound and music for this classic and challenging Canadian play.

January 21st, 2008

This weekend, I recorded the commentary tracks for the Playing the Game, Season 1 DVD. Director/Producer/Writer Steve Hutton and all the cast were totally hilarious - this will prove to be a very entertaining extra for the DVD. The show itself is near completion, and I can't wait for episode 1 to premiere on Youtube!

I sat in on bass for a Q Music session for the CBC, featuring Ron Korb, Levon Ichkhanian, Robert Sibony, and Rick Shadrach Lazar. It was a great honor to play with these accomplished veterans.

On the weekend, I was part of a photo shoot for an article which will feature myself and 3 other Toronto film/media composers. The article by Fernando Fernandez will appear in Uncharted Sounds in one of their upcoming issues. I'll post as soon as I have a release date, but until then I urge you to check out this great online publication which focuses on untapped Canadian musical talent. Thanks again to Lisa and the team at Uncharted Sounds for making it a crazy-fun, memorable experience!

January 14th, 2008

Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to a fantastic 2008 and have many exciting new projects and initiatives on the horizon. I wish my colleagues and friends all the best and much success throughout this new year! I completed my apprenticeship under Donald Quan mid-December 2007. It was an incredible experience, both on a personal and career level. I'm very grateful to the Guild of Canadian Film Composers, and of course my mentor Donald Quan, for making it all possible. Canadian musicians will be very interested in Donald's new venture - a beautiful store specializing in rare and esoteric instruments. Check it out online at Musideum.com or at it's location in 401 Richmond St., Toronto!

The music for Playing the Game is complete, and the first episode should be appearing online very soon! We are also producing DVD's with commentary and extras, in which I will be featured on two episodes - "Wolf", and "Counterpoint", where music played a central role. This project was one of the most challenging and intensive - I think I composed in every style of music except Death Metal!! I'm also going to be featured, along with two other composers, in an upcoming edition of Uncharted Sounds a great online publication which showcases "undiscovered Canadian musical talent".

October 16th, 2007

I'm very thrilled to have been accepted to the Apprentice/Mentor Program by the Guild of Canadian Film Composers this year. I'll be one of four Canadian composers who will have the opportunity to mentor under a film/tv composer for a 6 week period. Currently, I'm putting the final touches on the theme for AAAAAH! Indie Horror Hits Volume 1, as well as beginning work on the first season of Steve Hutton's webisodic comedy, Playing the Game. Scoring this presents some fascinating challenges, including arranging Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as an episode based on musical story of Peter and the Wolf. I'm also producing music for Nomi Rakaposhi's song "I Could Never Be".

August 26th, 2007

Burning Down the House! Last night, I performed in a live re-creation of the classic Talking Heads concert film, 'Stop Making Sense', at the Opera House in downtown Toronto. I was lucky enough to join this motley crew, performing as rhythm guitar wizard Alex Wier. We had it all - the songs, cues, and stage, the costumes, the props, and most importantly, the MOVES! It was a wild, crazy fun night. Opening was Robbie Hart and Final Warning (from the Wedding Singer), and headlining was the mysterious and has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed DJ Tekkno Von Hausbeat. We hope to do a reprise of this show (brought to you by BNS productions and nufunk.ca) in the near future, as this turned out to be a wildly popular event.

Photographs by Kate Campbell, Copyright 2007

-----------------------------------------------

ARCHIVED NEWS: 2004 - 2007

-----------------------------------------------

home | music | bio | email - phone | more |