“Charming bears” - Chunks

If you haven’t yet, go check out Chunks!

I composed an original orchestral score and created the sound design for "Charming Bears," a segment of the anthology comedy film Chunks, from the team behind Chapo Trap House. The segment was directed and animated by Saul Crinier from an idea by Nick Mullen. It follows a beloved toilet paper mascot bear through a cancer diagnosis, and maybe it’s a commentary on healthcare in the United States? Up to you.

Nick came to me with a very specific reference: The Snowman, the 1982 British animated film with Howard Blake's iconic score. It's such a funny and specific reference, and it told me exactly what the segment needed. Rather than playing up the comedy, I matched the seriousness of the material and wrote something beautiful and haunting in that vein, scored for full orchestra. Playing it completely straight lets the absurdity and I think some genuine heartbreak both come through.

I also handled some mixing and sound design for the segment.

My favorite moment was seeing Saul's finished animation together with the music for the first time. Huge thanks to Nick, Saul, and producer Connor Slack, who were all great collaborators from start to finish.