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Composer Alec Puro is recognized for his work on the drama series The Fosters and Black Summer, as well as films such as The Art of Getting By and Higher Ground, which was directed by Vera Farmiga. A seasoned talent in the independent film sector, Puro has also created scores for comedies like All Nighter and A Happening of Monumental Proportions, the latter being Judy Greer‘s directorial debut.

His latest project is the horror film Spin the Bottle, directed by Gavin Wiesen and featuring Justin Long and Ali Larter. In addition to his scoring work, Puro has launched a royalty-free music licensing company named Viralnoise, aimed at providing high-quality music to content creators and independent filmmakers.

In discussing the preproduction for Spin the Bottle, Puro noted that this marked his third collaboration with Gavin Wiesen after their previous works on The Art of Getting By and All Nighter. He describes the preproduction phase as an opportunity to understand the narrative and its supernatural horror dimensions, a shift from their earlier projects. Puro spent time reviewing the script and collaborating with Wiesen to establish the sonic atmosphere for the film, which centers on friends who accidentally contact an evil spirit during a game of spin the bottle in a historically dark house. From the outset, they aimed for a modern, unsettling sound, steering clear of conventional horror score techniques. He began experimenting with various industrial and synthesized sounds during preproduction to cultivate the pervasive sense of dread integral to the film.

Puro characterizes his score for Spin the Bottle as industrial and synth-driven with an atmospheric quality that enhances the supernatural horror storyline. He emphasizes that the score diverges from traditional orchestral jump scares, aiming instead for a modern sound that evokes an unsettling ambiance. The score incorporates industrial elements that contribute an almost mechanical and inhuman aspect, mirroring the supernatural forces in the narrative.

Reflecting on his journey into composing, Puro recalls beginning piano at age 10, later picking up drums and engaging in band collaborations and session work. A pivotal moment occurred when a producer friend of his mother, connected to the show Chicago Hope, encouraged him to write music for licensing. Collaborating with Inara George, part of the duo The Bird and the Bee, they wrote two songs that ultimately secured licensing, igniting Puro’s passion for composing music for storytelling.

Puro’s compositional process primarily starts at the piano, where he develops themes aligned with the project’s essence. Following this, he integrates diverse sounds and production techniques to refine the score’s sonic identity. He emphasizes the importance of immersing himself in the story’s world to derive a cohesive musical direction.

His go-to instruments include piano and drums, with some familiarity in guitar and bass, spending considerable time on the piano as it remains central to his composing practice. Puro also mentions his reliance on analog synthesizers to craft unique sounds and textures for his projects. He utilizes collaboration tools like Dropbox, Frame.io, and Audiomovers, the latter of which allows him to work seamlessly with orchestras and sound designers worldwide, recording remotely.

Looking ahead, Puro is involved in three forthcoming projects: Legend of the Magnate, Don’t Let Them Out, and New Year’s Rev. Legend of the Magnate is a 40-episode television series detailing the life of a businessman in China who faces wrongful accusations during the Qing Dynasty. The project allowed Puro to work with a Budapest string orchestra remotely, enabling rich orchestral writing that captures both personal and grand storytelling moments.

Don’t Let Them Out was particularly intriguing due to its isolated setting and reliance on a single actor to navigate the entire narrative. Puro adopted a minimalistic, atmospheric scoring approach to amplify the themes of silence and solitude, enhancing the film’s sense of dread. He remains excited about New Year’s Rev, which is still in the scoring phase but is developing extraordinarily well.

Puro established a full-service music production company, Gramoscope Music, and a royalty-free music licensing platform, Viralnoise, to cater to a growing demand for high-quality music. Gramoscope Music facilitates the creation and licensing of music primarily for broadcast TV, films, advertisements, and various projects with backend performance royalties. It has produced music for notable productions including the Real Housewives franchise, Wicked Tuna, and the NBA 2K video game series.

Viralnoise represents a shift in accessibility, enabling creators to access Gramoscope’s premiere catalog through economical subscriptions without traditional licensing hurdles, democratizing high-quality music for YouTubers, TikTokers, podcasters, and indie filmmakers alike.

Persons: Alec Puro, Vera Farmiga, Judy Greer, Justin Long, Ali Larter, Gavin Wiesen, Inara George
Company Names: Viralnoise, Gramoscope Music
Titles:The Fosters, Black Summer, The Art of Getting By, Higher Ground, All Nighter, A Happening of Monumental Proportions, Spin the Bottle, Legend of the Magnate, Don’t Let Them Out, New Year’s Rev

Disclaimer: This article has been auto-generated from a syndicated RSS feed and has not been edited by Vitrina staff. It is provided solely for informational purposes on a non-commercial basis.