Fanboy (2021)
Feature Length
Fanboy is a feature length thriller movie that follows a band called Xenos on tour, delving into the psyche of the members and the crimes surrounding them.
Written & Directed by: Ben Johnson
Produced by: Gnarlsberg Media
Credits: Composer | Sound Design Location Sound | Production Engineer |
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A Forest (2016)
Short
A Forest is a film by Grant Reinero starring Ben Johnson and Phil Beaumont about two brothers who go to war and end up fighting each other.
Credits: Composer | Sound Design | Location Sound |
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Deadline (2015)
Short (48hr Film Festival)
A physicist’s assistant must design a reactor before time and reality slip away.
Credits: Composer | Sound Design |
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Bug (2015)
Short
Bug is a city boy who is taken to the desert by his estranged father and seeks help from a mysterious girl.
Credits: Composer | Sound Design |
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Composer Bio
For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with good music and sound design in film. For me, the quality and approach of the music is equally as important as the screenplay, direction and cinematography. I’m particularly drawn to synth driven scores (a-la John Carpenter) and other-wordly sound design (think Dean Hurley’s work with David Lynch).
For years I found myself writing cinematic songs for my the bands I was playing in, and one day I was asked if some of my music could be used in a short film. Seeing/hearing my music in context of this film hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to do more of this, so I began seeking out opportunities to compose original scores for short films.
In 2021 I composed an original score for the full length feature film Fanboy.
If you are working on a short or feature length film, and looking for a composer, let’s talk.
Studio Engineering & Production
Here’s a collection of some of the studio recordings I’ve worked on. Most of these were done at my 2000 sq. ft. studio in the Grant Hill neighborhood of San Diego, CA. If you’d like to book time at the studio with me, or one of the other engineers we have available, get in touch.
You can also read a little about how I got my start in the studio.
Studio Engineering and Production Samples Coming Soon!
Studio Production Bio
The first time I entered a recording studio was in 1994. It was with my band Baxter and the studio was actually someone’s house and they were recording directly to cassette tape using an 8 track recorder. I was so intrigued by the process, the very next day I went out and bought myself a 4 track recorder. From that point on, every time I entered the studio to record with one of my bands, I would peer over the shoulder of the engineer, taking in as much as I could, and getting my hands in on the production choices on the songs and mixes.
In 2011 I gained access to a studio and self-taught myself Pro Tools and began experimenting with all of the different analog outboard preamps and eq’s. A few friends bands entrusted me to engineer their recordings and by 2013, after taking over a 2000 sq. ft. studio in the Grant Hill neighborhood of San Diego, I began engineering and producing projects as a secondary form of income.
If you want to make a record, let’s talk.
“The production quality of ‘Wires’ is so incredibly warm, it wraps you up like a blanket.”
Samples of My Music Coming Soon!
Musician Bio
I was born into a music family. My mother played guitar in a church group and my father has a long, interesting history of playing in bands like Looking Glass and with Bruce Springsteen prior to his fame. My father would take me and my mother on short tours with him, one particular show where his band performed at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club was forever engrained into my memory.
I started off playing bass, and then switched to drums, it wasn’t until I was almost 20 years old that I got my first guitar and decided that would end up being my instrument of choice. Since embracing the guitar I have played in dozen’s of bands, many of which have toured internationally, released records on independent record labels and shot numerous music videos.
Currently I’m actively playing in synthwave band I Will Destroy You, post-punk band TULPA LUNA, and doing some solo collaboration work with world renowned author and Three One G Records artist Adam Gnade. Some other music projects I have spearheaded over the years, like “KATA” and “ANA” have new music in the works, but for the most part have been in extended hiatus – there’s only so much time in a day.
If you’re interested in any of my music, would like to purchase a record or want to book me or one of my bands for a show, let’s talk.
“On Magick, Warsaw’s third EP, this dynamic is most clearly displayed on “Creation,” a slow-building, synth-heavy track that also sees the band move in a more dance-friendly, almost poppy direction. It’s also evidence of a more tender side to the band that’s only been hinted at in previous releases. When the Antuñas come together to coo on the chorus, it’s downright pleasant, and Rebecca’s synthesizer solo is straight out of a John Hughes film.”