Who is D.H. Rottering? Well, in a nutshell, he composed the music for Grassfire! There's so much more to D.H. Rottering, though! We had the chance to speak with him! Here's what he had to say!
During what stage of the film’s production did you actually begin to compose the music?
Dennis was sending me video clips and I was scoring them scene by scene but I believe he had given me some sort of a video of the whole thing at some point. As time passed he kept changing things. He’d put something else in or take something out. He decided something didn’t work or something had to be reshot. He was sending it to me in pieces. There was more of a struggle at that point because I was trying to figure out what kind of sound he wanted. There was a point where he called me up and literally hummed the melody. So, I had to try and take it down as best as I could. He wanted it to sound like John Williams.
How long did the Grassfire score take for you to compose?
It took almost 6 months. It was difficult because you'd write something and then these different ideas come up. Dennis had some ideas and wanted some things thrown in there. I'd compose a certain amount and then Dennis would maybe add another scene in or something.
Who are your influences in film music?
For classical music I'd say Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky. Then there's Bernard Hermann, Gershwin, Danny Elfman, Alan Silvestri, and John Williams. My other favorites that a lot of people may not have heard of are Shirley Walker and Johnathon Sheffer.
What advice would you give to those who would like to get into the film music industry?
Learn to study orchestration as much as you can. Look at 19th century classical music, old John Williams stuff, and try to get a decent system together as far as software. I recommend the Vienna Symphonic Library.
Want to know more? Well here ya go!
D.H. Rottering was born in Illinois, but grew up in the southern part of Kansas. At the age of nine, he started to study the piano. There were some saxophone lessons during this time, but the lessons only lasted for about a year.
At the approximate age of twelve, he started to sing in church choirs. Mr. Rottering can still recall the times before his voice cracked and when he could sing soprano.
D.H. composed his very first composition at the age of 21. Upon discovering that he could compose original works, D.H. started to have ideas of writing for the theatre. A number of other works followed. In 1993 his symphonic tone poem: Suite for Man was selected to be performed for a student composition concert. The concert was recorded, and the suite’s first performance can still be heard.
D.H. had given serious thought about becoming a modern composer using classical forms; however he still had ambitions of writing for the theatre, and the film medium started to interest him.
Within the last couple of years of earning his college degree, D.H. received the opportunity to write an original ballet. The university had a class where composers and dancers would collaborate to create something new and original. The idea of a cemetery was mentioned, and D.H. expressed interest in that subject matter. Within a couple of weeks, a new ballet was composed.
Upon completing his bachelor’s degree, D.H. found another opportunity. This time he appeared as an extra on the film: Stuck on Star Wars. This is when he met director Dennis Ward, and he was given the opportunity to compose his first film score. “When I got the job, I was told to sound like John Williams, and yet not sound like him”. D.H. recalls. The short comical film won several awards at film festivals, and received national attention.
D.H. also composed a score for Grassfire. This was the first full length film for both D.H. and writer/director Dennis Ward. Grassfire involved a group of young people who decided to design their own video game. While working on Grassfire, D.H. began to write his own original screenplays.
D.H. attended a local film festival in Lawrence, Kansas. This is when he met members of a student based film organization called: Filmworks. It was through this organization that he met several student filmmakers, such as John Woosly, the writer and director and Angel of Music.
Other films D.H. has scored include…
Let there be Light, written and directed by Phil Zamon.
Banking Day, written and directed by Misty Boland.
Run, written and directed by Tim English.
Angel of Music, written and directed by John Woosly.
Recently, D.H. traveled to Pennsylvania to help work on the film, Bamboo Shark, Dennis Ward’s recent project. D.H. has also written an original screenplay titled: Witch Robbery. This story has yet to be filmed.
D.H. has hopes of working with Dennis Ward again in the future.
