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Damian Calle
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FILM & ANIMATION SCORING

Original music shaped around picture, pacing and emotion.

Scoring for animation, film and visual storytelling — for directors, production companies and animation studios —, built through a clear brief, collaborative review points and organized delivery.

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Showreel

What directors and production companies say

Amazing work! Exactly what I wanted.

Adrian Lane, Director — “The Meaning of Life”

Fantastic experience from start to finish with Damian. I can't recommend his services enough, I was thrilled with my results and the music he composed for me. I will definitely be working with Damian again! If you need anything music related, you found your guy!

David Bodzin, Writer — “Shelly and the Golden Shell”

Great to work with. Finished project ahead of scheduled time and very professional.

Tamecca S. Rogers, Director — Inspire Expression Media — “Ameka and Her Magical Crown”

Film

“Once Upon a Dream” (2026, dir. Rasul Ramji, Escape Films USA)
“Once Upon a Dream” (2026, dir. Rasul Ramji, Escape Films USA)
View on IMDb →

Diegetic music - Composition, production and mix & master

Song mariachi

0:53

Amame lento (Bolero)

1:47

Son Jalisciense

1:25

Process

  1. 01

    Spotting session

    You provide

    The locked (or near-locked) cut, plus any temp track or tonal references you're working from.

    I deliver

    A scene-by-scene review of the cut, producing an agreed cue list — where music enters and exits, and what each moment needs to carry.

  2. 02

    Thematic development

    You provide

    Feedback on direction and any specific references for the main themes.

    I deliver

    One or two short thematic sketches for approval before full scoring begins, so the musical identity is agreed early.

  3. 03

    Scoring to picture

    You provide

    A timecoded reference video, and availability for check-ins at agreed milestones.

    I deliver

    Each cue composed and mocked up to the locked picture, shared for review as scenes are completed.

  4. 04

    Revisions

    You provide

    Consolidated notes at the agreed review points.

    I deliver

    Revised cues within the agreed rounds, keeping the calendar realistic.

  5. 05

    Final delivery

    You provide

    Confirmation of required formats and delivery deadline.

    I deliver

    Final stereo mix plus stems by instrument family — strings, percussion, synths/electronics — synced to SMPTE timecode compatible with your DAW.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a locked picture to start?+

A picture lock helps, but early thematic work can start from an earlier cut. We agree on the right moment to begin depending on your schedule.

How do revisions work?+

Feedback is consolidated at agreed review points instead of scattered notes, so revisions stay focused and the calendar stays realistic.

What is a spotting session and how is it organized?+

It's a joint review of the cut, scene by scene, where we decide where music enters and exits, what each moment needs to convey, and which references are a useful starting point. We do it over a screen-share call, and it produces an agreed cue list before composing begins.

Do you work from a temp track?+

Yes, that's common and it helps align expectations around tone and pacing. I treat it as a reference for intent, not a template to copy — the goal is for the final score to have its own identity and resolve whatever the temp track left unfinished.

What's the difference between diegetic (source) music and background score/underscore?+

Diegetic or source music "sounds" inside the scene — a radio, a live band, a speaker — and the characters can hear it. Score or underscore is the music only the audience hears, used to carry the emotional tone. I can compose both and coordinate them so they don't compete with each other.

Material under NDA is never published. Case studies only include frames and cues explicitly cleared for public use.

Tell me what you are building.

Share the project, its current stage and what you need delivered. I will reply with the most useful next step and let you know whether I am the right fit.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROJECT