James Horner once said,”I think of music as art.” And I believe that sums it all up pretty well. I had the fortunate opportunity to work with an exceptionally talented artist. He thoughtfully created a musical score that gave a beating heart to the steel frame of a shopping cart and skillfully painted a landscape that held the adventure we road in.
Meet Joshua Kattner:
Tell us a little something about yourself (where you grew up, what you were interested in as a kid):
I grew up in Columbus, OH with my mom, dad, and brother. I always had an interest in music, or sound in any form. I would go outside where the large two-story tall tree was placed perfectly outside of our porch and just look up, listen to the wind, and hum tunes. I used to play a lot of games and watch movies that were clearly over my head. Like, Jurassic Park, Jaws, ET, and many more Spielberg-esk films. I was always in awe of how the sound shaped.
Why did you want to be a filmmaker/musician/composer? Influences?
I became a composer due to two crucial moments in my life: I started to develop problems with my tendons, and I had a friend ask me one day to score a small little camera review. I did the small film, he loved it, I loved it. Here I am. A big influence was my brother, Adriane, who always would encourage me, humble me, and compose with me at times. He actually was the first person to buy me a piece of gear and show me the ropes of music (he had always been the better musician). He has to be one of my biggest influences.
What inspires you to create?
That’s an interesting question! Sometimes it’s the need to create the inspires me. Other times it’s the story. And sometimes it’s the people that I’m working with. But, honestly, most times it’s because I have this itching, or piece flowing through my head, that I just have to put on paper and hear it. It’s never ending.
What drew you to The Go Cart (artistically and maybe, personally)?
Bobby Bennett, the animator, and a dear friend, drew me into this project. I liked the concept, the art, and the atmosphere and felt like I could meld right in with the crew and staff. The animation lent itself to a more playful tone and I had, at that time, only been doing more dramatic films. I wanted a change from that.
What was your process like for creating the music for The Go Cart?
I sat down at my computer and piano, looked at the picture, and started writing. Not much more than that! It came fairly organically as it started coming along. Besides a few nit-picky things the music just kind of morphed into what it became. I think that the last few minutes of the piece were only a few run throughs with the pencil and there it was. It also helped that Bobby was living so close to me at the time so that we could collaborate on what fit with the animation.
Was there a time you ever felt like the cart, either in production or at any point in your life? If so, tell us a little more about it.
I didn’t necessarily relate to the cart as a character personally, but I can see how the cart would in some way be relatable to everyone. It’s a struggle. It’s wanting to feel wanted, wanting to love, and wanting to be more than who we are. Testing our limitations. I felt like this was some of the inspiration in how I composed the music.
Where did you go to school, and what was your major?
I went to school at Ball State University for Telecommunications with an emphasis in Sound Production.
What are you working on now?
I’m working with my production company, Pure Note LLC, and doing freelance composing and sound editing in the Midwest and LA.
Anything else you want to add?
I look forward to seeing how everyone likes it!
To watch the trailer, visit us on Vimeo. And to learn more about the film, visit our facebook page.
Author Kailyne R Waters 