A composer has lent his musical storytelling skills to the frightening feathered film Dinosaur Island, opening nationally this week.
Silverdale musician Chris Wright was called on to provide the audio for Dinosaur Island, an independent Australian film by Emmy-award winner Matt Drummond.
Filmed in part in the Blue Mountains, the movie also carries the torch for feathered dinosaurs. After recent evidence found the ancient reptiles may in fact have had coloured feathers, Drummond became the first to portray them on screen.
As the concept for his portrayal came together, the Blue Mountains director enlisted Wright's help.
The former St Dominic's College student and guitarist has a history of musical collaboration but the last 15 months of cinema in the making made for a distinct learning curve.
The composer relished the experience and looks forward to finding future film projects.
"If you're composing your own music without picture that's a very different way of communicating," Wright said.
"With a film there are so many things to consider — you have to think about the dialogue and the music itself has to tell a story."
Drummond's own background in music made Wright's job smooth. "I was incredibly lucky because Matt's quite a proficient musician himself. Sometimes he'd describe what he wanted in in colours and moods and other times he'd say: 'I really like this but can we try that in a minor tonality?'
"You have to be on the same page. Though it's a collaboration you're really trying to bring the director's vision to life."
