HOME | Saul James

SAUL JAMES

Classical, Film & TV Composer, Screenwriter

Welcome!

Here you'll find showreels, news, bio, and music from my film/TV and classical works.

Please feel free to reach out and connect.

I hope you enjoy looking around.

Saul James

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COMPOSER SHOWREELS

Drawing from old and new film projects, this showreel showcases some truly amazing musicians and singers, with whom I've thoroughly enjoyed working over the years. Not to mention all the film directors and producers who gave me a chance, took a risk and let me musically loose on their babies!
Truly grateful and honoured.

All music composed and produced by Saul James.

More Showreels

All music composed and produced by Saul James.

Click on a video to open up the showreel gallery.

Showreel Gallery

02:45

The Salzburg Story - Ladybug

Produced this song 'Ladybug' for the film. The Salzburg Story is a fairy tale romance told by a 70-year-old lady to her little granddaughter, who relates the star-crossed story of a gifted young Austrian composer who finds his world turned upside down by the arrival of a carefree American woman.

01:25

Colour of Magic - Promo Films

I scored the music for six promotional films for The Colour of Magic feature film (by the late Terry Pratchett). This mini-series of Ankh-Morpork Discworld Tourist Guides produced by Sky, starred Sir David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, Nicholas Tennant, Christopher Lee, & Jeremy Irons.

02:02

EWUSU Scene - Opening

The 12-part Canal+ Original Series, tells the story of Soye, a psychologist, who sets up her new office only to find out that for some, it is not welcomed.

01:23

Promised Scene - Battle of the Angels (Explicit Language)

Two archangels, one broken promise. Promised, tells the story of a confrontation between the archangel Michael and the fallen Morningstar Lucifer, that leads to a betrayal that cannot be undone.

02:29

Jeremy Wilson Scene - Heart

An urban fairytale, telling the story of Jeremy Wilson, a traveller, who one day runs into Anna, The Girl Forsaken, and stumbles into the tattered remnants of an aged love story.

00:43

Antebellum Trailer - Rescored

To showcase my trailer work, I have rescored this Antebellum film trailer. I am only showcasing these trailers privately on this site, as a result of rescoring for educational exercise as a non-commercial study, not for commercial or financial gain or anything other than under the 'fair use' provision, for criticism, commentary, parody, education, or research. No infringement is intended.

03:14

Dune Trailer - Rescored

To showcase my trailer work, I composed and produced this new score for the trailer to the first Dune film. I am only showcasing these trailers privately on this site, as a result of rescoring for educational exercise as a non-commercial study, not for commercial or financial gain or anything other than under the 'fair use' provision, for criticism, commentary, parody, education, or research. No infringement is intended.

02:37

Buried Scene - Let's Go

Childhood friends meet for the first time in several years and engage in a ‘game’ that will unexpectedly bring up former demons, that have, until now, remained buired.

Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS

Francoise Ellong-Gomez, Film Director

“Saul James is by far the best composer I have ever had.

Am always blessed to work with him.

I have learnt so much, about melody, instruments and his incredible methodologies. He has always come through for all my projects.

An amazing composer and now also, a dear friend."

BIOGRAPHY

Saul is a classically trained composer, film & TV composer and screenwriter based in the UK. He started on trumpet age 8, followed by piano, voice and classical composition, later gaining multiple scholarships for trumpet and composition, and a chorister placement at Chichester Cathedral. As a 1st study composer at the Royal College of Music, he studied under David McBride, Simon Bainbridge and Joseph Horovitz, and trumpet with the late David Mason, (trumpeter for The Beatle's 'Penny Lane'). Work experience at Jeff Wayne Music Group exposed him to some great media composers including Jeff Wayne (War of the Worlds), Rachel Portman (Chocolat, To Wong Foo, Emma, Godmothered), and John Altman (Beautiful Thing, Hope Springs), it also confirmed his dream of one day writing music for screen.

But before starting his career in film, he spent a decade working across the UK for various youth and education charities and schools, as a youth mentor, support worker and public speaker, followed by a short stint as a singer-songwriter performing in and around London.

As a self-taught film composer, Saul has worked with directors and producers worldwide on TV productions, corporate projects, and many award-winning independent films with premieres in Paris, London, Cameroon, Marbella, Austria, Hollywood and more.

His music has been on Swiss Films, Amazon, Sky Sports, Sky One, Sky Movies, Sky Arts, Sky Atlantic, Netflix, Canal+, TwoFour, TV Monde5 and Seven Network (Australia).

As a classical composer, his works have been performed in concert halls, cathedrals and theatres around the UK, from short ballets to full-scale orchestral and choral works.

Saul's music is highly melodic in style, often housed in dark, complex and emotive backdrops. Connecting to his interest in psychology and human emotions, he revels in digging into the emotional journey of on-screen characters and locating their unique musical story.

Over the years, Saul also taught himself screenwriting and is currently working on a second commissioned feature film script, with a few spec scripts in the pipeline, including feature films and a TV Series.

Bio

Film

FILM &

TV MUSIC

I was lucky enough to start my screen career writing music for six promotional films for The Colour of Magic feature film, (by the late Terry Pratchett). This mini-series of Ankh-Morpork Discworld Tourist Guides produced by Sky, starred Sir David Jason, Tim Curry, Nicholas Tennant, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee, & Jeremy Irons. One of the highlights was visiting Pinewood Studios to work with the actors.

I went on to score and produce music for over eighty screen projects, including short films, documentaries, TV, and award-winning independent feature films, in many genres from horror to romantic comedies, martial arts, drama, fantasy and war.

CLASSICAL

Classical

As a trumpeter for 10 years, playing in brass bands, jazz bands and orchestras, I not only experienced a diverse amount of music but also learnt, studied and understood how music breaks down inside these mediums. During years of orchestral rehearsals, I'd sit and listen to the strings rehearse their part alone, then the woodwind and then they'd all play together. As a young, teenage composer, this breakdown of the music provided invaluable insights into how orchestral colours are created and written by the composer. As a composer, it played a huge part in training my ear, and I continue to use these insights today.

My classical writing is dark, intense, emotional, and oddly both demanding and easy on the ear. It differs a lot from the music I write for films. This crossover of scoring for the stage and the screen is interesting, and I find both influence the other.

When commissioned to write music for films using an electronic sound palette, I have an odd sense of freedom. However, when required to score mostly or purely classical in style, my classical skills get challenged. You see when you write for the concert hall, you have a freedom limited only by your chosen muse. When scoring to screen, you are a slave to the symphonic ballet of movement, emotions, words and colours, story and motive. But both borrow from each other when it comes to inspiration.

Below, is a small sample of my classical music, some for the screen and some for the concert hall.

As young as six I would regularly lie on the sitting room floor listening to the violin concertos of Bruch, Brahms and Sibelius and the orchestral works of composers like Dvorak and Tchaikovsky - a very romantic diet! Somehow I understood them and they touched me and left their mark. When I started writing music for orchestras as a teenager, I was often told I sounded akin to the German and Russian composers, like Mahler and Shostakovich. I would agree and promptly go away to find out what their music sounded like, not having the faintest idea!

News

NEWS

ÉWUSU

12 x 30" TV Series, Canal+

The 12-part Canal+ Original Series for Canal+ Premier went live in March 2024. 'EWUSU' tells the story of Soye, a psychologist, who sets up her new office only to find out that for some, it is not welcomed.

Music: Saul James

Production: WOURI

Ent Coproduction: Canal+, WOURI Studios, Merveilles Production, IGIS Gabon

The first episode was made available online, for those who do not have a Canal Plus Premiere account. In less than 4 weeks, it hit over 100k views! Here it is if you'd like to watch it. It is in French, without subtitles.

Director: Francoise Ellong-Gomez

ASHES OF A DYING EMBER

Short Film, In Development, by Munchie Lunchie Productions

"In a powerful blend of reality and memory, Hadi, a refugee in London, confronts his past through encounters with two ghostly versions of himself, all seeking peace from the lingering scars of war."

In this short 5-minute promo video, film producer Karim Hadaya talks about the upcoming project, its inspiration and how it is of personal importance to him. Excited to join as their composer.

Music from Promo

Ashes of a Dying Ember Promo musicSaul James

00:00 / 01:04

Munchie Lunchie Productions is a new, up-and-coming production company, with some great films in development, and an amazing team attached with incredible passion and energy!