Article by Steven: The Quarantine Challenge
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Steven Buckner is an LA based award winning film composer, songwriter, and music producer. Send Steven a message.
Latest News: During the end of last year, I was producing a track called Osiris. In January, I decided to develop an album out of the track which later will be called “The Osiris Project”. I originally thought that it would be an experimental album and fun to create. However, it wasn’t until Covid-19 and the effect it had that I really started to see a real purpose for the album. By being quarantined during this pandemic, I have been going deeper into my inner being searching for something that was always there, but never made the time to unlock it until now.
To catch the interest of the public, I’ve been promoting my album mostly on my Instagram and Facebook pages. I treat each composition like a movie because they each individually have a story. I even produced several music video trailers and posters of the tracks individually like a studio would release a movie. I guess that’s the film composer side of me.
Steven, thank you for joining us today at VQS. Take us back in time to how you first fell in love with music.
I remember it all happened in 1978 when I was 5 and seeing Superman The Movie. During that time, I didn’t quite know what music was but after the end of the movie, I was captivated by the ending credits. I would later know that was part of the film score composed by John Williams. It took a broken leg and a trip to Michigan in July of 1984 to start writing music. During the month of December, my father was playing “O Little Town Of Bethlehem” on the piano. Somehow the A sharp chord in the song struck a chill in my spirit that I asked him to teach me how to play. Once I learned the piece, I started playing around with the chords and started writing my own compositions. At that point, I knew that was what I wanted to do.
What 3 core values do you believe are necessary for success?
Value in music or anything is defined by the beholder. My core values are belief, honor and legacy. Success is defined by the individual seeking it. For some, success is money, wealth and fame and that is ok. For others, success is creating something for charity and that is ok too. There is no right or wrong as long as the intent is good. For myself it is not so much of seeking success as much as it is fulfilling a mission. It is also about sharing an experience. It is about helping people become whole when listening to the music I compose. When I compose music it is my goal and intent for others to experience a journey without words that is left for interpretation the same as when a filmmaker creates a movie. At the end of my journey, I hope to leave something with the listener so that they may enjoy it and pass it on for many years to come.
Who have been some of your favorite people/projects to work with?
I’m just starting in the sense of collaborating with others. However, I enjoyed working with my father when we worked on a jazz album together. I also enjoyed working with several talented filmmakers in the past few years while living out here in Los Angeles
What future opportunities would you like to be involved with?
I would have to say film composing is where my heart is. I really do enjoy creating albums too, but there is something about creating music for film that I’m passionate about.
