ABOUT

Ewan Clark conducting the Wellington Chamber Orchestra in 2017

Ewan Clark is an award-winning film composer and orchestrator based in Wellington, New Zealand. As an orchestrator, Ewan’s recent projects include Tim Prebble's score for the feature film One Thousand Ropes, which won Best Original Music in a Film at the 2017 APRA Silver Scrolls. He also orchestrated David Long’s score for Beyond the Edge, which was nominated for the same award in 2014.

As a composer, Ewan has scored the feature length docudrama Doubt: The Scott Watson Case (TVNZ1), the feature film Hotspot: Log in At Own Risk, and numerous short films and documentaries that have screened at film festivals around the globe. A recent highlight was collaborating with composer Rhian Sheehan to co-compose the score for Zoe McIntosh's short The World In Your Window. This film has won various awards, including best fiction short at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Another recent highlight has been scoring award-winning animations by Matasila Freshwater. Shmeat was selected as one of "New Zealand's Best" at the 2016 NZIFF and appeared at numerous festivals abroad. In addition, Ewan joined with Mata's team in the HP 48Hours competition, winning "Best Original Score" in Wellington (2016 and 2017) and nationwide (2017). Click here for a list of Ewan's film and television credits.

Ewan’s compositions and orchestrations have been performed in concert by the Philharmonia Orchestra (London), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Auckland Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, and Baroque Voices. Ewan holds an MMus in Composition for Screen (Distinction) from the Royal College of Music, London (2012) and a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington (2018). In his spare time Ewan plays trombone with the Wellington Chamber Orchestra, which he has also conducted in 2017.

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TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

"Ewan is an incredible composer, orchestrator, arranger and conductor. Like...ferociously good. It was a pleasure to watch (and listen) to his work!"

— Stephen Gallagher, composer for Hippocratic

"Ewan is absolutely professional, dedicated and amazingly talented. Best of all, he was deeply interested and involved in the story so he hit all the right beats!"

— Ben Childs, director of Birdsong and The Space Trash Men

“Ewan is an incredibly hardworking, talented and collaborative composer. He was very intuitive when it came to realising the director's vision, and worked solidly with us to bring the score to the next level, recording it with a professional orchestra. Ewan is a pleasure to work with and I would recommend him to any filmmaker.”

— Thomas Coppell, producer of Shmeat and Post Production Manager of Doubt: The Scott Watson Case

"Ewan is a director's delight. Despite the distance between us, he manages to conjure up refreshing and apt music for my documentaries."

— Shekar Dattatri, director of SOS: Save Our Sholas, The Truth About Tigers, and Chilika: Jewel of Odisha

“Ewan is not only a very talented composer in his own right, but also a brilliant orchestrator, arranger and conductor. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Ewan on some exciting and diverse soundtracks. His knowledge, professionalism and passion have been crucial to the completion of each project.”

— Rhian Sheehan, composer for We Are Stars and Back to the Moon: For Good; co-composer with Ewan for The World In Your Window

"Ewan Clark's film music is out of this world!" — Natasha Marburger, producer of Hotspot: Log in at Own Risk

“Ewan’s interpretation of a scene is spot on while taking into account what the director is looking for. I couldn’t ask for a better collaborator.” — Sebastian Barner-Rasmussen, director of Spoils

“Ewan is a valued collaborator. Working with large-scale Music Preparation for orchestra on our recent TV drama When We Go To War. his work was spot on. He is always generous with his knowledge and experience, and a great man to have around!” — Tom McLeod, composer for When We Go To War

"Ewan is a consummate professional who delivers top notch work - and has that rare quality of making it all seem effortless." — Carl Chetty, writer/director of Scapegoat

"I am certain that if an original score is required, Ewan will be the first composer I'll ask." — Elsa Bauverd, director of Osmonde

“Ewan’s work added a new dimension to my film which heightened the story’s emotional impact and connection with the viewer.” — Rory Leighton, director of A Son Rising

"Ewan's the most hardworking and versatile composer I've met. He offered one solution after another until I was completely satisfied." — Nikka Lorak, director of The Outsider

"The process from concept to final recording was smooth and ideal, the best I could wish for as a director. Ewan brought to our film the balance required." — James Cork, director of Kids Rule and A Boy’s Tale

"The emotional value of my film was significantly increased by Ewan's score. His exhaustive work ethic and infallible patience make him a pleasure to work with." — Nicole Perry, director of The Sunshine Girl

"Ewan can successfully underpin a film’s emotion with his music, without overpowering the story on screen." — Oliver McGuirk, director of Internal

"Ewan's music helped our film to leap effortlessly between the various genres it parodied. A nice bloke too!" — Adam Fresco, director of Keep It Up!

"I had a wonderful experience working with Ewan. Every note matched the story I was trying to tell." — Aston Garrat, director of Knock Three Times

"It was so easy to work with Ewan, sometimes I thought he could read my mind." — Vitor Vilela, director of Hotspot: Log in at Own Risk

audio

Credits

Orchestration

Hippocratic (2017), score composed by Stephen Gallagher, dir. Mike Hill

We Are Stars: Planeterium Dome Show (2015), score composed by Rhian Sheehan, dir. Max Crow

One Thousand Ropes (2016), score composed by Tim Prebble, dir. Tusi Tamasesi

Beyond the Edge (2013), score composed by David Long, dir. Leanne Pooley

Back to the Moon for Good: Planeterium Dome Show (2013), score composed by Rhian Sheehan, dir. Max Crow

Music preparation

When We Go To War (2014), score for TV series composed by Tom McLeod

The Ground We Won (2014), score for short documentary composed by David Long

Under The Mountain (2009), score for feature film composed by Victoria Kelly

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Composition for feature films

Turn of the Screw (2019), dir. Alex Glavin

Doubt: The Scott Watson Case (2016), dir. Yvonne MacKay

Hotspot: Log in at Own Risk (2012), dir. Vitor Vilela

The Sunshine Girl (2009), dir. Nicole Perry

Composition for documentaries

199 Little Heroes (2018), three episodes directed by Bonnie Philp (Lucy, Selwyn, and Kevar)

Gina (2015), dir. Wendell Cook

Chilika: Jewel of Odisha (2013), dir. Shekar Dattatri

The Truth About Tigers (2010), dir. Shekar Dattatri

SOS: Save Our Sholas (2009), dir. Shekar Dattatri

Composition for short films — drama

The World In Your Window (2016), dir. Zoe McIntosh (co-composed with Rhian Sheehan)

Unit 6 (2014), dir. Jane Sherning Warren

Osmonde (2014), dir. Elsa Bauverd

A Boy's Tale (2013), dir. James Cork

Odd (2012), dir. Karim Elshenawy

Spoils (2012), dir. Sebastian Barner-Ramussen

The Outsider (2012), dir. Nikka Lorak

Money Can't Buy (2010), dir. Nusrat Howard-Moore

Carnal Seasoning (2008), dir. Chris Tout

A Son Rising (2008), dir. Rory Leighton

Composition for short films — comedy

The Wishboners (2018), dir. Jaimee Poipoi

Loner (2014), dir. Wendell Cooke

Snowmen (2014), dir. Jonathan Brough

Keep it Up! (2008), dir. Adam Fresco

Knock Three Times (2008), dir. Aston Garratt

Are You Lonesome (2004), dir. Viola Löffler

Composition for short films — thriller

An Arm and a Leg (2017), dir. Jonathan King

Let Down Your Hair (2015), dir. James Ashcroft

Internal (2012), dir. Oliver McGuirk

Hell Hath (2009), dir. Chris Tout

An Aggressive Gift (2008), dir. Chris Tout

Composition for short films — fantasy or science fiction

PIGS (2016), dir. James Ashcroft

The Space Trash Men (2013), dir. Ben Childs

Birdsong (2013), dir. Ben Childs

El Tiempo de la Luz (2011), dir. Rebeca Sánchez

Kids Rule (2011), dir. James Cork

Composition for short films — animation

The Real Rare Arctic Firefly (2017), dir. Matasila Freshwater

Wellingtopia (2016), dir. Matasila Freshwater

Shmeat (2015), dir. Matasila Freshwater

Other composition credits

Into the Pickle Jar (2019), dir. Matasila Freshwater (web series)

Scapegoat (2011), dir. Carl Chetty (radio play)

Dr Sally and the Suicidal Sleepwalker (2009), dir. Chris Tout (web series)

Paw Justice (2009), dir. Craig Dunn (television commercial)

news

News

May 18, 2018

PhD in film scoring

May 18, 2018

Ewan has graduated with a PhD in film scoring from Victoria University of Wellington. The study involved submitting a portfolio of ten film scores as well as writing a thesis titled Harmony, Associativity, and Metaphor in the Film Scores of Alexandre Desplat. To hear Ewan speaking to Radio NZ about his thesis, click here.

May 18, 2018

Mar 30, 2018

2019 Oscar-qualifier: The World in Your Window

Mar 30, 2018

Zoe McIntosh's beautiful short film, The World In Your Window, has won multiple awards at international film festivals, and is now a qualifier for the 2019 Oscars, in the category "best live action short film". Ewan co-wrote the score with Rhian Sheehan. Here is a list of its awards to date:

Jury prize at Clermont Ferrand Film Festival, France
Grand Prix award at Prague Short Film Festival
Best international short film at Short Shorts in Asia, Japan
Best international short film at Melbourne International Film Festival
NZCS Silver cinematography award
Best Director at Show Me Shorts film festival

Mar 30, 2018

Nov 30, 2017

Best Original Score in HP 48Hours 2017

Nov 30, 2017

Ewan has won Best Original Score at the Grand Final of the HP 48Hours 2017 film challenge. The film, The Real Rare Arctic Firefly, made by team Lovely Bongo Drums, also won Best Animation. This builds on previous success in 2016, in which Ewan's score for Wellingtopia won Best Original Score at the Wellington City Final. Both films were directed by Matasila Freshwater and animated by Chris Callus, the makers of Shmeat.

Nov 30, 2017

Sep 30, 2017

APRA Award for One Thousand Ropes

Sep 30, 2017

Tim Prebble's score for One Thousand Ropes, which Ewan worked on as orchestrator and conductor, has won Best Original Music in a Feature Film at the 2017 APRA Silver Scrolls. Ewan was responsible for orchestrating the material played by the Aroha String Quartet and the Tudor Consort choir, and also conducted at the session. Prior to its theatrical release, the film screened at Berlinale, in the prestigious Panorama section.

For a “behind the scenes” video about the making of Tim’s score, click here.

Sep 30, 2017

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