Stephen O'Connell | Showreel

A mystical and celtic-inspired atmospheric piece, blending the lines between traditional folk music, classical orchestration and modern synthesised sounds. Using the new Albion Solstice library as inspiration, the piece creates the sound of the Carpathian Mountains, building an emotional journey through the mist, to match the amazing drone footage captured by Archie from The Cue Tube.

Carpathians (2021)

You can hear the dry grass, the scrapping metal and the wind through the rafters in every strike of the performer's bow. 

An intensely detailed and intimate library, Spitfire Alternative Solo Strings provide an amazing experience, creating the expressive uniqueness found in the most unconventional stories of independent cinema. It is a pleasure to hear the scratchy rawness of the samples shining through and the many articulations on offer provide a well rounded tool for many different styles.

Weathered Past (2021)

An adventurous and quirky animation, Fetch: A Very Short Film has a wonderfully crafted, heart-warming, simple story. While the overall feel was one of simplicity and wonder, adventure and danger lurked nearby, so scoring this short was challenge in balancing the small, sweet theme with the bigger, epic sounds of the middle chase scenes. It was a pleasure to take part in the Composer’s Choice Contest, good luck to everyone who has entered!

YouTube: https://youtu.be/C7kNGzEFXSw

Fetch (2021) - Composer's Choice Contest

Director: Shannon Brimelow
DOP: Travis Hodgkinson
Sound/Score: Stephen O'Connell

An original short film, Out of Sight is a classic story with a twist. Opening on a chase, it seems that two children are hurriedly trying to escape the formidable guards, but is all as it seems?

This is the first cue, a dramatic and epic soundtrack to a tense chase scene of cat and mouse.

Out Of Sight (2021) - Short Film

My entry to the Berlin International Film Score Competition, a piece inspired by the changes in the story, from arid desert planet to a beautiful oasis. The changes can be felt in the music and it reflects both the wonder and the sadness in the story.

Genesis - Berlin International Film Score Competition (2022)

Apricity... Feeling the warmth of the sun in winter. How fitting for the feeling and mood of this track. 

The idea of this track was generated using Kaleidoskye, a new sample library I've developed, free on Pianobook. It is a sparkling, swarm library of delayed guitar textures, a great pad and atmospheric tool for media scoring. Check out the link below. 

KALEIDOSKYE: Link pending availability on Pianobook. Will be updated soon. 

Photo: Alain via Unsplash.

Apricity (2022)

The Legend of Vox Machina lives on in a new Amazon Prime series! This is my take on how I would approach writing a main theme to an animated action series like this.

Legends (2022)

A beautifully tragic sound evolution, like a slowly crashing wave washing away the last moments of a life.

Sombre Embrace (2022)

Twilight Sunset (2022)

This is my submission to the Vocalise 3 Rescore Competition by Heavyocity. You can check out the video here: https://youtu.be/m72BlFCKtU4

Breath of Life (2022)

You And I As One (2023)

Myths Of The Tigris (2023)

A demo track featuring Berserkr, the new library from Keep Forest that combines punk and folk drums for an epic sound.

Photo by Shahin Khalaji via Unsplash

Fire And Blood (2023)

Radiance (Full Version) (2023)

Legacy (2023)

A Breath Of Life (2024)

Score Relief 2021, hosted by The Cue Tube, provided me with an open slate when scoring to the short animation from Blender Foundation, titled Spring. With such a focus on the dramatic journey this young woman has to go through to drag her land out of winter and into spring, it gave me a chance to explore a more textural score, with a slightly dark and mysterious edge. With all creative decisions entirely down to me, I chose to embody the wonder and mystical nature of the ritual and go down a different path than others may have travelled with their scores.

Stephen O'Connell | Showreel

Stephen O'Connell | Composer