The new horror film Camp Cold Brook is being released in select theaters, digital and VOD this Friday by Shout! Studios. (Just in time for Valentine’s Day). The synopsis reads: Reality TV producer and host Jack Wilson (Chad Michael Murray, House Of Wax, Riverdale) finds himself in a tough spot when his show Haunt Squad is about to be canceled. In a last-ditch effort to spark ratings, he and his producer Angela (Danielle Harris, Halloween, Halloween II) choose to film their next episode at the legendary Camp Cold Brook, which was host to a horrific incident when the young campers were drowned in a nearby creek 20 years ago. Their arrival begins like any other episode … but when this remote, backwoods camp begins to reveal its secrets, the TV crew find that they’ve gotten more than they bargained for.
The film’s score was done by composer Chad Rehmann (The Funhouse Massacre), who decided to think outside the box with this project. Rehmann used some normal instruments, but also created sounds from twigs breaking, windows creaking, static from walkie-talkies and even his kids laughing and screaming. Most of the film takes place at a camp in the woods, so he wanted it to feel as authentic as possible. Below he talks more about this creative process. You can also listen to the film’s score now on Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/album/440R4FlyU0Fx0Balq2VwaV.
When you found out you were going to be scoring Camp Cold Brook what was one of the first things you did to prepare?
Chad Rehmann: Before production even began, Andy Palmer (dir) and I chatted about some of the overarching themes of the film and how the musical landscape could help tell the story. From those early chats, this idea of creating two distinct worlds emerged: the world outside the camp and the world inside the camp. For all of the scenes that take place outside of the camp, a more traditional orchestral score was written and recorded. For all of the scenes that take place inside the camp, a more avant-garde score was created using sounds that one would find at a summer camp in the woods. In order to prepare for that, my team and I spent a couple of weeks processing recordings that we had made of splashing water, twigs breaking, windows creaking, swing set chains, static from walkie-talkies and similar objects that one would find at a camp. I even recorded my own children laughing and screaming (which they absolutely loved doing in the studio!) When the actual scoring of the film began, I had a large palette of sounds created specifically for the Camp Cold Brook world ready to go.
We read that you recorded an orchestra in Budapest for Camp Cold Brook. Why Budapest? Do you find you get a different tone when recording in Budapest then the US?
CR: For this film, I only needed to record 10-15 minutes of traditional orchestral music, since most of the film takes place in the camp where the sound is mostly made up of non-traditional instruments. Because of that, I was able to take advantage of one of the “shared sessions” that overseas orchestras routinely provide for many composers to record on the same day. This allowed me the opportunity to record at a fraction of the cost, which is always a factor in determining where to record independent films.
You have worked with director Andy Palmer many times. Each time you work with him I’m sure you incorporate sounds from the setting. Example being, sounds you would find at a carnival for The Funhouse Massacre and sounds you would find at a camp for Camp Cold Brook. What setting would you like to see his next film take place in, so you could use those sounds?
CR: For the last couple of years, the work that has come across my desk has either been thriller/horror or holiday films. My family much prefers the holiday films, as my wife hates horror films and my three young children aren’t old enough to watch them! It would be cool if those two worlds meshed at a later date – maybe a holiday horror film?
What instrument(s) did you find was key with this particular project to set the tone or musical theme you were striving to achieve for Camp Cold Brook?
CR: One of the more unusual things that I played around with in this film was this idea of using bugle calls that campers would hear throughout the day. My friend Pierce Pope, a trumpet player in LA, came to my studio one day and we recorded some traditional bugle calls as well as some takes of him humming and buzzing through his mouthpiece. I was then able to slow those recordings down and process them in a way that created many of the drones heard in the film.
I know you probably don’t want to give away too much, but what did you find was the scariest part or element of this film?
CR: I think one of the more terrifying aspects of the film is that the characters, and by proxy the audience when POV shots are utilized, are always surrounded by children and the main antagonist watching them from afar. In order to accentuate this feeling, I used some very simple slides on a single cello string that constantly pan left and right, making the audience feel as though something is actually moving back and forth just off screen…even though they can’t see it. It is very simple and sparse, but for this film where the silence of the woods can be terrifying in and of itself, I felt that less would be more.
You recently scored a film called Psycho Party Planner for Lifetime. On a project like this do you try to be as over the top as possible with the score? What sort of direction are you given for a film like this?
CR: In my experience, Lifetime thrillers do call for a little more over the top score. My work on Psycho Party Planner is for the film production company Ninth House, which I’ve had the joy of working with over the last few years. I’ve done over 10 films with Autumn Federici and Jake Helgren, which has created a sort of shorthand that we use for our projects together. In terms of direction, Jake (dir) and I usually have one or two chats about the type of score that he envisions, and then I jump in pretty quick. Because of our relationship and history, I like to think that I understand what they need the score to do in order for it to be successful. Ninth House has a pretty great track record when it comes to putting out quality films, and are pretty amazing people to work with!
Out of all the projects you have worked on, which one did you learn the most from? And why?
CR: I can’t recall a single project that I’ve worked on where I didn’t learn anything; however, I think that Camp Cold Brook really stretched me as an artist as it is the first film where I heavily relied upon instruments that I created. Another project that challenged me last year is a new film not out yet called Obsidian Dolls, directed by Michael Carnick. I had previously worked with Michael on Who’s Driving Doug and had to watch a rough cut of this new film a few times before signing on to it. It is two characters in one location exploring some pretty deep philosophical topics, and when I initially saw the cut, I thought that the film played pretty well without any music at all and honestly didn’t know what I could add to it. The script and acting is so incredibly strong that I didn’t want to ruin it with my music! Michael, to his credit, took the time to lay out his idea for the score, play me a lot of music, and show me key scenes with some temp. Slowly but surely I bought into his vision, and I feel it’s some of the strongest string writing that I’ve done in some time. To write music that is stripped down to just a few strings and a little piano is a very vulnerable process. I couldn’t rely on big drums, rises, synths, loops, or any other technological tool in my arsenal, just basic string orchestra writing. It was a great opportunity to get back to my roots as a concert composer, write with pencil and paper, and rely on my ear instead of what my sequencer could produce.
A film called The Bridge was one of your first features you scored. How influential was that experience for you as an artist?
CR: The Bridge was the first film on which I had the opportunity to record live instruments, so in that sense it was a huge education! Until then, all of my projects were created “in the box”, and this was the first time that I had the chance to collaborate with other musicians on a score. In addition to that, it was on that film where I met violinist, Lisa Dondlinger who brought me on to write for her album Movies and the Masters. That album has done amazingly well, and now 13 years after we met she plays many of our arrangements that were created for the album in her live orchestral show. It’s proof that even the smallest of interactions can blossom into great opportunities!