LAST OF THE RIGHT WHALES is an award-winning documentary by Nadine Pequeneza, released by PBS (Nova), CBC (The Nature of Things), and in Europe by ARTE. It follows disparate groups of people - scientists, crab fishermen, a nature photographer, and volunteer conservationists - as they attempt to rescue the dwindling populations of endangered North Atlantic right whales. The score was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award (Best Original Music, Documentary) and features an orchestral palette that mirrors marine ecology. Adult whales are musically depicted with cellos and violas, calves are violins, playful seals are woodwinds and tambourines. A distressed whale entangled in rope is scored with industrial synths and electronically distorted cello rasps. The film is both a stunning visual tribute to nature and an urgent call to action, accompanied with resources to engage the public in conservation efforts.
Bryan Bindon is a film composer with a background in recording engineering, Mastering, and jazz trumpet performance. Bryan’s passion for synthesizers has led him to work on projects that feature synths not only as a textural element, but as a driving tool for character and world-building. Bryan is equally comfortable working with orchestras and large ensembles, to create symphonic scores with emotional depth. He has several projects and accolades in his rapidly evolving career. They include the Lionsgate/AGC TV series Gray (starring Patricia Clarkson), the feature film for Universal Pictures entitled Relax, I’m From The Future (starring Rhys Darby), as well as Apocalypse Plan B (narrated by Jane Fonda). His film work can be seen on Apple TV, Paramount +, Netflix UK, CBC, and Shortverse.
In a past life, he was also a mechanical engineer with a Master’s degree in Motorsport Engineering, working in engine design and custom titanium bicycles. His favourite film is Blade Runner.
Bryan is a member of the Screen Composers Guild of Canada, The Canadian Academy of Film and Television, and the Society of Composers and Lyricists.
Deanna is a film composer and theatrical sound designer. A classically-trained violinist, Deanna infuses her work with lush string sections and playful aleatoric extended techniques. Her background in neuroscience informs her storytelling approach to delve into the behaviour of characters. Deanna’s sound designs can be seen across North America - she has designed for productions at the Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, Ballet West, Canadian Stage, Soulpepper, and others, as well as designing immersive sound installations for commercial projects including Van Gogh Immersive New York. She scored LAST OF THE RIGHT WHALES, a nature documentary that the National Post called, “a vital and important call to action […] backed by lovely ocean photography and a stirring soundtrack”, and was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Music for Documentary Television. She is an associate artist and instructor with the National Theatre School of Canada. Deanna has won 2 Dora Awards, a SOCAN Award, the Pauline McGibbon Award, and has been nominated for the Louis Applebaum Award, a CASMA Award, and 4 Robert Merritt Awards. Her favourite films include Atonement, Pan’s Labyrinth, Parasite, and Muppet Treasure Island.
Deanna is a member of the Screen Composers Guild of Canada, IATSE ADC 659, the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Alliance for Women Film Composers, and the Canadian Federation of Musicians.
Bryan Bindon Deanna H Choi
bryan@hivemindcomposers.com deanna@hivemindcomposers.com