“Those Abandoned” is a short film created by my brother, Adam Rose, as a submission for the 2007 reality television series "On the Lot". After completing the initial shoot, he reached out and asked if I could compose and produce an original music score to accompany the film.

At the time, I was still attending MSUM, and one of the primary challenges was working under a tight deadline while coordinating from nearly 2,000 miles away. This was long before cloud platforms were commonplace, so Adam had to aggressively compress the video to send it over the internet, battling slow upload speeds and strict file size limits.

Once I received the footage, I immersed myself in the world he had created, a gritty, post-apocalyptic setting. I began composing a musical backdrop that would complement the bleak visuals and somber tone. Around this time, I had just acquired the Garritan Personal Orchestra software plugin, a powerful MIDI-based orchestral library. It allowed me to craft a cinematic score using layered string sections, atmospheric textures, and dramatic crescendos, all within a fully digital studio setup.

Despite the limitations of time and distance, the final cut of Those Abandoned came together as a cohesive and compelling short film. I was proud of the score I created, especially given the constraints, and felt it supported my brother’s vision well.

While the film wasn’t selected for On the Lot, we later learned that many of the contestants who made it onto the show already had substantial industry experience and resources. For a competition originally positioned as a platform for undiscovered talent, the actual selection process leaned heavily toward more established filmmakers. Though disappointing, it was validating to know we put forth a strong, independently produced submission, and it remains one of the more meaningful collaborations from that era.

• Remote Collaboration & File Optimization
Navigated technical and logistical challenges to complete a time-sensitive project across long distance.

• Original Film Scoring
Composed and produced a custom orchestral score using Garritan Personal Orchestra and digital audio tools.

• Mood & Genre Matching
Translated the visual tone of a dystopian narrative into a matching musical landscape.

• Creative Support Under Pressure
Delivered a complete, original audio contribution for an external project with limited time and revision cycles.