SFCM Students Gain Professional Film Audio Experience

Students in the Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) are gaining hands-on experience in professional film audio production through an annual partnership with SFFILM.

The collaboration gives students the opportunity to work directly with independent filmmakers while still in school, providing practical experience across scoring, sound design and post-production workflows.

SFCM adjunct professor and award-winning video game composer Lennie Moore leads the program's multi-semester scoring and post-production collaboration with SFFILM. As part of the curriculum, Moore incorporates NUGEN Audio’s Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix plug-ins into coursework focused on multichannel workflows.

Moore is known for his work on video game projects including Halo Anniversary, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Outcast and the Rising Storm series. Through the SFFILM partnership, he works with students on three to five independent films during the academic year.

"The thing that's great about the relationship we've had with SFFILM is that it gives students access to real projects with real directors," Moore said. "Normally, that's unheard of in a collegiate program."

SFFILM, a Bay Area film institution with nearly 70 years of history, annually curates a slate of independent films from local filmmakers. Students participating in the SFCM program pitch custom demonstrations to the directors, who select their lead composer and lead sound designer.

Selected students then lead small teams responsible for the films’ audio production, covering original scores, sound design, foley, ADR, 5.1 post-production mixing and stereo downmix deliverables.

The partnership is designed to give students experience with the same collaborative processes and technical requirements they will encounter in professional film and media production.

The completed films will be presented in a special showcase at the 70th San Francisco International Film Festival in 2027, giving participating students the opportunity to see their work presented to an industry and public audience.