Miriam Cutler shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Miriam, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I’m definitely the kind of person who can get totally lost and lose track of time in anything I enjoy doing – whether my work, which is composing for film, or teaching/mentoring others. I also love watching films and good TV shows, or listening to music. I find myself when I notice I’m hungry and have to stop and eat.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Three-time Emmy nominated composer, passionate about documentaries. My work includes HBO, CNN, PBS, Sundance, SXSW, Berlin FF, Tribeca, Emmy, and Oscar nominated films: RBG, Love Gilda, Shari Lewis and Lambchop, Flannery, Dark Money, The Hunting Ground, Ethel, Lost in La Mancha, Thin, Poster Girl, Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, A Plastic Ocean, Licensed To Kill, and many more. Co-Produced and Scored Dark Money, One Lucky Elephant.
Longtime Advisor/ Sundance Documentary Composers Lab, doc juror for Sundance FF, Spirit Awards, AFI, and more. Have served Executive Board of TV Academy Music Branch and Motion Picture Academy Documentary Branch. Member of Reel Change Film Fund Board – New Music USA. Co-produced live jazz albums including Joe Williams (nominated for a Grammy as Co-Producer), Nina Simone, Shirley Horn,. Most recently, featured artist on Grammy Award winning album, “Women Warriors: Voices of Change”. Currently Co-Producing the documentary, “Loving Laura Nyro”
Later in my career I discovered a passion for sharing what I’ve learned. I’ve developed and presented my dream workshop – Vancouver Film Festival Composer Filmmaker Accelerator Program and Krakow Film Music Festival Composers and Filmmakers Workshop. These programs are both in their 3rd year. As a Film Expert for USC Cinema/US State Department’s American Film Showcase I’ve presented workshops from Georgia (country) to Faroe Islands to Borneo to Jordan to Denmark and many more.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
In the early part of my career, I was content with any job that paid me to write and/or perform music. But my first experience working with an extraordinary documentary filmmaker on his very intense and important film, going with him to Sundance where it won 2 awards, meeting so many other extraordinary filmmakers completely changed my life. From that point on, I knew my passion was composing for documentaries – working on projects I believe in.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wound of my life was losing my mother at age 17. The level of grief that washed over me was debilitating for many years and really affected my ability to cope. Music was a balm and helped me through the days, but really, it just takes time. I don’t think one ever eliminates grief, you just learn to accept it and keep going. And maybe discovering other sources of love and support.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe the chances that we are the only intelligent life in the universe are 0. I can’t prove it, but as we learn more about life on earth, it seems more and more undeniable that we aren’t alone.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
At the beach at sunset.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.miriamcutler.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miriam.cutler
Image Credits
Mark Hanauer
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