Film Music Reporter

Mason Bates has recently recorded his first film score for the upcoming drama The Sea of Trees. The film is directed by Gus Van Sant and stars Matthew McConaughey, Ken Watanabe, Naomi Watts and Jordan Gavaris. The movie follows two men on a journey of reflection and survival in the Aokigahara, a mysterious dense forest at the base of Japan’s Mount Fuji where a reportedly large amount of suicides occur. Chris Sparling (Buried, ATM) has written the screenplay and is also producing the project with Van Sant, Gil Netter (Life of Pi), Ken Kao (Rampart), Kevin Halloran, F. Gary Gray (Law Abiding Citizen, The Italian Job), Brian Dobbins and Allen Fischer. Bates is best known as a composer of symphonic music, which he often combines with harmonies of jazz and electronic music. He recently was selected as the first composer-in-residence of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Van Sant has previously collaborated with Danny Elfman on his last couple of major features, including Milk, Restless and Promised Land. The Sea of Trees is expected to premiere later this year.