You Don't Say

You Don’t Say is a rare and wonderful film: a movie musical short! In a charming used bookstore, two shy clerks struggle to confess their affection for one another. So they communicate the way they know best… through books.

A Film by The Barn

written by Sam Balzac and AJ Freeman

Directed by Jeffrey Simon

This film is a genre joyride from beginning to end, visiting an old Western, astro-futurist sci-fi, film noir, and a golden age movie musical as Lilith and Herbert try desperately to find the right words. In “On the Verandah”, the final number, I was tasked with orchestrating a simple piano and vocal arrangement for a lush Hollywood orchestra. I worked with the Ethel string quartet in New York to add more detail and richness to the string sections. Elements of “My Fair Lady”, “The King and I” and “Carousel” abound in this elegant and sweeping waltz.

Not only did I write music and orchestrations for this film, I worked as the music director on set during the production. I coordinated the playback of the backing track during filming, to make sure the final audio perfectly matched the music.