Love Like an Ocean

One of my favorite ways of enjoying the beauty of nature is through the sound of cinematic music. Whether on a roadtrip to an epic destination or while flying my drone over a vast landscape, the moment is often underscored by the imaginations of composers. And even when I choose silence as my soundtrack, I still hear a symphony in my head when I see the wonders of Creation. Which is why one of my greatest creative joys is collaborating with musical artists in bringing their audible artwork to visual life!

Last year, I got to experience that unique joy again when composer Austin Fray approached me with a dream. And I am so excited to share that dream with you today! It’s called Love Like an Ocean—a 16-minute film that is a love letter to the open seas, “to all that is loved and longed for,” as Austin so eloquently puts it.

To appropriately match Austin’s passion for the deep, I tapped into my own longing that I’ve chased over the past few years: The West Coast of America. The scenes of the coast out here can be overwhelming & jaw-dropping, but they can also carry a peace & serenity that quiets the soul. So I decided to feature the Northern California & Oregon coastlines for the film, as my own love letter to the edge of my new home, the PNW.

Waves Come in Sets of 3

Like big waves rising from the deep, Love Like an Ocean comes in a set of three parts, which mirrors the EP Austin has just released.

PART ONE

Part One, “Love Like an Ocean”, begins with a view of the horizon at civil twilight. Pulling back in reverse, our eyes are drawn out to the sea, as if longing for what we cannot see, a distant land beyond the light. As we move closer & closer to the shore of our present home, the new day begins to darken, the waves begin to grow stronger, & the land begins to rise abruptly from the waters. And the music crescendos with the roaring, heavy immensity of the wavelengths in the wild.

PART TWO

In Part Two, “Edge of the Sea”, we shift our perspective from the horizon to the Earth below. We are given a top-down view of the deep waters surging beneath us & are treated to sights rarely seen. Like in Part One, we are gradually moving closer & closer to the rocky shore. Waves breaking on rocks cause the current to foam & swirl, mingling with the sand & trees like a piece of abstract art. And halfway through, as the song lifts, the sun breaks through the clouds, separating the gloomy day into light & shadow.

PART THREE

In the final movement, “Recollection”, we turn our gaze back to the horizon, but this time facing the land. The rising sun is now made visible as it bursts from behind coastal mountains & casts golden rays through the evergreen trees that make their home on sea-cliffs & sea-stacks. But eventually, our gaze is beckoned back to the sea as we remember—or rather recollect—a home we have not yet seen, but is just there beyond sight, calling to us. And I am reminded of the words Tolkien used to describe Valinor, The Undying Lands in the West.

 About Austin Fray

Austin began his career composing music for film trailers before moving to Los Angeles where he was recruited onto the composer roster of Emmy and BAFTA nominated Bleeding Fingers Music, Hans Zimmer's scoring collective, where he worked until 2019. His music has been performed in concert halls all over the world as part of Symphony for Our World, National Geographic’s live orchestra to picture experience.

Austin mixes his small town Tennessee roots of folk, jazz, and church music with a deep love for the orchestra, electronic, and post rock styles . On his down time, Austin can be found at the lake, on a trail, or enjoying a pint with a friend.