Chanell Crichlow
Chanell Crichlow is a composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California. Known for her lush sound and vibrant compositions, she has received praise from esteemed publications such as Flaunt Magazine and Downbeat Magazine.
SLEEP TRAINING is a narrative short film written and directed by Sunita Prasad, who is best known as a film editor for award-winning features such as Aftershock, 93Queen, and Storming Caesars Palace with past premieres at Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW and releases on HBO, Hulu, PBS, & Arte.
In SLEEP TRAINING a new parent’s postpartum depression devolves into frightening hallucinations until an escape from motherhood is necessary to stay sane – but is abandoning the baby the only way out? Meera Rohit Kumbhani (Dave Made A Maze, FOX’s Weird Loners) stars as Neha in this original dramedy.
Six months postpartum, Neha knows she isn’t supposed to feel this way. As the new mom of an adorable six- month-old whose partner, Tor (Nashville’s Cameron Scoggins), is basically SuperDad, she should be happy, right? But as she tries to get some writing done over her baby’s screams, her partner’s sleep training frets, and her immigrant mother’s laments about American parenting… something snaps inside of Neha. She sees a terrifying vision that startles and confuses her.
Over the next two days of sleep training the intrusive thoughts continue, ranging from the horrible to the hilarious. Neha is convinced that even the baby is trying to tell her what a bad mom she is. After all, she can’t even feed him without assistance from her best friend Dexter (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’s Jess Barbagallo).
On the third day, Neha reaches a breaking point. Will she do the unthinkable to escape her failed motherhood? Or is there another way out, if Neha just finds the words to name it?
The score for Sleep Training combines instrumental and vocal layering with subtle driving rhythmic patterns that embrace the suspenseful nature of the film. The funds from Reel Change: Fund for Diversity in Film Scoring will allow us to create a beautiful end credits song with live musicians and singers and contribute to the final mix of the OST. The funds will also allow us to have our musicians contribute to underscore in really powerful ways.
The inspiration behind the music is to let the characters and story drive the sound. As we follow Neha in this part of her life, we can all identify with the story of having to come into yourself once again and regaining the strength to be who you are. It might not be the exact circumstance but we have all had that experience. That is what makes the music.
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Chanell Crichlow is a composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California. Known for her lush sound and vibrant compositions, she has received praise from esteemed publications such as Flaunt Magazine and Downbeat Magazine.
In 2021, Chanell had the honor of being selected as a Sundance Composers Lab Fellow, where she had the opportunity to collaborate closely with accomplished Film and Television composers to refine her craft. Recently, she also completed a residency at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, and was one of the Sundance Institute’s Art of Practice Fellows.
Their music has graced several remarkable projects, including the scoring of “My Fake Boyfriend” (Prime Video), a queer romantic comedy directed by Rose Troche, and “How Not To Date While Trans,” directed by Nyala Moon, which received the Grand Jury Prize at NewFest and Best Short Film at Bendigo Queer Film Festival and Translations Film Festival. Chanell also scored Nyala’s latest film, “Dilating for Maximum Results,” which was honored with the Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding U.S. Narrative Short at Outfest.
Beyond the film world, Chanell’s melodies have found their way into popular podcasts, as she created the theme music for Crooked Media’s “Work Appropriate” with host Anne Helen Petersen and Audiation’s “Gender Spiral” hosted by Ally Beardsley and Babette Thomas.
Approaching her scoring career with a unique perspective and path, Chanell has swiftly formed strong bonds with filmmakers in search of an undeniably authentic musical voice.
Composers Concordance ‘1984’ featuring CompCord Ensemble As part of the 12th Annual CompCord Festival –CompCord @ 40–
LOFT393 393 Broadway, 2nd Floor, NY, NY 10013
The Weight of Light
Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607