Film
David has composed for over 30 feature films.
In 2024 he co-composed and produced, with Phoebe Gittins, the credits song for the feature The War of the Rohirrim, directed by Kenji Kamiyama and the score for Paul Wolffram’s feature documentary, Mari Mari.
He has composed scores for over twenty feature films, including McLaren for which he won the APRA Silver Scroll award for Best Original Music, The Ground We Won, Gardening with Soul, Beyond the Edge, and additional score for Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones. He wrote music and created musical sound design for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong (with Plan 9 Music). In 2022 and 2023 he scored Loren Taylor’s The Moon is Upside Down,Josephine Rose’s Touchdown and Paul Oremland’s Mysterious Ways.
The Moon Is Upside Down
Three women - a duped mail-order bride, a numbed anaesthetist determined to have a romantic weekend, and an empty nester on an unexpected mission of mercy - each navigates her way through an unfamiliar landscape and the contours of the human heart.
Dir. Loren Taylor - 2023
The Rider - credits song for The War of the Rohirrim. Performed by Paris Paloma. Words - Phoebe Gittins. Music - Phoebe Gittins and David Long
Mysterious Ways
When a media storm threatens the marriage between a Vicar and his Samoan boyfriend something extraordinary happens.
Dir. Paul Oremland - 2023
Punch
Seventeen-year old Jim is a small-town boxing hero who carries the hopes and dreams of his father Stan on his shoulders. His growing relationship with local boy, Whetu, forces him to confront the truth about his sexuality, and choose his own future.
Dir. Welby Ings - 2022
More Film
McLaren
The story of Bruce McLaren, the New Zealander who founded the McLaren Motor Racing team. A man who showed the world that a man of humble beginnings could take on the elite of motor racing and win.
Dir. Roger Donaldson - 2017
Beyond The Edge
Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary's monumental and historical ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953 - an event that stunned the world and defined a nation.
Dir. Leanne Pooley - 2014
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an epic high fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson. Song: Misty Mountain Cold (music composed with Plan 9)
Dir. Peter Jackson - 2012
The Ground We Won
The Ground We Won is a vérité documentary study of manhood as observed through the rites and rituals of a rural New Zealand rugby club.
Dir.s Miriam Smith and Christopher Pryor - 2015
Gardening With Soul
Gardening with Soul is a feature length documentary following a year in the garden with 90-year-old Sister Loyola Galvin.
Dir. Jess Feast - 2013
25 April
25 April is an innovative feature documentary using graphic novel-like animation to bring First World War experiences out of the usual black-and-white archive pictures.
Dir. Leanne Pooley - 2015
All Feature Films
The Moon Is Upside Down (Dir. Lauren Taylor) 2024
Touchdown (Dir. Josephine Rose) 2024
Marimari (Dir. Paul Wolffram) 2024
Mysterious Ways (Dir. Paul Oremland) 2023
Ms. Information (Dir. Gwen Isaac) 2023
Punch (Dir. Welby Ings) 2022
Helen Kelly - Together (Dir. Tony Sutorius) 2020
We Need To Talk About AI (Dir. Leanne Pooley) 2019
For My Father's Kingdom (composed with Briar Prastiti, Dir.s Vea Mafile'o and Jeremiah Tauamiti) 2019
Wayne (Dir. Jeremy Sims) 2018
Where There Is Life (Dir. Gwen Isaacs) 2017
6 Days (composed with Lachlan Anderson, Dir. Toa Fraser) 2017
McLaren (Dir. Roger Donaldson) 2017
The 5th Eye (Dir.s Abi King-Jones and Errol Wright) 2016
Taking Stock (Dir. Maeve Murphy) UK, 2015
The Ground We Won (Dir.s Miriam Smith and Christopher Pryor) 2015
25 April (Dir. Leanne Pooley) 2015
Hot Air (Dir. Alister Barry) 2014
Beyond the Edge (Dir. Leanne Pooley) 2013
Gardening With Soul (Dir. Jess Feast) 2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Dir. Peter Jackson) 2012
Two Little Boys (Dir. Robert Sarkies) 2012
The Red House (Dir. Alyx Duncan) 2012 http://vimeo.com/121002996
Pictures of Susan (Dir. Dan Salmon) 2012 http://vimeo.com/144431157
Rest for the Wicked (Dir. Simon Pattison) 2011
Russian Snark (with Stephen Gallagher) (Dir. Stephen Sinclair) 2010 http://vimeo.com/121002995
The Lovely Bones (additional score) (Dir. Peter Jackson) 2009 http://vimeo.com/121102176
Untouchable Girls (additional music, music editing) (Dir. Leanne Pooley) 2009
We’re Here to Help (Dir. Jonothan Cullinane, SPP)
The Hollow Men (Dir. Alister Barry) 2008
An Island Calling (Dir. Annie Goldson) 2007
King Kong (additional ambient music design in collaboration with Plan 9) (dir. Peter Jackson) 2005
Sedition (Dir. Russell Campbell) 2005
Haunting Douglas (Dir. Leanne Pooley) 2003
AWOL (with Don McGlashan and Mark Austin) (Dir. John Lang) 1996
"Working with David is one of my favourite parts of the filmmaking process. Aside from the wonderful music he creates he is also extremely collaborative, reliable and quite simply one of the best human beings I know."
— Leanne Pooley