How does a film score turn tension into emotional resolution? I break down my closing cue from CHARGE! in plain language, from a returning piano theme to the final musical release.

Composer Rick Balentine takes you inside his score for CHARGE!, exploring how he used emotion, tension and resolution to create the film’s musical world. Drawing inspiration from composers including Aaron Copland and Thomas Newman, Rick combines quartal harmony, recurring piano motifs, full orchestral writing and modern synth textures. It’s a personal look at his hybrid approach to film scoring, where every musical choice serves one goal: telling the story through emotion.

Inside the score for CHARGE, composer Rick Balentine explores Americana through piano, quartal harmony, traditional orchestration, created sounds, and the emotional landscape of 1964 Middle America.

One of the most enjoyable aspects is the creative freedom to blend different musical elements and experiment with diverse instrumentation.

Whether you’re a filmmaker looking for the perfect score, a fellow composer, this new feature will give you an insight into my work!