joseph thomas stevens | composition & sound design
composition & sound design.
composer & sound designe
composer & sound designe
portfolio
Let’s Start A Cult
2024
Feature Film
Director: Ben Kitnick
Composed the original score for the feature film starring Stavros Halkias and streaming now on Hulu. The Y2K era buddy-roadtrip-comedy is about an obnoxious former cult member who teams up with his former leader to gain a new following of his own.
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Mailchimp
2023
Ad Campaign
Director: Bjorn Ruhmann
Composed a glitchy original score for Mailchimp’s “Guess Less, Sell More” ad campaign, which used psychedelic storytelling to create something quirky and memorable. Used a “switched on” sound palette with synthesizers and 70s era drum machines.
Empire Flooring
2025
Ad Campaign
Music Supervisor: Aaron Mercer, Premier Music
Composed a modern, reimagined version of the iconic Empire Flooring mnemonic for their current ad campaign. The goal was to reintroduce a familiar mnemonic to a new generation of homeowners in a way that felt current, but preserved the strong brand association that’s been cultivated for decades.
Audible Originals
2023
Podcast Scoring and Sound Design
Producer: Audible Originals, SpringHill Company
Composition and sound design for a five-part Audible original podcast series, “UNINTERRUPTED Presents: Solo”. Made in collaboration with Lebron James’ SpringHill company. Includes theme and interstitial music. Music skews toward hip hop and soul.
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Kayak
2025
Ad Campaign
Music Supervisor: Paul Amatai
Composed a 2025 brand anthem in partnership with Listen to serve as a a north star for Kayak’s musical direction. This anthem would be used potentially for future ad campaigns, as well as in messaging both internally and externally
Sling TV
2024
Sound Design, Brand Development
Music Supervisor: Paul Amatai
Composed loopable ad-break music for Sling TV, incorporating elements from their new sound logo, with an approachable, tactile and fun musical palette that doesn’t overpower the viewing experience
Christmas Eve In
Miller’s Point
2024
Feature Film
Director: Tyler Taormina
Contributed some other-worldly percussive music to Tyler Taormina’s feature-length Christmas film and New York Times “Critic’s Pick” starring Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Superbad).
Soundtoys
2024
Ad Campaign
Produced by:
Parker Selzer, Sound Toys
Composed original music showcasing the entire suite of audio plugins by Soundtoys for their 2024 Black Friday sale. I created a glitchy space opera piece that attempts to draw in casual viewers while seamlessly demonstrating the incredible products that Soundtoys has to offer.
Next Insurance
2021
Ad Campaign
Director: Emma Debany, Tomorrow
Composed a surreal original score for a three part Next Insurance ad campaign, “The Insurance of Your Small Business Dreams”, which explores the unconscious dreams of small business owners. Highlighted first is “Dentist,” inspired by retro, minimalist electronica.
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New York Magazine, Knickerbocker
2024
Short Film
Director: Jeff Alper
Composed original score for a collaboration between New York Magazine and Knickerbocker titled “The Wave”. Two consummate New Yorkers argue over a cab, set to music that evokes high class, grit, and levity with organs, flute, and synthesizers. Directed by Jeff Alper.
From a Son
2025
Short Film
Director: Gilbert Trejo
Contributed score to this Cannes Indie Shorts semifinalist and directorial debut from Gilbert Trejo, starring father Danny Trejo. In it, the senior Trejo investigates the tragic final days of his estranged son who has just died from an overdose.
PX Pulse
2024
Podcast Theme
Producer: Jeanne Baron, AVAC
Composed a take-charge, percussion-driven theme song for a podcast series that explores vital topics confronting the field of HIV prevention research.
Electoral Coins
2024
Short Film
Producer: Community
Composed some over-the-top patriotic music for a spoof infomercial made by the creative/ad agency Community. Begins with Independence-Day-esque blockbuster Americana and pivots to a cheesy, 80s-inspired informercial song
Happer’s Comet
2022
Feature Film
Director: Tyler Taormina
The New York Times wrote that in Happer’s Comet, director Tyler Taormina “has taken the problem of having to look at the same thing every day and turned it into an aesthetic." I contributed the only score for this film, an ethereal sequence portraying suburban streets at night.
The Nectar Instead
2023
Short Film
Director: Yoo Lee
Composed an original score evoking the ambient “plant music” of Mort Garson, “switched on” pioneer Wendy Carlos, and electronic ambient mastermind Haruomi Hosono for this stop-motion animation short by Yoo Lee, “The Nectar Instead”. Yoo’s work has been featured on HBO
Buddymovie
2022
Feature Film
Director: Ryan McGlade
Composed an original score drawing on UK post punk pillars like Joy Division and Durutti Collumn for the absurdist comedy “Buddymovie” by art house director Ryan McGlade. Starring rising comedians Jeremy Levick and Rajat Suresh
Yardbird
2024
Short Film
Director: Jeff Alper
Contributed score to the short film “Yard Bird” by Jeff Alper. Reference points here were spaghetti western as well as Wes Anderson