TIM
RILEY

Tim Riley creates music in many different genres, but he often finds himself at home in a style that's introspective, heartfelt without being overly sentimental, sometimes experimental, and quirky when needed. He enjoys finding a unique sound for each project. For almost two decades, he's been writing music for tv and film in Los Angeles. Up until now, his work has been largely uncredited – he's spent much of his time working as a ghost-composer for primetime network and cable tv. As part of that work, for over 15 years he's contributed music to fan-favorite Survivor on CBS for Vanacore Music, and contributed music to hundreds of other shows as well for the Vanacore collective. Along the way, he's added scores for short films and other projects.

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Tim grew up in the South – Mississippi and Arkansas – where storytelling, place, and music have always been essential:
 

I've often thought that one reason I like stories so much is that they let us, in a sense, live many lifetimes in the space of one. They pull back the curtain, showing us the inner workings of life, sometimes even giving us glimpses into the truth behind our own journeys. I think a movie, tv show, book, any story, is at its best when it moves us outside of ourselves, expands our vision, and raises awareness of our common humanity.
 

Not long ago, I heard Ted Sarandos (from Netflix) relating a conversation he'd had with Guillermo del Toro. “We talked a few months into the quarantine, and he (del Toro) said it's become clear to him the things he really needs in life are food, water, and stories – and without those stories he couldn't have gotten through.” That made a lot of sense to me. Without stories, we don't imagine, we don't grow. They're food for the spirit.

For me, the path of storytelling is through music, and it includes stories about those who don't fit neatly into society's mold. It's stories about those people that often move me most. And those are the stories I want to help tell.