Mark Daniel Dunnett is an award winning composer. He is known for scoring the light drama feature film “Papa” (starring Paul Sorvino, Daryl Hannah, Robert Scott Wilson, Ann Marget, David Proval, Michael Madsen and Mischa Barton.) Mark’s score to “Papa” earned him 3 Best Original Score festival wins and 3 nominations including for Best Original Score at the prestigious The Paris Art and Movie Awards, Paris, France. “Ambition’s Debt” (starring (Nathan Darrow) of which, Mark received a Best Original Score Win at the Copenhagen International Film Festival and a nomination for “Best Original Music” at the IBFF Nashville film festival. Award winning thriller “The Sin Seer“(starring Isaiah Washington, C. Thomas Howell, Michael Ironside and Salli Richardson-Whitfield), and U.S. AMC box office release family drama feature film “Grandma’s House” (starring Popstar/actress Coco Jones and Primetime Emmy winning actress Loretta Devine.) His T.V. credits include music for OWN network , C.S.I., Super Soul Sunday, Help Desk and more.
Born in Toronto Canada, Mark’s interest in music started when he was twelve years old after he appropriated his father’s guitar. Practicing ten hours a day for many years, Mark then played and performed in various bands, with a focus on guitar instrumental music.
Enrolled at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Mark eagerly studied for two years, with a focus on classical theory, harmony and piano. The Royal Conservatory was the beginning of Mark’s musical education, which ultimately led him to Boston’s fabled Berklee College of Music, where he earned a B.A. in Film Scoring and Composition. While at Berklee, Mark studied under the late world renowned Harvard and Berklee professor and classical composer John Bavicchi. During this time, Mark was also featured in Guitar World Magazine’s prestigious Mike Varney Home Town Heroes column, for outstanding guitar instrumental composition.
Mark has scored and recorded orchestral music with live ensembles and full orchestras. The film scores to “Papa” and “Ambition’s Debt” were both recorded live with full orchestra with the F.R.A.M.E.S project orchestra in Macedonia.
Mark, is also a multi instrumentalist proficient in guitar ( electric, acoustic classical and dobro), piano, ukulele, bass, and mandolin.
In early 2016, Mark received his U.S. extraordinary ability work visa and has since relocated to Los Angeles to further his film scoring career.
Testimonials
“Mark is one of the most prolific, talented and versatile composers working today. As lead composer, he’s created entire scores for numerous lauded independent projects. He has an innate knowledge of what music fits with what genres, so he can perfectly match his score with the action on screen. He’s tasteful, prolific, and a master of multiple instruments, which allowed him to not only write the score for my film, but to perform it as well. Working with Mark has been a treat; he’s the epitome of a professional composer.” Dir. Katarzyna Kochany (A Director’s Journey: Hurricane McLean, Horse For Sale )
Katarzyna Kochany, Director
“Mark’s talent as a composer is unique as he has both an exceptionally broad scope of musical talents, and a complete understanding of the language of film and how to touch upon the very specific emotional beat of a scene.”Dir. John Bevilacqua ( My Funny Valentine, Boardwalk Poets)
John Bevilacqua, Director
““No matter how abstract my musical request may be, Mark effortlessly interprets my needs and produces masterwork. Not only is he talented but he is an absolute delight to work with.” Executive Producer, Tanya Nesi, (Real Image Productions Dubai)
Tanya Nesi, (Real Image Productions Dubai)
