DESCRIPTION:
ASCAP is today's leading advocate for the rights of music creators. In this ASCAP-commissioned short film "Why We Create Music," 15 of today's top ASCAP songwriters and composers provide insight into their creative process while highlighting the meaning and power of music. The film's music was a collaborative score created by all participants in the project.

Commissioned to celebrate the valuable work of our members, "Why We Create Music" combines footage from more than 10 separate film shoots around the country. In addition, from shoot to shoot an unprecedented collaborative musical composition was built as each participant added their own musical "voice" to the score. A companion song and video, "More Than The Stars," was also created, featuring lyrics by Ne-Yo, Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, Dan Wilson and Claudia Brandt.



CREATED BY:

Already Alive

http://alreadyalive.com

COMMISSIONED BY:

ASCAP

The film features ASCAP songwriters and composers recognized by GRAMMYs, OSCARs, EMMYs, DOVE Awards and Pulitzer Prizes:

ALOE BLACC
Acclaimed soul singer-songwriter behind "I Need a Dollar" and Avicii's international hit "Wake Me Up"

CLAUDIA BRANT
Latin GRAMMY-winning songwriter for Song of the Year

CARTER BURWELL
OSCAR-nominated film composer renowned for scoring The Coen Brothers films

AMY GRANT
GRAMMY and DOVE Award-winning and best-selling contemporary Christian singer-songwriter ever

JOSH KEAR
Three-time GRAMMY-winning country pop songwriter, including Song of the Year, for Lady Antebellum and Carrie Underwood

SAVAN KOTECHA
Hit pop songwriter for Britney Spears, Usher, One Direction, and Maroon 5, as well as vocal producer on The X Factor

DAVID LANG
Pulitzer Prize-winning concert music composer and Bang on a Can co-founder

CHARLES KELLEY and DAVE HAYWOOD of LADY ANTEBELLUM
Seven-time GRAMMY-winning country pop singer-songwriters and Song and Record of the Year winners

BEAR McCREARY
EMMY-winning composer known for his work on The Walking Dead

NE-YO
Three-time GRAMMY-winning R&B singer-songwriter

STARGATE (TOR HERMANSEN & MIKKEL ERIKSEN)
GRAMMY-winning record producing and songwriting duo behind pop hits for Ne-Yo, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Rihanna and others

DAN WILSON
GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter-producer for Adele's "Someone Like You" and Song of the Year winner for Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice"

BILL WITHERS
Legendary and GRAMMY-winning R&B singer-songwriter of "Lean On Me," "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Just The Two of Us"

ADDITIONAL MUSIC BY:

Michael Marantz

Kamau Agyeman


SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Nightbird Studios, House of Rock, Nashville's Sound Image, Michael Franti & Guerrilla Management, The Fonda Theatre and all of the ASCAP members that opened up their homes to us for filming

Visit http://ASCAP.com for more information.