AMPAS Keynote: Outside the Box—Inclusion, Individuality, and Imagination

Kathryn Bostic, Berklee’s 2018–2019 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Film Scoring Artist in Residence, will deliver a keynote about inclusion, individuality, and imagination in developing one’s career in music, providing insights from her life in music as a film, television, and theater composer, as well as songwriter and performing artist.

Bostic is the first female African American film composer to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She also is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Vice President of the Alliance for Women Film Composers. Bostic has composed for films and television shows such as Dear White People, American Masters—August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand, Middle of Nowhere, and Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le. She also has written music for several August Wilson plays.

Made possible through a 2018 FilmCraft grant from the Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Film Scoring Artist in Residence Program aims to support the careers of practicing film composers, prepare students as film scoring professionals, diversify the pipeline of talent to the film industry, and increase public awareness of the significance of film scoring. 

During her October 1–5 residency, Bostic will work closely with film scoring students through clinics, lectures, and workshops, including a special clinic for seniors in the major. For the first time, the residency will engage with high school students in Berklee City Music®, a program that provides high-quality contemporary music education, mentoring, and scholarship opportunities to youth from underserved communities at no or low cost.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Academy Foundation for its continued support of our Film Scoring Artist in Residence Program and we could not be more excited to welcome Kathryn Bostic,” said Alison Plante, chair of Berklee’s Film Scoring Department.