Filmscores

Jan Preston has composed music for hundreds of documentaries, documentary series, drama and educational films, and has won 3 Awards for her Filmscores.
She composed the Theme to ABC TV’s Australian Story (2000 to 2006) and has written and performed live scores for silent movies.

Awards

AN IMAGINARY LIFE

Best Music in A Documentary
Australian Guild of Screen Composers

An Imaginary Life is a documentary about David Malouf, widely considered to be one of Australia’s greatest writers. The film is richly illustrated with rare archival footage and evocative dramatisations from his books, and has superb narrations of his works performed by Australian actor Jeffery Rush.

ILLUSTRIOUS ENERGY

Best Feature Film Music
NZ Listener Film and TV Awards

Illustrious Energy is an award winning NZ drama directed by Leon Narbey about Chan and his older mate Kim prospecting for gold in 1890s Otago. Marooned until they can pay off their debts, the film gives a brilliant and honest view of the racism faced by Chinese immigrants at this time. Spectacular cinematography reveals the magnificence and beauty of the South Island landscape.

MY YEAR WITH HELEN

Nomination Best Feature Film Music
NZ Film Awards

My Year With Helen is an observational feature documentary about

New Zealand’s first elected female Prime Minister, Helen Clark, attempting to become the United Nations’ first ever female Secretary-General. Director Gaylene Preston’s cameras follow this inspirational woman campaigning for Secretary-General while also carrying out her work as Administrator of UNDP. The film conveys how tough it is to break the remaining glass ceilings.

PICTURES

Best Feature Film Music
Asian Film Festival Kuala Lumpur

Film Music Bio

Directors, producers and production companies Jan has worked with include ABC TV, FILM AUSTRALIA, NFSA, AFTRS, Judy Rymer, Tom Zubrycke, Gaylene Preston, Martha Ansara, Laurie Critchley, Ray Quint, Robynne Murphy, Jessica Douglas-Henry, Robin Newell, Leon Narby, Don Featherston, John Maynard and more.
Jan has also composed and performed Silent movie soundtracks for the Sydney Film Festival, Art Gallery of NSW,
Melbourne International Film Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Opera House, New Zealand Film Archive, Arc Cinema Canberra, Mercury Cinema Adelaide, Chauvel Cinema Paddington, Events Cinema Bondi, Woodford Folk Festival and the Illawarra Folk Festival.
Her score for The Kid Stakes has been recorded and released on DVD by the National Film and Sound Archive.

Silent Movie scores include:
Australian Tal Ordell’s The Kid Stakes, Australian McDonagh Sisters The Cheaters , Harold Lloyd’s Girl Shy, The Lost World, The Merry Widow, On Our Selection, Girl of the Bush, Fritz Laing’s The Spy, Ernst Lubich’s So This Is Paris, Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Empire Builders, Alfred Hitchcock’s Blackmail, and other shorts.