The Final Apostle was unlike anything I’ve ever worked on. The music had to feel authentic; without the right song, performances, and editing working seamlessly together, the film simply wouldn’t hold up.

Given the constraints of the 48 Hour Horror Film Project in Greensboro, the stakes were high, and time was short. I wrote and performed the film’s core song in just a few hours on a Friday night, ensuring the cast and crew had what they needed to film the next day. The challenge was creating a song that sounded like it came from a small-town punk band, using instruments that matched what appeared on screen – synth, bass guitar, drums, and vocals. Inspired by the raw energy of indie punk bands like GRLwood, the track had to balance chaotic authenticity with cinematic feasibility.

The film also called for unique musical moments: a “30-second nutty ‘end of Whiplash’ type drum solo,” as producer Marshall Little put it, a series of off-kilter synth notes for when a band member messes up, and a lo-fi, stripped-down end credits track that captures the hollow triumph of survival. These elements added layers of tension and chaos to the film’s climactic scenes.