ROBERT MAI
FILM, GAME, & PODCAST COMPOSER
ABOUT
"A composer, a cat dad, & a gentleman."
Robert Mai grew up in Orange County, CA, chasing a dream of creating art from a very young age. He played in several orchestras as a teenager and transcribed performances to build his musical knowledge. In college, he studied film writing and production at Chapman University. After several years of trying different professions, Robert found a passion and a knack for composing, which combined two of his great loves: film and music.
Thanks to his dedication (and luck!), Robert has more than 7 years of experience in the industry and is still going strong. His work spans many genres in over one hundred and fifty projects, resulting in a variety of international awards for his music and credits with Showtime, Netflix, Ubisoft, and Amazon, several Mr. Beast and Zach King videos, as well as additional music for EDM artist Varien. Robert currently writes music for the highly acclaimed audio drama series We're Alive. He holds memberships in BAFTA and the Grammy Recording Academy, among many other organizations.
As a composer, Robert draws from a variety of inspirations including Jerry Goldsmith, Jonny Greenwood, Joe Hisaishi, Ennio Morricone, and Grant Kirkhope. (He’d also like to list John Williams, but can anyone approach the master?) He enjoys creating for all kinds of mediums, including film, video games, television, podcasts, and more. Robert has a special love of composing for animation, and enjoys mentoring young composers in his spare time.
Robert usually lurks in his studio, practicing the ocarina and working on his latest project. When you can pry him away from his work, he also enjoys cooking, painting, wood engraving, hiking, and foolishly running in marathons well beyond his endurance level. If you’re looking for a creative, collaborative musical partner, don’t hesitate to reach out to discuss your project!
TESTIMONIALS
“Working with Robert was a dream, every single note was taking into account, deadlines were met with perfect precision, and the edit drafts and tracking were immaculate. I haven’t had someone be able to track such a complex project with such ease in a long time. Would gladly work with him and his team again, and look forward to when that happens”
-Kc Wayland, director/producer
"Robert is more than a talented collaborator. He’s someone who makes a project personal and well-executed through his extensive research, adaptiveness, constant growth, and emotional connection to his material. When he’s on my project, I know I can have the in-depth artistic conversations needed to get my project sounding beautifully."
-Kyle Harrington, director/game developer
"Robert Mai is peerless. We had a quick turnaround and a Disney track in as temp -- he blew that out of the water. His response time and amount of iterations were at a speed and volume I'd only dreamt of. I'd use him every time a sonic world needs to be built"
-Jason Pamer, executive producer at Sypher Studios
“Robert never ceases to add a unique and emotional dimension to our stories with his musical insight. He's an incredibly versatile composer and a friendly and communicative collaborator. It's been an absolute joy to work with him!”
-Kris Yim, director/animator
“Robert is a talented musician without a doubt, but he's also superb at realizing a director's vision while contributing his own creative ideas. He delivered the score for my film swiftly with a joyful, thoughtful, and hyper-organized approach. I can't wait to work with him on my next project!”
-Heather Donnell, director/animator
"Robert is a true professional. Reliable, excellent at his craft, communicative, and all with a sense of optimism in everything he does. Working with him has been an incredible asset to my projects as well as making a good friend. "
-Varien, aka Nikki Kaelar
"It is a delight to know Robert both personally and professionally. There are few composers I’ve worked with who have the same level of knowledge, skill, and patience with the creatives that he collaborates with. If you simply want music for your project, go use free Youtube music. If you want an audible expression of your project’s heart and soul that will transport your audience, create with Robert Mai. "
-Rachel A. Hemsley, Content Creator/Director for Warner Bros & Disney
"There are a lot of talented composers out there, but Robert Mai stands above them all because he has such incredible talent PLUS the punctuality, speed, flexibility, dedication, positive attitude, and personability that makes working with him the breeziest part of your film-making process. It means the world to know that he’s not going to give up on me until he makes something we both love. Honestly, the only part of making a movie that isn’t stressful is sitting down with Robert at his keyboard."
-Kaylin George, director
"I loved working with Robert. His thorough understanding of character and story made it really enjoyable to collaborate as he crafted music to fit my film. His knowledge of musical styles and genres is impressive as well. Robert also delivered cues expeditiously and was really receptive and flexible when it came to notes. 10/10. Highly recommend."
-Polly Cole, director
"Working with Robert is always a creative blast! Not only is he incredibly talented, but he also has an unbridled enthusiasm for everything he does. He is daring and confident enough to explore new musical techniques with you, and above all, is very open and communicative. This man is going places!"
-Wyatt Hall, director
"Robert Mai is one of the easiest and most enthusiastic people I've worked with. His understanding of music and his ability to communicate with those who don't live in that world is superb. Definitely
someone I'd be happy to be stuck in a room with at 2am trying to finish a mix."
-Nina Kramer, director
"Robert was a fantastic composer to work with. From his ability to navigate ever changing deadlines and budget priorities to his skill at orchestrating, I know we made the right decision for our movie. If you want someone smart, hard-working and patient, you're looking in the right direction."
-Michael Wolfe, director
"Robert composed a beautiful score for my film, Dream Catcher. His ear for the nuance of tone coupled with his ability to evoke a feeling through composition is truly a gift; and a blessing to any project he composes music for."
-Avery Rouda, director
"Robert Mai is not only a talent that will elevate your project to the next level with his incredibly emotional composing, he’s also a pleasure to work with and a true collaborator."
-Paulina Lagudi, director
"Robert was an incredible artist to work with, consistently producing creative music that fit the tone we were going for, and extremely receptive to feedback!"
-Salaar Kohari, game developer
"Robert is an amazing and creative composer that is able to take the music and bring the movie alive in a way that draws the audience into that world. He is also extremely easy to communicate with allowing the work to come to the best that it can be. His friendly persona and passion for music makes him one of the best composers out there. I would work with him anytime!"
-Victoria Vittoria, producer
"Robert is a one-of-a-kind collaborator and artist. I simply can't wait to work with him again."
-Brenten Brandenburg, director/producer
"He has a wonderful, fine-tuned ear; a surprisingly vast knowledge of music history, vocals and instrumentation; and an ability to interpret what the director and story are trying to communicate. Plus, he's a joy to work with. Carry on, Mr. Mai."
-Valerie Dalena, producer
"Robert's breadth of knowledge both in music and film is exceptional. He is a highly talented, multifaceted film composer, composing timeless music within real world deadlines. It is apparent that he applies his diverse storytelling skills when he scores. It was an honor to have worked with Robert and I look forward to furthering our creative collaborations."
-Margaret Seid, director
"I was astounded by Robert's creativity and his ability to think outside the box. He was able to create a score with an entirely unique texture that brought out a new side of the film that wouldn't have existed without it."
-Keshav Srinivasan, director
"Robert is a pleasure to work with. He was one of the kindest, most flexible and easygoing members of our post-production team. He did everything possible to work within our budget and deliver top tier results."
-Lily Yasuda, producer
"Robert did an amazing job on our movie. He nailed the right mood and the right music at first glance. I hope to work with him again on our next project!"
-Andrea Cavuoto, director/producer
"Robert was a great fit with our team, he's got this energy level and positive attitude that matches my own crazy excitement perfectly!"
-Christian Lovdal, game developer
"I love working with Robert. He has a great attitude and is always in a good mood. He is easy to collaborate with."
-Ada Gorn, director
"Robert's talent for composing is only matched by his passion for the projects he works on. He made collaboration so easy by being receptive to my notes while also going above and beyond my expectations."
-Scarlett Turner, director
"Working with Robert is an incredible experience. He is a true craftsman who enhances each project with his music. His range of talents and styles is outstanding. But, his positive attitude and creative understanding of story make him a truly unique collaborator."
-Kevin Keck, director
"Working with Robert was an incredible experience! He had a truly unique ability to capture the varying emotions in our film, and the variety of musical genres he is able to incorporate in his work is nothing short of impressive. Robert is a truly talented musician and a pleasure to work with at every step of the composing process."
-Noah Jorgensen, director
"A Consummate professional. He has excellent book keeping, takes all input into account, and is always on time. Collaborative and flexible. A wide range with a deep knowledge. One of best composers out there.
And he’s a good friend."
-Matthew Charles, game developer
AWARDS
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Nominated for Best Music- Animated Short Film at the Hollywood Media in Music Awards (Embarko)
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Nominated for Best Music Composition at the College Emmy/Television Awards (For Old Times Sake)
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Won Best Score Soundtrack at the New Jersey Web Fest (We're Alive: Descendants)
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Nominated for Best Original Song at the Jerry Goldsmith Awards (Mail Order Monster)
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Nominated for Best Original Score at the Nova Fest (Marny's Gift)
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Nominated for Best Original Score at the Tokyo Genre Celebration Festival (Underdog)
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Nominated for Best Original Score at the International Sound and Film Music Festival (Dress)
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Nominated for Best Original Score at the IndieX Film Festival (A Weekend in July)
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Nominated for Best Original Score at the Indie Short Fest (Paraiso)
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Won Best Original Score at the Southern Shorts Awards (A Midwestern Meth FairyTale)
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Won Best Composer at the 6th Delhi Shorts International Film Festival (A Midwestern Meth FairyTale)
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Won the Award of Excellence for Original Score at The IndieFest Film Awards (A Midwestern Meth FairyTale)
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Nominated for Best Original Score at the Marietta International Film Festival (A Midwestern Meth FairyTale)
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Won Original Score of the Month at The Monthly Film Festival Awards (Intrepid)
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Won Best Original Score at the Los Angeles International Film Festival Awards (Intrepid)
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Won Best Original Score at the Los Angeles Film Awards (Intrepid)
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Won the Gold Laurel Award for Best Original Score from the LA Shorts Awards (The Grim Reaper’s Daughter)
