Neil Kring grew up in the remote woods of northern Wisconsin. A quiet child born into a musical family of animated storytellers, Neil developed keen listening and observational skills. Learning to play electric guitar at the age of twelve, his creativity soon expanded as he added effects pedals and explored unusual tunings, tapping, and less common techniques, creating a signature sound that did not go unnoticed by his oldest sister, when some years later, she arm-twisted him into scoring her first documentary.
Neil went on to compose his first film score, 2012: THE BEGINNING, at the age of 25. The film was the most-watched documentary out of 1,400+ at MipDoc 2012 in Cannes, went on to air on top networks worldwide, and screened at NASA, the Smithsonian, UNESCO, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and many others. For the past 10 years, he has scored several of Red Queen Media’s originals, as well as its commissioned documentaries and commercial productions. His credits include END OF THE LINE: THE WOMEN OF STANDING ROCK, GOOD BOY, NINE LITTLE INDIANS, and several documentary shorts for the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Administration for Children and Families.
Neil’s work outside of film composition includes collaborating with fine artists. His work with renowned typo-graphic artist Frida Larios was featured at her ANIMALES INTERIORES exhibition at Museo MARTE in San Salvador.
Whether composing for Red Queen Media or other documentarians, Neil approaches his creative process by noodling on the guitar as he cold watches each new project, searching to find the general atmosphere of the story. Some of the progressions and riffs he comes up with eventually find a home somewhere in the film.
From there Neil turns his attention to individual scenes, studying the cadence, tone, and emotionality of the various participants. Treating each individual as one would the lead vocalist in an ensemble, Neil layers his music in as background harmony.
When composing pieces for outdoor scenes, Neil draws on his experiences of studying weather’s shifting moods while partaking in his favorite pastimes: fishing and hiking in secluded places void of manmade noise. He creates musical interpretations of nature that elicit the emotional responses the director seeks.
Admirers of Neil’s work praise his tasteful compositions, and his ability to create a nuanced resonance that enhances, rather than distracts from what’s happening on the screen.