Clinton Shorter (born March 18, 1971) is a Canadian film and television composer. He is particularly known for his score for Neill Blomkamp's film District 9. He has also composed the music for over 300 television episodes.
Early life and education Shorter was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He initially studied jazz in college before switching to music composition.
Career Shorter created the score for an independent film, Come Together, in Vancouver. He went on to create music for several more films in the Vancouver area, including Neill Blomkamp 's short Alive in Joburg."The Expanse: Interview: Composer Clinton Shorter". SciFi Bulletin, interview by Paul Simpson
Shorter was asked to create a score for Blomkamp's 2009 science fiction film District 9, "something 'raw and dark' but which maintained its [South] African roots". The resulting music has been described by reviewers as "rhythmic" and "magnificent", as "mournful ethnic-action strains","CD Review: District 9". Film Music Magazine. By Daniel Schweiger • September 14, 2009 and as having "pseudo-exotic ambiance as a post-modern theme of loss". The sound track was released separately as a CD.
In 2014 Shorter wrote the score for the action film Pompeii. He subsequently composed music for the television series The Expanse and Colony."Clinton Shorter Chats With SciFiPulse About ‘The Expanse’ & ‘Colony’". SciFiPulse, by Ian Cullen, June 8, 2016
Discography Film Year Title Director NotesRef.2001Come TogetherJeff Macpherson2005Alive in JoburgNeill BlomkampShort filmThe Cabin MovieDylan Akio SmithSeveredCarl Bessai2006Nostalgia BoyMichael MeinhardtShort filmNominated – Leo Award for Best Musical Score in a Short DramaUnnatural & AccidentalCarl Bessai2007NormalTerminusTrevor Cawood2009District 9Neill BlomkampBMI Film Music AwardSOCAN Domestic Feature Film AwardNominated – IFMCA Award for Breakthrough Film Composer of the YearNominated – World Soundtrack Award for Discovery of the YearColeCarl BessaiNominated – Leo Award for Best Musical Score in a Feature Length Drama2012ContrabandBaltasar KormákurBMI Film Music Award20132 GunsThe InformantJulien Leclercq2014PompeiiPaul W.S. AndersonSOCAN International Feature Film Award2021Boss LevelJoe CarnahanCopshop2025Not Without Hope2026The Rip
Television Year Title NotesRef.2006Ties That BindTelevision filmPresumed Dead12 Hours to LiveHer Fatal FlawUnder the Mistletoe2007A Decent ProposalSecrets of an Undercover WifeJudicial IndiscretionThis Space for Rent2 episodesPost MortemTelevision film2008Nightmare at the End of the HallThe Secret Lives of Second WivesNYC: Tornado Terror2014Intelligence13 episodesBMI TV Music Award2015–16House of Lies22 episodes2015–18Code Black47 episodesBMI TV Music Award2015–2021The Expanse46 episodes2016–18Colony36 episodes2018Quantico13 episodes2020Tribes of Europa6 episodes
References
External links Official Clinton Shorter website Clinton Shorter at Apple Music