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April 2014
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About Dara

Dara Taylor is an HMMA-Nominated composer for film and television based in Los Angeles. She has composed music for a wide variety of Independent thrillers, dramas, comedies and and has done additional music, arrangements and score production for large studio productions like A Bad Moms Christmas, Smurfs The Lost Village, Baywatch, Sausage Party, ABC's Agent Carter and Galavant, CW's Supernatural, and more.

Dara, born in Poughkeepsie, NY and raised in Lockport, NY, spent most of her formative years in gospel church choirs as well as school choruses, bands, and musicals. Primarily a vocalist, she studied classical voice as a Mezzo-Soprano under Judith Kellock at Cornell University. Throughout college Dara became increasingly drawn towards composition and studied independently with Zachary Wadsworth and Steven Stucky. After graduating cum laude in Music and Psychology from Cornell in 2009, Dara went on to study Film Music Composition under Mark Suozzo at New York University where she received a Masters of Music in 2011. In 2015, she was nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media Award for her score on the film Undetectable . In 2016, she was one of the composers asked to take part in Women in Film's Women Composers in Media concert.

Dara currently lives in Los Angeles, CA working on studio and independent projects and is highly active in the composing community.

Certifications

Projects

  • Supernatural

    Supernatural 0
    by Eric Kripke This television drama is about the two Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean, who were raised by their father, John, to hunt and kill all things that go "bump in the night" after his wife, Mary, was murdered by an evil supernatural being when the boys were young. 22 years later the brothers set out on a journey, fighting evil along the way, to find their recently missing father who, when they finally meet up with, reveals he knows what killed their mother, a demon, and has found a way to track and kill it. Meanwhile, Sam starts to develop frightening abilities that include death visions, visions of people dying before it actually happens. These visions are somehow connected to the demon who murdered his mother and its mysterious plans that seem to be all about Sam. When their father dies striking a deal with the very same devil that had killed his wife, the brothers, now alone and without their mentor, are determined to finish the crusade their father started. But disturbing revelations ...

  • Ride Along 2

    Ride Along 2 (2016)
    by Tim Story The RIDE ALONG 2 sequel picks up about a year after our heroes' last adventure. Plans for a quick trip to Miami go bad. With the wedding upcoming, James reluctantly takes Ben with him to Miami to follow up on a lead connected to a drug ring case he's been trying to crack. In Miami, they meet Maya, a no-BS homicide detective who lets them know Miami is her turf. They also encounter AJ, a shady cocky computer hacker who reveals evidence that implicates a well-respected local businessman, the wealthy Antonio Pope. Pope harbors a vicious streak and rules South Florida's drug trade. If Ben and James can convince the authorities that Pope is a brutal crime boss they'll stop his spree. If they fail, well there may not be a wedding after all.

  • Guide

    Guide (2015)
    by Armand Petri The life of a determined female Guide Dog Trainer suddenly changes course when she finds herself stranded after an earthquake.

  • The Wedding Ringer

    The Wedding Ringer (2015)
    by Jeremy Garelick Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a lovable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy.

  • The Boss

    The Boss (2016)
    by Ben Falcone The story follows Michelle Darnell, a titan of industry who is sent to prison for insider trading, denounced by her former lover, Renault, who still holds a heavy grudge towards her for their breakup, after getting a promotion a few years ago. After doing her time, Michelle emerges, ready to re-brand herself as America's latest sweetheart, but not everyone she steamrolled is not so quick to forgive and forget. With nowhere to go and no one to scam, Michelle is forced to move in with former assistant Claire and her young daughter, Rachel. Now at her lowest point, Michelle wastes no time in devising a winner-take-all plan to rebuild her empire..

  • Agent Carter

    Agent Carter (2015 - 2016)
    by Stephen McFeely The war is over and almost everyone has experienced a loss. Agent Peggy Carter has lost the love of her life. To top it off, when billionaire Howard Stark is accused of Treason, he secretly employs her to clear his name. With the help of Stark's butler, she embarks on a whimsical journey full of deceit, murder and controversy with a side of wise-cracking roommates.

  • Undetectable

    Undetectable (2015)
    by Armand Petri Adam, a gay man living with undetectable HIV, must confront the guilt tormenting him in his dreams after betraying and infecting his now dying ex-lover, Raphael. As Adam sets out to reconnect with Raphael on the anniversary of their diagnosis, he discovers that they have both been living nightmares of their own.

  • Galavant

    Galavant 0
    by Dan Fogelman Galavant is a dashing knight who is on the quest to reclaim both his reputation and the love of his life, Madalena, who was stolen away from him by the evil King Richard. In this musical comedy TV adventure, Galavant is assisted by Princess Isabella, and Sid, his squire. Meanwhile, King Richard tries to win over the affections of his captured love, Madalena. The show follows Galavant's journeys through medieval times creating countless hilarious twist and turns plus a wealth or original new musical numbers.

  • Bad Moms

    Bad Moms (2016)
    Amy has a seemingly perfect life - a great marriage, over-achieving kids, a beautiful home and a career. However, she's overworked, over-committed and exhausted to the point that she's about to snap. Fed up, she joins forces with two other over-stressed moms on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities - going on a wild, un-mom-like binge of long overdue freedom, fun and self-indulgence - putting them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn and her clique of devoted perfect moms.

  • Sausage Party

    Sausage Party (2016)
    by Conrad Vernon The products at Shopwell's Grocery Store are made to believe a code that helps them live happy lives until it's time for them to leave the comfort of the supermarket and head for the great beyond. However, after a botched trip to the great beyond leaves one sausage named Frank and his companion Bun stranded, Frank goes to great lengths (pun intended) to return to his package and make another trip to the great beyond. But as Frank's journey takes him from one end of the supermarket to the other, Frank's quest to discover the truth about his existence as a sausage turns incredibly dark. Can he expose the truth to the rest of the supermarket and get his fellow products to rebel against their human masters?

  • Tujunga Horror Story

    Tujunga Horror Story (2013)
    A young couple struggling with their relationship and a secret from their past seeks a new beginning by relocating to a restored 1920's home in the quiet suburb of Tujunga, California. Unbeknownst to them, their new home conceals dark secrets of its own.

  • Horrible Bosses 2

    Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)
    by Sean Anders Fed up with answering to higher-ups, Nick, Dale and Kurt decide to become their own bosses by launching their own business. But a slick investor soon pulls the rug out from under them. Outplayed and desperate, and with no legal recourse, the three would-be entrepreneurs hatch a misguided plan to kidnap the investor's adult son and ransom him to regain control of their company.

  • Gutterball

    Gutterball (2014)
    by Christopher Gooch

  • The Do Over

    The Do Over (2014)
    by Juan Pesquera Anthony and Elizabeth Brown are about to have their 40th anniversary. When an argument overheats and the two express their need to live without the other they are shocked to find out that the priest that married them fifty years ago was never a minister of the church and their marriage was never a real one. Now the two of them venture on to create lives away from each other and live what they consider their "perfect and dreamed" lives away from each other. But as they begin to realize that the world they left behind fifty years ago is not the same they are in right now they begin to feel the inaccuracy and their dependence to each other. Now it is up to John and Pamela Brown to find a way to bring their grandparents out of their misery and adapt to the new world.

  • Jittery Santa

    Jittery Santa (2013)
    by Manav Wadhwa Tis' holiday season it will be nothing but lumps of bloody coal from Santa

  • Baywatch

    Baywatch (2017)
    by Seth Gordon In sun-kissed Emerald Bay, the vigorous Lieutenant Mitch Buchannon and Baywatch, his elite team of hand-picked and perfectly tanned lifeguards, protect the bay, keeping both sunbathers and beach lovers safe. However, this summer, two new eager trainees will join the demanding life-saving program, as well as an insubordinate former Olympic swimmer, who are all called to prove their worth on the lifeguard towers just on time when a new synthetic street drug begins to infest the Emerald Bay: the flakka. Without a doubt, this calls for some serious undercover teamwork action, as the badgeless heroes in spandex comb the beach for shady newcomers and nefarious entrepreneurs with hidden agendas of their own. Can Mitch's band save the bay?

  • Internal Graffiti

    Internal Graffiti (2015)
    by Susan Diol There is life through art.

  • The Nymph

    The Nymph (2014)
    by Armand Petri A beautiful flesh-eating mermaid wants to be part of the human world at any cost.

  • Say It Wisely

    Say It Wisely (2014)
    by Alex Pop Boris finds out he might die soon and also has a problem with himself. He needs to somehow explain this to Loris, his husband. He tries hard and finally he succeeds in a creative way.

  • Hollyhood Cinema

    Hollyhood Cinema (2013)
    by Arthur Taylor

  • Reel Nightmare

    Reel Nightmare (2017)
    by Armand Petri A group of film students from Miskatonic University venture into an old Victorian house with a grisly past to shoot a last-minute thesis, but the discovery of a mysterious book called the Necronomicon brings production to a deadly halt when they awaken the spirits of three vengeful witches.

  • My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

    My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)
    by Kirk Jones Still working in her parents' Greek restaurant, Toula Portokalos' daughter, Paris, is growing up. She is getting ready to graduate high school and Toula and Ian are experiencing marital issues. When Toula's parents find out they were never officially married, another wedding is in the works. Can this big, fat, Greek event help to bring the family together?

  • Pitch Perfect 3

    Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)
    by NBC Universal After the highs of winning the World Championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.

  • A Bad Moms Christmas

    A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)
    A Bad Moms Christmas follows our three under-appreciated and over-burdened women as they rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for moms: Christmas. And as if creating a more perfect holiday for their families wasn't hard enough, they must do all of that while hosting and entertaining their own mothers. By the end of the journey, our moms will redefine how to make the holidays special for all and discover a closer relationship with their mothers.

  • Child Genius

    Child Genius (2015)
    by Lifetime Children who have been certified genius from across the nation come together in a competition for a $100,000 college scholarship.

  • My Daughter Is Missing

    My Daughter Is Missing (2017)
    Sara, a former hacker and now an Internet security specialist, has come to Belgrade to attend a conference on cyber crime. While she is there her daughter and a college friend are kidnapped by a Serbian human trafficking ring. Will Sara be able to save them before it's too late?

  • La Oposicion

    La Oposicion (2017)
    LA OPOSICIĂ“N explores immigration policy under the new Trump administration. When officers for the Department of Homeland Security are ordered to aggressively monitor immigration targets in the USA, they start to question their own culpability in the new system.

  • Kevin Hart: What Now?

    Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016)
    Comedian Kevin Hart performs in front of a crowd of 50,000 people at Philadelphia's outdoor venue, Lincoln Financial Field.

  • Boo 2! A Madea Halloween

    Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (2017)
    The film opens after school on Tiffany's 18th birthday. She and her friend Gabriella encounter Tiffany's dad Brian and brother B.J. outside the school. It seems that Brian always picks her up from school on her birthday wearing a birthday hat. Tiffany's mom, Brian's ex-wife Debrah, arrives and she and her new husband Calvin surprise Tiffany with the car she wanted (and hoped her father would give her), but she can't drive it well. She and Gabriella drive it to the frat house, where they hear that Jonathan and the others are having a Halloween party at Lake Derrick. She hopes to make it up to them for ruining the previous year's party. Jonathan invites her. Brian finds Madea, Joe, Bam, and Hattie at his house to surprise Tiffany; she's underwhelmed. She sees her friend Leah and tells her about the party. Tiffany asks her mom if she can go to the party. She says yes to upset Brian, but he lets her go there to teach her a lesson..

  • Are You from Dixie?

    Are You from Dixie? (2018)
    After being hired to dismantle the Confederate monument at the center of a small town, the lives of two Mexican-American brothers born in the Deep South take a dramatic turn.

  • Adamantine

    Adamantine (2017)
    In this fairytale set in rural Uzbekistan, a young shepherd longs to find his true love; but an evil mountain witch might stand in the way of his happily-ever-after.

  • Lost in Space

    Lost in Space 0
    Set 30 years in the future, colonization in space is now a reality, and the Robinson family is among those tested and selected to make a new life for themselves in a better world. But when the new colonists find themselves abruptly torn off course en route to their new home they must forge new alliances and work together to survive in a dangerous alien environment, light-years from their original destination. Stranded along with the Robinsons are two outsiders who find themselves thrown together by circumstance and a mutual knack for deception. The charismatic Dr. Smith is a master manipulator with an inscrutable end game. And the roguish, but charming Don West is a highly-skilled, blue collar contractor, who had no intention of joining the colony, let alone crash landing on a lost planet.

  • Murder in the Cat House

    Murder in the Cat House (2018)
    Exes. A shooting. A Dead Body. Not necessarily in that order.

  • Love (Minus Happiness)

    Love (Minus Happiness) (2016)
    Add a Plot »

  • Acrimony

    Acrimony (2018)
    Melinda Moore is a steadfast, hardworking wife who supports her husband, Robert Gayle, an engineer trying to sell an innovative battery design. A running total/dwindling balance of the proceeds Melinda receives after her mother's death is portrayed as the couple gets in over their heads in debt, which fractures their marriage over time. The film is divided into categories based in the emotional spectrum that Melinda experiences..

  • Black Site Delta

    Black Site Delta (2017)
    Cam Gigandet stars as the leader of a "Dirty Dozen" band of military prisoners who must fight off a terrorist attack on the remote "black site" prison where they're being held, which, unknown to them, is a cover for a secret drone control facility.

  • Smurfs: The Lost Village

    Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017)
    In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race, through the Forbidden Forest, filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a roller-coaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!

  • Kill Ratio

    Kill Ratio (2016)
    An attack on the new President of a fledgling Eastern European democracy pits an American covert operative against the country's ruthless military leader determined to seize control of the government.

  • Sunday in the Park with doG

    Sunday in the Park with doG (2017)
    While enjoying a sandwich on a relaxing day in the park, a high-strung Guy has a chance meeting with a very zen, three-legged doG, who may or may not be... an existentialist.

  • The Melancholy of Leftovers

    The Melancholy of Leftovers (2016)
    When Megan's attempts to get an emotional reaction from her husband backfire, she decides her new path forward is too uncertain to walk alone.

  • Furthest Witness

    Furthest Witness (2017)
    Kyle Braddock has spent the last decade moving witnesses over the border to Mexico and has always avoided confrontation or suspicion until now. Not only has he been framed for kidnapping but there's a malevolent and unrelenting figure on his trail and he is falling in love with his latest passenger, who has a dark secret that completely goes against all of his moral beliefs. Now he must protect the first person he has cared about in over ten years, discover who he is as a man and outrun a mysterious killer who is more akin to a force of nature, with an ever increasing path of human collateral in his wake.

  • The War with Grandpa

    The War with Grandpa (2019)
    Peter is thrilled that Grandpa is coming to live with his family. That is, until Grandpa moves into Peter's room, forcing him upstairs into the creepy attic. And though he loves his grandpa he wants his room back - so he has no choice but to declare war. With the help of his friends, Peter devises outrageous plans to make Grandpa surrender the room. But Grandpa is tougher than he looks. Rather than give in, Grandpa plans to get even.

  • El Camino Christmas

    El Camino Christmas (2017)
    The project, scripted by Melfi and writer Chris Wehner, is about a young man (Grimes) who seeks out a father he has never met and, through no fault of his own, ends up barricaded in a liquor store with five other people on Christmas Eve. The story takes place in the fictitious town of El Camino, NV.

  • Turner Risk

    Turner Risk (2018)
    Turner Risk, a longtime victim of bullying, decides one day to clear out all the negatives and effectively reboot his world. As his deadly plan becomes clear, his only friend, Robbie Cruz, jobless and struggling to make ends meet, teams up with his new companion Seth and high school nemesis Conner to stop Turner. But first they have to find him - which begins their longest journey together: a day of sudden tragedies and, ultimately, of unexpected revelations. A story of the paralleled impacts of bullying and friendship, Turner Risk pits innocents against the unexpected challenges that life ultimately brings us all.

  • Christmas Connection

    Christmas Connection (2017)
    Flight attendant Sydney (Brooke Burns) is tasked with looking after Leah, an eight-year-old unaccompanied minor flying back to Chicago after visiting family. Sydney is charmed by the little girl and makes an instant connection with her. After Leah is safely delivered to her father, Jonathan (Tom Everett Scott), Sydney finds a package Leah left behind. Sydney delivers the gift back to Leah and gets invited to join in some fun, family Christmas festivities. When Sydney misses her connection, she is stuck for a few days. Grounded from her jet-setting ways, Sydney bumps into Leah and Jonathan who invite her spend the holidays with them - showing Sydney the value of a staying put long enough to fall in love.

  • Shaft

    Shaft (2019)
    JJ, aka John Shaft Jr. (Usher), may be a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend's untimely death, he needs an education only his dad can provide. Absent throughout JJ's youth, the legendary locked-and-loaded John Shaft (Jackson) agrees to help his progeny navigate Harlem's heroin-infested underbelly. And while JJ's own FBI analyst's badge may clash with his dad's trademark leather coat, there's no denying family. Besides, Shaft's got an agenda of his own, and a score to settle that's professional and personal.

  • A Madea Family Funeral

    A Madea Family Funeral (2019)
    by Tyler Perry A joyous reunion in small-town Georgia turns into an unexpected nightmare when Madea, Joe, Aunt Bam and other family members gather for an anniversary party that turns out to be a sham. Instead of fun and relaxation, Madea and the gang soon find themselves attending an elaborate funeral that doesn't quite go according to plan.

  • Nobody's Fool

    Nobody's Fool (2018)
    by Tyler Perry Danica is a successful worker at a marketing firm, and has been in a relationship with "Charlie", a man she met online a year ago but has never seen in person. When she is sent to pick up her recently-paroled sister Tanya from prison, her mother tells her that Tanya must stay at her house. Tanya is amazed by Danica's apartment and discovers that Danica's ex-fiance Bailey left her for another woman. Tanya thinks Danica is being catfished since she's never seen Charlie. The next day, Tanya and Danica stop by the Brown Bean, a coffee shop next to Danica's work. Frank, the owner, who has a crush on Danica, insists that he will let Tanya work there. When Danica goes to pick up Tanya from work that night she accidentally walks into an AA meeting that is being held there and overhears that Frank used to abuse alcohol and spent seven years in jail.

  • The Sinister Surrogate

    The Sinister Surrogate (2018)
    by Isak Borg After finding the perfect surrogate to have their child, the happy couple quickly discovers their baby girl is in danger of being kidnapped when they discover the lengths the surrogate is willing to go to maintain her hold on the child.

  • Fire on the Hill

    Fire on the Hill (2018)
    by Brett Fallentine On the edge of Compton, California- a place notorious for gang violence-a hidden band of inner-city cowboys has persevered since the 1800's. FIRE ON THE HILL is the story of the Black Cowboys of Compton and South Central LA, and their fight to preserve their culture by resurrecting an inner city horse stable that was mysteriously burnt to the ground.

  • The Happytime Murders

    The Happytime Murders (2018)
    by Brian Henson A murder mystery set in a world where humans and puppets co-exist, but puppets are viewed as second-class citizens. When the puppet cast of an '90s children's TV show begins to get murdered one by one, a former cop, who has since become a private eye, takes on the case.

  • My Husband's Double Life

    My Husband's Double Life (2018)
    by Jonathan English When Sabrina suspects her husband Fletcher's possible infidelity with his numerous business trips to Paris, she discovers he has another wife and reveals illegal business dealings with his father-in-law, which he will stop at nothing to protect. Now it's not only her marriage that's on the line, but her life.

  • Uncle Drew

    Uncle Drew (2018)
    by Charles Stone III After draining his life savings to enter a team in the Rucker Classic street ball tournament in Harlem, Dax (Lil Rel Howery) is dealt a series of unfortunate setbacks, including losing his team to his longtime rival (Nick Kroll). Desperate to win the tournament and the cash prize, Dax stumbles upon the man, the myth, the legend UNCLE DREW (NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving) and convinces him to return to the court one more time. The two men embark on a road trip to round up Drew's old basketball squad (Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, and Lisa Leslie) and prove that a group of septuagenarians can still win the big one. After a successful five years as a fan-favorite digital episodic series, originally conceived by Pepsi, UNCLE DREW, will hit theaters June 29, 2018. UNCLE DREW is a Summit Entertainment release produced by Temple Hill in association with PepsiCo's Creators League Studios.

  • Incoming

    Incoming (2018)
    by Eric Zaragoza The International Space Station is now a prison - the ultimate black site. No one's getting out. And no one knows it's there. But when the imprisoned terrorists take over the Station and turn it into a missile aimed at Moscow, only a shuttle pilot and a rookie doctor can stop them. Their task is complicated by a rogue CIA agent (Scott Adkins) who has his own plans for the station and the terrorists within.

  • One Winter Weekend

    One Winter Weekend (2018)
    by Gary Yates Cara, a women's magazine writer who gets burned by her boyfriend on New Years' Eve, decides to go on a dating detox. Challenged by her employer to write about it, she hopes a spontaneous ski getaway with her best friend will spark inspiration. Complicating matters, they discover they've double booked their chalet with two eligible men, including Ben, an entrepreneur. When the share-mates get snowed in, Cara and Ben are thrown together.

  • Invisible

    Invisible 0
    A virtual reality series centering on a powerful New York family with the ability to control the world's economy by turning themselves invisible.

  • Colewell

    Colewell (2019)
    by Tom Quinn

  • Boxed

    Boxed (2019)
    by Wanjiru M. Njendu The terrifying daring escape of Henry "Box" Brown, who used creativity and courage to escape from slavery in 1849.

Awards

  • Sundance Institute Composers Lab Fellow
    (2018)

  • Hollywood Music in Media Award - Best Original Score - Short - Nominee
    (2015)

Education

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