Sparkle
is an award-winning short narrative film written and directed by Kristen Wolf that explores the journey of a non-binary child searching for the perfect Father's Day gift for their disapproving dad. I had the unique privilege of serving as both the picture editor and composer for the project—an experience that allowed me to become deeply immersed in the emotional landscape of the film.
Learn about the full cast and crew: Sparkle on IMDB
Listen to selections from the score and learn more about the creative process behind Sparkle below.
Editing and Scoring Sparkle : A Deep Grounded Process
Sparkle is ultimately a story about searching for connection and understanding. Being both the editor and composer—and bringing my full self to the process—allowed me to immerse myself into the feelings present in each scene. As a trans, queer, and neurodivergent artist, these intersecting identities allowed me to connect with the protagonist’s emotional world and the complexities of their family dynamics in a deeply authentic way. This perspective became a guiding force as I worked to honor the nuances of the character’s journey—both in the edit and in the score.
For the original score, I drew inspiration from the raw, historic field recordings of Hank Aaron’s legendary home run. The sound of the crowd—cheering, screaming, and the thunder of feet on metal bleachers—became a sonic touchstone for two key cues, Out of Body and Core Wound. To capture and reinterpret these powerful sounds, I used granular and modular synthesis to design custom noise elements that echo the unique qualities of the stadium rumbles and pops. This approach allowed me to infuse the score with textures that feel both visceral and evocative, grounding the film’s emotional tension in something both universal and deeply personal.
Working on the edit and the score in tandem was a transformative process. Each scene’s pacing and emotional beats directly influenced my musical choices, and vice versa. My own experiences of queerness and neurodivergence informed my sensitivity to stories about difference, resilience, and the search for acceptance—helping me fully inhabit the protagonist’s journey. The result is a score and edit that are organically linked, amplifying the film’s themes of identity, longing, and acceptance.
Sparkle Official Trailer
Clips from Sparkle
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