A Review of Greenacres’ “Grounded” Scoring Session

Written by Bianca Chen

As the partnership beginning in 2023 between IAA and the Greenacres Foundation continues in its advocacy efforts for sustainability, the Grounded documentary reaches the final steps of its post-production process. In January 2026, film scoring sessions were led by guest artist and composer, Jeanine Cowen, the chair of the graduate Screen Scoring program at the University of Southern California.

This scoring session had been a long-awaited collaboration between the artistic disciplines of film and music. With the initial test scoring on Oct. 3, 2025, the music ensemble has been preparing for this event, learning how to navigate scoring sessions and refining their parts. Meanwhile, the Greenacres Documentary Collective worked on finalizing and picture-locking the documentary based on feedback from their test screenings.

Apart from the musicians, the film’s producers and directors Michael Mittelstaedt, Claire Collins, and Nathan Buck attended the sessions along with student composers, music producers, and student contributors to the documentary.

Cowen, listening in from the recording booth, was constantly communicating with the conductor who stood at the front of the room, reworking different parts and providing the musicians guidance on balancing the dynamics of various instruments, timbre, and expressive tone.

The scoring sessions with the whole team lasted for two days with striking progress. Mr. Buck commented during the session, “We had no idea what it would sound like. We’ve been sweating tears and blood over the two and a half years…[the music] just brings the whole film to life.”

The scoring session was not simply another recording of original compositions, it brought out the emotions infused in the documentary when the musicians were able to see the film on a projection as they performed.

Ms. Collins said, “This is really the stage where it becomes a movie, where the magic is infused.”

As the production team of the documentary continues to work on the completion of the film, the premiere of Grounded is anticipated to take place in the spring, and the campus-wide screening of this documentary in the coming fall.