The Water Man is a film of firsts for both Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-nominated actor and producer David Oyelowo, as well as Belgian-born composer and commercial sound studio founder Peter Baert.
The family adventure film marks Oyelowo’s directorial debut and Baert’s first foray into composing for an English-speaking, major Hollywood feature. But despite their “inexperience,” when you have Oprah Winfrey serving as co-producer, it’s safe to assume that both men are in good hands.
The film tells the story of Gunner (Lonnie Chavis), a young boy who sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Rosario Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. He befriends a mysterious local girl, Jo (Amiah Miller), along the way and the deeper into the forest they go, the more dangerous it becomes. Their only hope for rescue is his father (David Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them.
Reflecting the film’s ethereal soundscape, Baert’s score is a mix of classical orchestra, piano, percussion, and electronics. Leaning into the electronic/synth side, he processes certain cues, like the Water Man’s screams and sighs, through long delays, modular tools, and tape echoes to create what he calls “The Water Man Synth.” In the exclusive track “Gunner’s Theme,” Baert mixes fantasy-like notes with sweeping strings to create an emotionally triumphant arrangement.
On working with the first-time director, Baert shares that “David Oyelowo is such a wonderful human being and a gifted storyteller. He took a giant leap in choosing me as a composer and I felt his trust and guidance throughout the time we worked together.”
The feeling is mutual. When asked about working with Baert, Oyelowo says, “Music and sound in film have always been important to me, which is why I consider myself lucky to have met composer Peter Baert when I did. While in post-production on The Water Man, I was working with another composer and had initially cut Peter’s music in as an experiment, and it all just worked perfectly. Within a week, he flew over, sat next to me in the edit, and that’s how he became my composer.”
Lakeshore Records is releasing the OST of ‘The Water Man’ Friday, May 7, 2021. It is available to stream and purchase here.
