Darien Shulman
I’m Darien Shulman. I’m a music composer and producer, keyboardist, vocalist, and educator. Over the past two decades I’ve dedicated my life to helping tell stories through sound. My music has appeared in television, film, commercials, podcasts, and theater.
Here’s how it started: on my 11th birthday, my parents bought me my first electronic keyboard. It only took a few weeks until I had my “a-ha” moment when I discovered that on the right-hand side of the keyboard, was a five-channel midi recording tool, and with a little practice I composed my first song.
I’ve been making music ever since.
At 20 years old, I decided to pursue music as a career, and by the time I finished my undergrad studies (Northwestern University, BMus) I had three short film scores under my belt. Finishing up grad school (Juilliard, MMus), I had four more. With each project that came along, I came to love the challenge of creating music to help storytellers communicate their own vision, and the process of developing unique and customized sound palettes, melodies, themes, and atmospheres.
I’m perhaps most well-known for scoring the award-winning Netflix comedy mockumentary series “American Vandal”, a result of my long-time collaboration with filmmakers Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault. I’m incredibly proud to have been a part of this series; if you haven’t seen it yet, go watch it. Among other tv projects I’ve scored are the docuseries “For Heaven’s Sake” (Paramount+), and “Players” (originally Paramount+, now available on Amazon Prime), and nearly two dozen broadcast commercials. Over the years, I’ve developed a reputation for being particularly adept at landing important hit-points in the picture, while retaining coherent musicality.
Music for film and television acts as an additional unseen character, serving to heighten the story arc, and draw the audience’s attention to particular moments, characters, plot points, and emotions. Music always tells a story, even if it’s so abstract that the story is entirely created by the listener’s own interpretation.
I love making music. If you’d like me to make some music for you, say hi!
FILM
Take My Hand (2026) [Short]
Director: Ryan Barri
Sharkproof (2014)
Production Company: Ardor Pictures, Kinkier Productions, The Kollaborative
Producer: Cameron Van Hoy
Directors: Simon Chan, Joe Rubalcaba
Funeral Kings (2012)
Production Company: 30 Bones Cinema, Modernciné
Producers: Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus
Directors: Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus
Finding Donn Fendler: Lost on a Mountain in Maine 72 Years Later (2011)
Producers: Ryan B Cook, Derek Desmond, Michael J. McGarry
Directors: Ryan B Cook, Derek Desmond
Trigger (2010)
Producer: Mari Yanuzzi
Director: Brian Vannucci
TV
Players (2022)
Production Company: 3 Arts Entertainment, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, CBS Studios
Executive Producers: Josh Finn, Chris Greeley, Joe Hardesty, Tim McAuliffe, Dan Perrault, Todd Sellers, Mike Farah, Joe Farrell, Ari Lubet, Tony Yacenda
Director: Tony Yacenda
For Heaven's Sake (2021)
Production Company: CBS Television Studios, Funny or Die, Muse Entertainment Enterprises
Executive Producers: Joe Farrell, Mike Mildon, Courtney Dobbins, Dan Perrault, Jonas Prupas, Jackson Rowe, Tony Yacenda
Director: Tim Johnson
Trial by Media (2020)
Production Company: Supper Club, Smokehouse Pictures
Executive Producers: Brian McGinn, Steven Brill, George Clooney, David Gelb, Grant Heslov, Jason Sterman, Jeffrey Toobin
Directors: Skye Borgman, Garrett Bradley, Yance Ford, Brian McGinn, Sierra Pettengill, Tony Yacenda (one episode each)
American Vandal (2017-2018)
Production Company: 3 Arts Entertainment, One Man Canoe, Woodhead Entertainment
Executive Producers: Dan Lagana, Joe Farrell, Josh Lieberman, Ari Lubet, Dan Perrault, Michael Rotenberg, Tony Yacenda
Director: Tony Yacenda
Sketchy (2013-2014)
Production Company: Artists First, Kids At Play
Directors: Ethan S. Smith, Ron Yavnieli (plus rotating guest directors)
