Doolittle Raiders: A China Story

directed by Melinda Liu & Tian Macleod Ji

original music by Adrian Lo

documentary film; 9 minutes 56 seconds

completed in April 2017

Official Selection at Imperial War Museum Short Film Festival 2018


I was given only a day to complete the score for this short documentary, so I had the chance to write with immediate intent and go with what's right - right from the start. My choice of instrumentation was classical, which included a strings ensemble, a brass section, guitar, piano, and the snare. Part 1 sees us journey from the initial scenic Zhejiang province, the emphatic title sequence, and the revisit to the cave; while part 2, takes us from the poignant eye-witness account, to the child of a Doolittle Raider telling us what this legendary story, and this alliance between two nations, still means to him and the local community.