Documentary Work
Documentary Composer
Conan Karpinski is a documentary composer with credits on Lunatic, Fruit Is Ripe, Lions Rise, Press Breaker, and more. His work focuses on supporting real stories with clarity and emotional weight. He blends orchestral, ambient, and synthetic sounds to create grounded, character-driven scores. His music has appeared on Netflix, HBO, and Apple TV.
Select Cues
A few of my favourite cues from recent work…
Lions Rise (Short Doc)
Lions Rise is a project I'm especially proud of—it allowed me to lead the score while collaborating closely with Punjabi musicians, writing with their instruments and traditions in mind.
Selected Credits
“I’ve worked with Conan on multiple projects over the years and it’s always a very exciting collaboration. He is a very talented musician. His understanding of cinema definitely informs the music he composes for films. He is very dedicated to his craft and always aims to create the best music to enhance the themes and all the elements in the visuals. I’ve always been extremely happy with the process and with the final piece."
- Sunny Mohajer
Director (Hope is a thing with Feathers)
TESTIMONIALS
“I've been lucky enough to work with several composers over my career and Conan stands alone at the top of the list for those I'd work with again in a heartbeat. Not only for what he brings to the table with his musical talents, but also because of his flexibility in collaboration. His ability to take direction, infuse his music with passion, and consistently create incredibly emotional tracks is an asset to every production he's on. Without Conan's abilities to bring out the right emotions at the right times, my films would not have had the same impact. His talents will take your film to that next level.”
- Manny Mahal
Director (For My Father)
“Conan was the composer on Portraits From a Fire. He was extremely professional, took direction, was creative and collaborative - but most importantly, through his music, he helped create a beautiful, dramatic, and whimsical world for the film's characters. The amazing score is the top comment that we receive from anyone who watches the film!”
- Kate Kroll
Producer (Portraits from a Fire)
“Conan’s musical talents and expertise helped elevate the film on a level that captured the essence of the film’s subject matter, the characters' emotional journey and environment beautifully and perfectly. I’ve hired Conan to compose for future projects and I’m looking forward to seeing what he makes next! As a fellow artist and collaborator, I’m happy to call him a friend!”
- Rylan Friday
Director (Terror Forming)
“Working with Conan was a wonderful experience! He took the time to listen and would deeply reflect on the material presented to him. This was showcased in the great music he was able to compose for both projects I worked on with him. In addition, he took the time to learn about the South Asian community and the sounds that are important to us. He did so with great care and respect. I recommend working with him if you have the chance.”
- Abubakar Khan
Producer (Press Breaker, Lions Rise)
