Janal Bechthold is a Canadian composer for film, TV, games, and interactive media, who loves the emotional side of musical storytelling. She prefers working on scores where music is integral to the story telling experience whether it embodies an invisible character, supports a heartfelt dramatic moment, creates a horror jump scare, or something qui... Read More

Janal Bechthold is a Canadian composer for film, TV, games, and interactive media, who loves the emotional side of musical storytelling. She prefers working on scores where music is integral to the story telling experience whether it embodies an invisible character, supports a heartfelt dramatic moment, creates a horror jump scare, or something quirky and fun. In 2021 Janal was nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards for her work in both film and television. The quiet emotional orchestral score for Marlene (Wendy Hill-Tout) earned her a nomination for Achievement in Music: Original Score, where the bluesy dramatic harmonica score for Company Town (CBC) and the lighter percussive score for Cottagers and Indians (CBC) earned her nominations for Best Original Score, Non-Fiction. Other notable work includes co-composing Daytime Emmy Award-winning Ghostwriter (Apple TV+) Jungle Ghost 1 & 2, scoring horror noir feature Art of Obsession, documentary Gods In Shackles, video game Terrorarium, and interactive graphic novels, Dystopia 2153 and 80 Degrees North. As one of Canada's composers to watch, Janal was selected to score Reel Women Seen, produced by ACTRA National and with participation and support from all the industry's guilds and unions. The film went on to win the Special Jury Award at Diversity in Cannes. Janal has a keen interest in animation, recently working as a music supervisor and song producer for Nelvana/Corus Entertainment on productions such as Hotel Transylvania: The Series (Disney/Sony) Season 2, Corn and Peg (Nickelodeon) Seasons 1 & 2, and The Remarkable Mr King (Teletoon). She loves that in animation you can craft a song from burps and turn the fun up to 11! She has certainly demonstrated herself as an industry leader, having spearheaded the 2018 research report "Gender in the Canadian Screen Composing Industry". Janal is the founder of Toronto Women Composers, serves as 2nd Vice President and Chair of the Women Composer Advisory Council to the Screen Composers Guild of Canada, sits on the Board of Directors of the SOCAN Foundation, and holds membership in The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television and Women in Film and Television (WIFT). Janal is currently scoring the VR documentary, The Choice. Read Less