About Jim
James L. Venable (born in Santa Monica, California) is an American composer, working primarily on original scores for film, television and games. Jim started out in music as a drummer in various obscure 80’s new wave/rock bands, He found a passion for percussion, rhythms and technology in the form of a drum set his Grandmother bought him and borrowed Prophet 5 that become a staple in all of his early “experimental” music. Coming from this electronic background, he has always looked for a chance to experiment with analogue synths, computers and emerging music technology. His musical voice really began to take shape when he visited a James Newton Howard scoring session and was blown away by the amazing effect of combining Orchestral music with everything he loved; synthesizers, computer tech and live musicians!
While working as a DJ, he was always composing, creating Hybrid Orchestral Music. He quickly became is known for his scores to the animated television series THE POWERPUFF GIRLSLinks to an external site., SAMURAI JACKLinks to an external site., and FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS. Links to an external site.FOSTERS was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music in 2005, the same score won a 2005 Annie Award—Venable's third of four—for achievement in music for an animated series. Jim also, accomplished one of his lifelong dreams of contributing to the Star Wars universe as one of the original composer's for Tartakovsky’s STAR WARS: CLONE WARSLinks to an external site.. Jim's more recent Animation Scoring can be heard on Cartoon Network's CLARENCELinks to an external site. and THE FUNGIES on HBO Max.
Among Venable's feature film scores are JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACKLinks to an external site., VENOMLinks to an external site., SCARY MOVIE 3Links to an external site., 4Links to an external site., and 5Links to an external site. and EUROTRIPLinks to an external site.. These projects gave Jim an opportunity to compose for larger Orchestras and explore combining them with Electronic Instruments. In Summer of 2004, Venable released an electronica album titled Holding Space with Screaming Fan Records. He is currently working on his next release, “Arrival” which will blend Jim's passion for music, "immersive audio" and original Hi-Def visual imagery. Jim recently completed the score for KEVIN SMITH'S, JAY AND SILENT BOB REBOOTLinks to an external site. and CLERKS 3. Both of these scores offered Jim a wide variety of musical opportunities, ranging from Grunge Guitar Score to Electronic, Orchestral Action Music. Jim can also be seen on stage (or at the OLD ZOO,) "live scoring" for the underground comedy scene. For these shows, he creates new music for various clown, improv and theatrical mask groups in front of live audiences all around the L.A .area.
Jim is an active Instructor at UCLA extension, teaching courses on Advanced Film Composition and Electronic Music for Film and Television.