About Me
Tom Foster is a Boston-based film composer, music producer, and sound designer whose work blends emotional storytelling with a refined technical craft. Originally from South Africa, he has shaped music and sound for stories ranging from intimate character pieces to large-scale environmental documentaries, collaborating with organizations and creatives such as Netflix, UNESCO, HarperCollins, the Save Our Seas Foundation, and renowned voices including Dr. Jane Goodall and Yo-Yo Ma.
As a composer, Tom specializes in narrative-driven, emotionally resonant scoring that balances expressive composition with detailed production. His approach blends acoustic & hybrid writing and thoughtful orchestration, guided by a sensitivity to character, pacing, and visual rhythm. Whether shaping a textural atmosphere or writing a melody that carries an entire film, he prioritizes intention, nuance, and deep collaboration with directors and editors.
Tom grew up in a filmmaking family - his father, mother, and uncle all being professional filmmakers - and so he was exposed to the language of film, music, and how they interact at a very early age. His musical foundation has been shaped by mentorship from two influential composers: Lenny Williams, a six-time Emmy Award–winning composer and pianist who has spent over three decades scoring television and film, and Kevin Smuts, the award-winning main composer behind My Octopus Teacher and numerous internationally recognized documentaries. Under Williams - a composer with twelve Emmy nominations, multiple BMI Awards, and a legacy that includes Grammy-winning recordings - Tom refined his orchestration, storytelling instincts, and sensitivity for musical pacing. Through Smuts, he gained first-hand insight into documentary scoring at the highest level and learned the craft of building emotionally grounded music for nature-driven and human-centered narratives. Their guidance continues to shape Tom’s musical voice and professional approach. Tom’s early career was shaped through his work with the Sea Change Project, where he served as head composer, sound designer, and mix/mastering engineer. During this time, he contributed additional music to My Octopus Teacher, the Academy Award and BAFTA-winning Netflix documentary, and helped craft a body of work centered on intimate, human-centered narratives about the natural world. Alongside his scoring work, Tom is an experienced producer, engineer, and recording specialist. He has collaborated with respected artists including Zolani Mahola, Yo-Yo Ma & the Sea Change Project, Genevieve & Milo, and many others - crafting songs and sonic worlds with the same narrative instincts he brings to film. His technical fluency across Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic Pro, Steinberg software, and advanced production workflows supports his ability to deliver polished audio for a diverse array of projects. Tom recently completed his Film Scoring degree at Berklee College of Music, graduating Summa Cum Laude with double minors in Recording & Production and Acoustics & Electrical Engineering, supported by the Berklee World Tour Scholarship. He continues to score films, produce music, and take on sound design and post-production work for collaborators around the world. Known for his collaborative mindset and openness to creative challenges, he aims to build a career scoring films that prioritize human connection, emotional depth, and bold artistic choices - while remaining committed to exploring the evolving possibilities of music and sound in visual media.