Composer, pianist, and creative, Rafe Axne, has produced a handful of short-form films, giving him hands-on experience with both music and sound for media, as well as how to adapt his compositions to the cinematography and development of a film.

From a young age, Rafe has been surrounded by music. He began studying piano at the age of five, and attended concerts at the Des Moines Symphony, which contributed to his love of symphonic music. Film soundtracks blasted through his bedroom wall from his dads office while he was growing up, and after listening to Alexandre Desplat‘s scores to Wes Anderson‘s films, Rafe discovered he wanted to write music for media. He then became a cinephile, falling in love with all creative aspects of film and animation. Composers like Danny Elfman, Michael Giacchino, and Emile Mosseri are also important inspirations to him. 

Raised in rural Iowa, Rafe spent his time exploring cornfields, forests, and lakes with his dog Addie. He likes to record the sounds of life and nature, and use them in his personal work to compliment his compositions, as he feels art and the natural world go hand in hand, and enjoys creating a sense of comfort that reminds him of his past memories.

Rafe has completed an internship with documentary production company, Interloper Films, and is currently interning at SFFILM in the Artist Development department. He is working towards a Bachelor of Music Degree for Technology and Applied Composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.