Rafael Abranches is a London-based film score composer, orchestrator and music producer whose work spans film, television and games. His credits include original music for the RTP nature documentary Otter - The River Guardian, additional composer for National Geographic projects such as Paradise Islands, WWII Secrets From Above, Shark vs Ross Edgley, Europe From Above, Shark Below Zero and Maui Shark Mystery, as well as additional music for Science Channel’s Unearthed and Curiosity Stream’s The Real Wild West.

 

Rooted in rigorous classical training, Rafael blends orchestral depth with contemporary sound design, world and electronic instruments to create immersive, bespoke scores that elevate narrative and forge strong emotional connections across diverse media and genres. His collaborative approach extends beyond the music itself: drawing on a deep understanding of visual storytelling and the scoring process, he fosters close partnerships with directors, empowering them to realise visionary soundscapes that capture their project’s essence while pushing creative boundaries.

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Originally from Aveiro, Portugal, Rafael began his musical education at the age of seven in a local philharmonic academy. At ten he entered the Calouste Gulbenkian Conservatoire, where he completed an eight-year music programme covering classical performance, music theory, composition, orchestration, music history, acoustics and electronic music. Determined to specialise in film scoring, he moved to the UK in his late teens to study at Leeds Conservatoire, graduating in 2020 with a First Class degree in Film Music.

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His professional career developed through significant collaborations, including additional music for the Emmy-winning The Luca Brothers on international television series, orchestration for Alex Redfern on the documentary No Roses on a Sailor’s Grave, and orchestration for Jia Lee on the game animation Oryctes (Glow Productions / Epic Games).

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In 2020, Rafael co-founded Engrave Production Music and Pitch Eminence, two global composer collectives specialising in premium production music for top-tier publishers including BMG Production Music, Warner Chappell Production Music, Felt, Wrong Planet and Atom Music. Their music has been licensed to major platforms and featured in high-profile titles such as Physical 100 (Netflix), Star Trek: Prodigy (Nickelodeon), Champions League Magazine (UEFA) and UFC programming (ESPN).

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Upcoming projects include a major nature documentary with director Nuno Sá (BAFTA and Panda Award winner for Blue Planet 2) and a biographical documentary directed by Martin Dale (director of Otter – The River Guardian).