The film is a music-filled biographical documentary about the life and work of Raymond Scott.  In addition, it also is a personal investigation into the father-son dynamic — what it means to have a famous father obsessed with his work and the consequent impact on the parent-child relationship.

Raymond Scott was more comfortable with technology than with people, including his own children. This personal angle is intertwined with the compelling story of a true American music innovator — one who had a meteoric rise to household-name success, followed by a slow spiral into obscurity and now, posthumously, a growing acknowledgment of his central role in modern music and music technology.

In recent years his work has been performed by groups ranging from Rush, Devo, and They Might Be Giants to the Kronos Quartet and sampled by many DJ’s and hip-hop groups and also adapted by the virtual super-group Gorillaz.

This documentary is a vibrant tapestry of stills, home movies, film and television excerpts (Scott was orchestra leader on the Your Hit Parade TV show), musical performances and interviews.

My father recorded virtually everything said in the studio, his phone conversations, and there are lengthy audio interviews. Therefore much of his story is told in his own words — revealing a complicated, often dysfunctional family — humorous in conveying Scott’s own quirkiness, and serious in dealing with his rigorous devotion to all aspects of his creative and technical life.

Of course it is scored with Scott’s music, which covers a wide range of styles — including swinging jazz pieces played by the Raymond Scott Quintette, the groundbreaking group that brought him his early fame. In his middle years he returned to his first love — electronics and he was a synthesizer pioneer. His crowning invention was the Electronium, a “simultaneous composition and performance machine” that was purchased by Motown Records. There will be cartoon excerpts — Carl Stalling, the music director at Warner Brothers licensed Scott’s quirky and original tunes (“Powerhouse” being the most famous) to amplify the adventures of Bugs Bunny and company.

Interviews include his daughter Carrie, and two of his wives; first wife Pearl, and third wife Mitzi. Unfortunately his second wife and protege, the singer Dorothy Collins, died before production of this film commenced — the fascinating story of their relationship will be told through the recollections of others. Other interviewees  include multi Academy Award winning composer John Williams, whose father Johnny was the drummer in the Raymond Scott Quintette; musician, composer, and Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh, Grammy nominated clarinetist Don Byron, Music and concert Producer Hal Willner, Music Historian and Raymond Scott Archive Director Irwin Chusid, co-inventor of the Moog synthesizer Herb Deutsch, philosper/DJ Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky; violinist Jeremy Cohen, another Grammy nominee; and many others.  The final product will be the defining portrait of this under-recognized American icon.