Harley James Sheppard is an amalgamation of his influences, pulling inspiration from a wide variety of genres and idols. With an upbringing heavy in jazz, his ear is fond of the more "exploratory" side of music, finding comfort in the dissonances. He also has an appreciation for contemporary classical, and is passionate about melding the worlds of jazz and classical to create unique textures that work hand in hand with unique pictures. Harley looks up to film composers such as Johnny Greenwood, Hildur Guðnadóttir, and Nicholas Britell for their distinctive voices in the industry. 

Harley relishes the collaborative process and builds strong, multi-film relationships with directors and enjoys entering the creative process of the film as soon as he can. Some of his recent projects include CANINE (Dir. Christen Carter) Earnestly Yours (Dir. Sebastian Hunt), Partus (Dir. Carter Beardmore), and Wrong Answer, Kathy! (Dir. Pablo Freese-Fernández). Harley’s scores have been featured in festivals such as the Arizona International Film Festival, London-Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival, and Portland Comedy Film Festival.