About Smith

W. F. Smith Leithart is a Los Angeles–based composer whose music blends raw emotional vulnerability with cinematic scale. Born in Cambridge, England, and raised in Moscow, Idaho, Smith’s musical journey began at age eight when he immediately bypassed standard piano exercises to compose his own melodies. That early impulse to create soon evolved into writing formal compositions on staff paper and crafting late-night electronic loops in GarageBand.

He began formally studying composition at age 16 under Joel Davis and piano under Barbara Shinn in Birmingham, Alabama. Smith later attended Samford University’s School of the Arts, studying piano with Dr. Kathryn Fouse and composition with Dr. Mark Lackey. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Music Composition, having earned concert performances and readings from ensembles such as the Amernet String Quartet and the Samford Wind Ensemble.

Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2020, Smith has established himself as a versatile collaborator across studio blockbusters, indie films, television, and video games.

Major Studio & Franchise Contributions: Smith has worked in the music department for prominent Hollywood titles, including Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the acclaimed video game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

Original Feature & Indie Scores: His original film scores span a wide range of genres, from feature film scores including The Girl in the River, Dinner to Die For to award-winning shorts like The White Ibis and Unorthodox. He has also scored for interactive media, including the video game soundtrack Oracle of Meles.

Collaborations & Television: Through ongoing collaborations with composer Max Aruj, Smith’s music appears in major streaming releases such as Man on Fire, Mech Cadets, and MoviePass, MovieCrash. Since 2021, he has also served as a staff composer for Diamond Mine Productions, writing television cues for major CBS Media Ventures shows including The Drew Barrymore Show and Dr. Phil.

Visit this site’s watch and listen pages to find more information on Smith’s work.