The Film Scorer

A few weeks ago Variety published an opinion piece about the use of Michel Legrand's score for The Go-Between in May December. The piece argued that not only was this choice ill-advised, but that reusing film music “is never a good idea.” It proved to be an interesting discussion topic, and a bit of a lightning rod, so I've given my thoughts briefly as well. Article: https://variety.com/2024/awards/opinion/why-music-for-may-december-viral-hot-dog-scene-is-problematic-1235866494/ My response article: https://thefilmscorer.com/on-reusing-film-music/ Some other examples of scores being repurposed: https://x.com/TheTumboy/status/1745137541613764976?s=20

Welcome to 2024, and welcome to another interview on The Film Scorer! Joining me to kick off the new year is harmonicist extraordinaire Frédéric Yonnet. Fred has toured and performed with an incredible slate of legendary musicians, like Stevie Wonder, Prince, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Erykah Badu, John Legend, The Roots, Usher, Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey (f/k/a Mos Def), De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest, among many others. Even if you haven't heard of Fred before, you've definitely heard his harmonica. With all that said, why is he chatting with The Film Scorer? It's because his work doesn't end there. Fred has lent his virtuosic harmonica playing to various film projects, including the Robbie Robertson composed scores for The Irishman (where his harmonica channels death) and, most recently, the Golden Globe nominated Killers of the Flower Moon (where his harmonica channels greed). As such, while we start off talking about his love of the harmonica and performing with various music legends, our conversation ultimately leads to Robbie Robertson, The Irishman, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Fred's playful run-in with Scorsese at Cannes. Killers of the Flower Moon is currently available for digital rental, and releases on Apple TV+ on January 12 with a physical release expected sometime this month. You can hear Fred's harmonica on the film's score, which is widely available digitally or via physical release, and you can find out more about Fred on his website. NOTE: A prior version of this had audio issues, which should now be resolved.

2023 is nearly over, and to lead into the new year, The Film Scorer keeps you up to date on recent releases (perfect to chat about with your family over the holidays) by covering some of the best and most notable film scores released from July through September of this year, featuring scores like Oppenheimer by Ludwig Göransson, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Bottoms by Leo Birenberg and Charli XCX, and many more! Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores, including detailed writeups and lists. For a full list of the scores discussed in this episode, see below: Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One - Lorne Balfe The Starling Girl - Lord Huron Creation of the Gods I - Feng Shen Trilogy - Gordy Haab Oppenheimer - Ludwig Göransso The Boy and the Heron – Joe Hisaishi Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Haunted Mansion - Kris Bowers The Last Voyage of the Demeter - Bear McCreary A Haunting in Venice - Hildur Guðnadóttir Blue Beetle - Bobby Krlic Landscape with Invisible Hand - Michael Abel They Cloned Tyrone - Pierre Charles and Desmond Murray The Creator - Hans Zimmer Barbie - Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt Bottoms - Leo Birenberg and Charli XCX The Monkey King - Toby Chu Lamya's Poem - Christopher Willis Cassandro - Marcelo Zarvos She Came to Me - Bryce Dessner PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie - Pinar Toprak

Pulitzer Prize winning composer Michael Abels (Get Out, Nope) joins the show to round out 2023! Not surprisingly, Michael and I spend a fair amount of time talking about his work with Jordan Peele on the films Get Out, Us, and Nope, including a broad look at their working relationship and how it fulfilled Michael's long-time dream of working in film. But Michael also scored a couple films this year, which we then dig into, including The Burial and Landscape with Invisible Hand. Primarily, we talk about his work on The Burial, in which Jamie Foxx gives an electric performance. As such, Michael digs into the score, including discussing how the palette is aimed at universality, giving space to Foxx and the film's licensed music, and adapting the Bach piece "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" into his score. Even though our chat is just under 25 minutes, we manage to squeeze a lot into it! The Burial is currently streaming on Amazon Prime while Landscape with Invisible Hand is available on MGM+. Meanwhile, Michael's score for both, as well as much of his other music, is available on all major platforms. In addition, you can find out more about Michael on his website. Have a great rest of the year, and I'll talk to you all in 2024...

As 2023 starts to close, and the awards season begins to heat up, I'm joined by the composer for what's being widely hailed as one of the best film scores of the year: Jerskin Fendrix. Jerskin's latest score is for the film Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. But not only is Poor Things Jerskin's latest score, it's also his first. And it just landed him a Golden Globe nomination. Unsurprisingly, then, we spend most of our conversation talking about Jerskin's score. While this is a shorter interview, so we didn't have as much time to meander into tangents, we still found time to go on them, including comparing how personal and autobiographical solo music and scoring can be, looking for "honesty" in music, and more. Poor Things is currently playing in limited release, moving to a full theatrical release on December 22, 2023, while Jerskin's score, and much of his debut solo album, is available on all major platforms.

Experimental composer Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (Candyman) joins The Film Scorer podcast in the midst of the year-end blitz. Rob's latest score is for the vérité-style documentary Grasshopper Republic. As such, we spend much of the conversation talking about, and around, Rob's score, which is certainly among the most overlooked of the year. Along the way we talk about Rob's general style and approach, tackle the big questions around how to roll back the commodification of music, and more. Grasshopper Republic is currently playing in certain festivals while Rob's score, and much of his other music, is available on all major platforms through Invada. Meanwhile, you can find out more about Rob on his website.

I'm getting closer and closer to having conducted one hundred composer interviews, and yet I don't think I've ever covered a Marvel score in one (let alone any superhero score). With Laura Karpman (Ms. Marvel, What If...?) joining the show, that all changes. Laura is fresh off of scoring the latest MCU film, The Marvels, starring Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel), and Teyonah Parris (Captain Rambeau), in an interplanetary adventure. As such, we spend most of the conversation digging into her score, and particularly the great lengths to which she was able to experiment with sound. Along the way we talk about composer unionization, her other new score, for the upcoming film American Fiction (which score has been nominated for an Oscar), and more! The Marvels is currently playing in theaters while Laura's score, and much of her other music, is available on all major platforms. American Fiction is set to release on December 15, and Laura's score is scheduled to release the same day. Meanwhile, you can find out more about Laura on her website. Note that there is a brief spoiler for The Marvels in the interview. Once you hear a chime, skip ahead 15 seconds to avoid it.

I've been familiar with Yair Elazar Glotman ever since I heard his score for Last and First Men, which he co-composed with the great Jóhann Jóhannsson. As such, it's great to finally have him on the show! Yair and I primarily talk about his score for the new Netflix crime thriller Reptile, for which Yair has composed a fairly dense, abstract, and textural score. The score - and the film overall - has homages to older noir films, helping solidify this film as a sort of neo-noir, but it's also aware of itself and these influences, giving them nods while also attempting something new and distinct. Along the way, we hit a number of other points, like Yair's constant quest for inspiration and knowledge (whether it be studying different playing or recording techniques, new composers, or esoteric music concepts), how scores and solo albums influence one another, and more. Reptile is currently available on Netflix while Yair's score, and much of his other music, is available on all major platforms. Meanwhile, you can find out more about Yair on his website.

In this somewhat Halloween-flavored episode, Rostam Batmanglij (Rostam) (ex-Vampire Weekend, The OA) joins the show! Taking a little detour from his solo and collab music, and writing and producing for other artists like Haim, Charli XCX, and Frank, Ocean, Rostam and I primarily talk about his new score for the film The Persian Version. Rostam's score is quite subtle and restrained, marrying ancient Iranian music with Western classical music, as well as some pop and more mainstream musical influences from the last several decades. His score is capped by a cover of Cyndi Lauper's classic "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", featuring some very cool Iranian musical twists. As always, Rostam and I travel along various tangents, including his interest in film music from a young age, his first post-college music gig (with composer Craig Wedren (Yellowjackets, School of Rock)) and how this experience influenced his work on Vampire Weekend, and his Iranian cultural identity. The Persian Version is available digitally while Rostam's score, and much of his other music, is available on all major platforms. Meanwhile, you can find out more about Rostam on his website.

To keep the newly-launched season 4 momentum rolling, I'm joined by composer Christopher Willis! Chris is actually responsible for some of my favorite scores in recent years, like The Death of Stalin and The Personal History of David Copperfield, as well as the excellent series Veep (among other things). However, I managed to keep the fan side of me at bay until the very end of our chat. Instead, we chat about his most recent works: the score for the animated film Lamya's Poem, featuring an incredibly lovely, lush main theme (one of my favorites of the year so far), and Demon 79, the last episode in the latest season of Black Mirror, which sees Chris embracing horror. Along the way, of course, we dig into a number of other topics as well. These include what it's like for Chris and his wife Elyse to work together creating music, the use of AI in music (and particularly film and tv music), and more! Lamya's Poem is available to rent or buy digitally while Demon 79 is available to watch on Netflix. Chris's scores for both, as well as many of his other works, are available to listen on all major platforms. Meanwhile, you can find out more about Chris on his website.

Season 4 is here! Charlie Clouser (the Saw series, Nine Inch Nails) joins the show to kick-off the latest season. Charlie and I talk about not just his score for the latest Saw film - Saw X - but his work throughout the series, including the famous and essential "Hello Zepp" themes found in each film. Near the end, Charlie indulges me on my personal curiosity regarding the surprising number of 90s and early 2000s industrial musicians that have found their way into the film and scoring worlds, expanding it to cover the desire for filmmakers to bring in musicians on the fringes of music. During this, he hypes up a number of great composers and scores, something I absolutely love to see! Charlie's score for Saw X surprised me given the amount of melody, seemingly broader palette, and sheer variety throughout. It isn't necessarily surprising, given his fixation on finding the perfect array of sounds to bring onto each project - hand-picking them from his seemingly-bottomless well of sounds collected over the last 40 years. But there's also an extreme level of technical precision on these scores, with endless tempo changes so that the film and its characters seem to be constantly moving to the rhythm of his score. Saw X is currently in theaters, while Charlie's score, as well as many of his other scores, is available digitally on all major platforms.

Season four of The Film Scorer Podcast is almost here! The new season launches on Sunday, October 1st, with new episodes continuing every other Sunday after that (more or less). Given the breadth of guests in season three, including Daniel Pemberton, Tim Hecker, and recent Oscar winner Volker Bertelmann, you never who will show up this time around - all I can say is I already have some great guests lined up! So subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, follow The Film Scorer on Instagram and Twitter, and keep those ears open!

Season 4 is just around the corner! But until then, satiate your film music appetite by joining The Film Scorer to hear about some of the best or most notable film scores released from April through June of this year, featuring scores like Carmen by Nicholas Britell, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny by John Williams, and many more! Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores, including detailed writeups and lists.

Even though Season 3 is over and Season 4 has yet to begin, The Film Scorer podcast returns with a new interview. This time, I'm joined by composer Sherri Chung! Sherri (Riverdale, Kung Fu) and I intended to chat about her three latest projects, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Based on a True Story, and Happiness for Beginners, but got sidetracked for quite a bit. As a result, we spend a while talking about: the current writers' and actors' strikes, and the impact that those have on film and tv composers; trying to find the opportunity to write music for herself and her personal projects; and "loyalty" between composers and directors, including what it feels like when a director chooses someone else to work with on their next project. Fortunately, I eventually find a little time to slip in some questions about Gremlins, and Sherri discusses working in the shadow of Jerry Goldsmith's excellent scores for the two films while crafting something wholly new and distinct. For those wondering, Season 4 is still at least a couple of months away. Sherri and I had been scheduling this interview since mid-June (prior to Season 3 ending), so I still wanted to get this conducted and released. That said, there may be a few other one-off interviews here and there prior to next season officially kicking-off. Stay tuned for more... You can find out more about Sherri on her website. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is currently on HBO Max, Based on a True Story is currently on Peacock, and Happiness for Beginners is currently on Netflix and Sherri's scores, as well as many of her other scores, are available digitally on all major platforms.

With Season 3 over and the prevalence of union strikes in the American film and tv landscape, I've decided to use this break to give a brief overview as to why composers in the US don't have a union (unlike almost everyone else in the industry). There's a little history in here, a little legal discussion, and some conjecture and opinions I've picked up from composers lately. That said, I've tried to keep my own opinion out of this (and this certainly isn't legal advice). Keep in mind that I've simplified a number of the concepts. For instance, more factors go into the work-for-hire analysis to determine whether something falls into it, but that broader discussion would be beyond this brief episode. I've also realized that I refer to Loyola in Chicago, when the correct reference should have been to Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles.

To celebrate the season 3 finale, I'm joined by Grammy winning composer Steph Economou! Steph's latest score is for the Dreamworks animated film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. As such, we primarily talk about Steph's score, including her choice to approach the score with a "cinematic dream pop" palette, implementing unique instruments like conch shells and the Bohemian Cristal Instrument, and the daunting nature of this being her first feature animated project. Of course, we also talk about her Grammy win, taking home the first ever Grammy for "Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media" for her score to Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, as well as the challenge and excitement of scoring for videogames broadly (among many other things). I found Steph's score to be really exciting, in no small part because it's so distinct. While the "cinematic dream pop" sound ends up being particularly fitting for the film's underwater/nautical setting, it's an unusual choice for film music broadly, even more so for a family animated film. Those that know me will know by now that moving the sonic needle in media music is something I love to see, but so often it's done in indie films or in horror; for this to happen in a bigger-budget, mainstream film is great! Hopefully it's a trend that can continue. Steph mentions that the filmmakers gave her a lot of leeway right of the bat when it came to the score's palette, and she took full advantage of it. Even though she felt a bit daunted at first, with this being her first animated feature, she mentioned her two approaches in getting past it: "I just try to write music that I know I’ll be proud of later” and “you just gotta put your head down and do it; but the fear makes you better.” Things we can all live by. You can find out more about Steph on her website. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is currently in theaters and Steph's score, as well as many of her other scores, is available digitally on all major platforms.

In one of the last interviews of Season 3, composer and director Mark Jenkin joins The Film Scorer podcast! First off, and something I forgot to mention in the intro, but I appreciate Mark persevering through some major audio issues - our interview went for nearly an hour, but a lot of the audio wasn't salvageable! Mark recently released his experimental folk horror film Enys Men (Cornish for Stone Island) earlier this year, as well as his corresponding score. As such, we primarily discuss the film, including Mark's score, how filmmaking and composing process, and much more. Along the way we touch on imposter syndrome and what constitutes a "musician", Mark's appreciation for good film criticism, and scores Mark's been digging lately (like Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's Wind River). Enys Men is a tough watch, and likely won't be for everyone, as is the case for most unorthodox/non-traditional films, and the same can be said for Mark's score. It's a very droning, atmospheric piece that slowly pulls you into the nightmarish isolation of the film. Mark also chose a strange sonic palette, starting with recording a tiny, old Korg synth into a tape loop before adding elements like rocks, locally sourced scrap metal from Cornwall's post-industrial landscape, and Mark's voice sung into a mic with heavy reverb. I love it. You can find out more about Mark on his website. Enys Men is available for purchase, and may still be in some specialty theaters, and Mark's score, as well as his score for Bait, is available digitally on all major platforms.

It's a new year, which means a new batch of great film music to listen to! To help you out, The Film Scorer covers some of the best and most notable film scores released from the first three months of the year, including scores like Enys Men by Mark Jenkin, Broker by Jung Jae-Il, L'envol by Gabriel Yared, and many more! Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores and see below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists. One note: I accidentally reference Chris Lord when I meant to say Chris Miller (of Lord and Miller).

Fresh off the back of scoring the smash hit Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse composer Daniel Pemberton (Enola Holmes 1 & 2, Steve Jobs) joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Not surprisingly, Daniel and I spend the majority of our interview talking about his score, including: the significant amount of time Daniel had not only to write and record, but also to do what he calls R&D; expanding the sonic palette from the first film; and creating distinct, genre-appropriate thematic material and sounds for the primary characters while also balancing and integrating these pieces of music (asking himself “How do you write and create a score where all these can interact?”). Now, it turns out, the score has just landed Daniel a Golden Globe nomination! We also talk about Daniel's writing process, which places an interesting weight on his initial impression, telling me “every time I read a script, the first hour afterwards can often be the most important hour because it’s so fresh . . . and if you look at Spider-Verse, one of the very first things I wrote becomes the opening and ending of the film”. Finally, we move fully beyond Across the Spider-Verse and talk about his score for last year's lovely Brian and Charles, which showcases his desire to explore new musical directions and take creative risks, his ability to write quickly (Daniel mentions a mystery film he just scored in one week), and the use of composing teams. You can find out more about Daniel on his website. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is currently playing in theaters worldwide, and Daniel's score, as well as many of his other works, is available digitally on all major platforms.

As season 3 of The Film Scorer podcast slowly comes to a close (only a few episodes left), Chad Cannon (Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island) joins the show! Chad and I primarily talk about his latest score, which is for the documentary miniseries Algiers, America, following a high school football team in New Orleans (the Edna Carr Cougars). The score mostly features Chad's modern classical compositions, as well as some New Orleans-centric elements that Chad crafted with a few local musicians. As such, Chad talks about the challenge of scoring around three hours of music, visiting New Orleans to get in touch with the city's musicality, and balancing various musical elements, styles, and genres. Along the way, we also cover Chad's prolific work in the documentary scoring arena, carving out a bit of a specialization within the field (although he has done a number of fiction films, series, and videogames as well), and how and why the public reception to documentary music differs from that of music for other media. Finally, we briefly touch on Chad's work in arranging for legendary composer Joe Hisaishi, and Chad's upcoming project in which Hisaishi is providing the main theme. You can find out more about Chad on his website. Algiers, America is currently on Hulu, and while Chad's score is not yet available, many of his other works are available digitally on all major platforms.

After a brief hiatus, The Film Scorer podcast returns with guest Nitin Sawhney! Nitin and I originally planned just on discussing his latest score, which is for the film What's Love Got to Do with It? but coincidentally timed the interview to coincide with the announcement of his next album, "Identity". As such, we start off by discussing his new album and the recently released single, "Darling Boy", which features vocals from Guy Garvey and lyrics that Garvey used to sing as a lullaby to his then-newborn son. We then dig into Nitin's fascinating hybrid score for What's Love Got to Do with It?, which mixes traditional modern romantic elements, fairy tale motifs, and Indian classical music; it's a combo I've certainly never heard. In relation to the score, Nitin discusses the relatively identical nature of Indian and Pakistani classical music, the line between culture appropriation and appreciation in music, and collaborating with Naughty Boy, and legendary Qawwali singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. You can find out more about Nitin on his website. What's Love Got to Do with It? is in theaters in the UK, Nitin's score, as well as many of his other works, is available digitally on all major platforms and his new album "Identity" is forthcoming (though you can listen to the single, "Darling Boy", here).

Brian Tyler (Fast & Furious franchise, Yellowstone franchise, Avengers: Age of Ultron) joins The Film Scorer Podcast, finishing up our unofficial "month of Tylers"! Brian is fresh off the back of scoring the global smash hit The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and we spend the bulk of our conversation discussing his score and experience. This ranges from Brian's lifelong fandom of Mario games (as a kid he'd cut out articles about Mario composer Koji Kondo and game designer Shigeru Miyamoto from magazines), the surreal experience of working with Kondo and Miyamoto, and filling the score with homages to the many iconic themes and motifs that fill the Mario universe. On the way he even spends a few minutes talking about his score for the upcoming Fast X, with his face and voice filling with excitement when he discusses his theme for Jason Momoa's new character. You can find out more about Brian on his website. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in theaters, and Brian's score, as well as many of his other works, is available digitally on all major platforms.

Better late than never - The Film Scorer returns for the annual tradition of covering the ten "best" film scores of 2022. There's also an eleventh honorable mention of arguably my favorite film score release of the year. These scores aren't presented in any particular order, and are really just favorites - who's to say what's "best"? Feel free to chime in with some of your favorites from the world of film and beyond; even if they didn't make the list, chances are they were close! One note: I mention that two composers are on their third collaboration, while I meant to say that the score marks their third collaboration with the film's director.

Fresh off of scoring the critical and box office hit action film John Wick 4, Tyler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy Vols. 1 & 2, 300, The Punisher) joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Unsurprisingly, Tyler and I spend a decent amount of time talking about his work on John Wick; not just the latest film, but his work across all four entries and his collaboration across each with Joel J. Richard as well. Throughout the chat, we also cover Tyler's latest series, the animated action/spy show Agent Elvis on Netflix (which he co-scored with Tim Williams), his interest in equitable collaboration, and how he continues to push himself to improve and break his own boundaries. One note: prior to the interview Tyler had spent the preceding few days playing shows with Jerry Cantrell and flying across the country, so he has a slight cold throughout. You can find out more about Tyler on his website. John Wick 4 is in theaters while Agent Elvis is on Netflix, and Tyler's scores, as well as many of his other works, are available digitally on all major platforms.

Anne-Kathrin Dern is the latest guest on The Film Scorer Podcast! You might be most familiar with Anne's lush, thematically-rich traditional orchestral scoring on a number of family and animation films, but she's started to slowly move into more hybrid and pure electronic/textural film and game scoring as well. As such, we talk about this transition and how mixing up scoring styles makes her grow as a composer well maintaining her excitement in the field. This transition recently culminated with her latest score, The Devil Conspiracy, a far more electronic, textural horror score that also features heavy use of organ and choir. It's an unusual score for Anne, but also admittedly the most fun she's had scoring in a long time! We then move into discussing some heavier topics, including the recent article from The Guardian regarding MeToo in the composing world, the lack of opportunity for female composers, and the necessity for having open conversations about these types of issues. You can find out more about Anne on her website. The Devil Conspiracy is now available on demand and Anne's score, as well as many of her other works, is available digitally on all major platforms.

Tim Hecker, one of the leading voices in experimental electronic music (sometimes referred to as "ambient") joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Tim and I primarily talk about his score to the new film Infinity Pool, a psychedelic, nasty ride with an equally wowing, disorienting score. Among the stranger aspects of the score is that Tim actually utilized the sounds of Mediterranean cicadas, spending hours trawling through YouTube for the perfect samples before eventually turning them into a sort of Baltic banjo in a Deliverance homage for the regressive, yet future-forward dystopian mythical island state on which the film takes place. We then get into, among other things, the problematic nature of the "ambient" genre label and our increasing disconnect with music. One note on this interview: after the introduction, it begins mid-conversation between Tim and I. Our pre-interview small talk started going too deep, so I felt the need to capture it and keep it going rather than abruptly stop it to start a more "formal" interview. You can find out more about Tim on his website. Infinity Pool is now available on demand and Tim's score, as well as many of his other works, is available digitally on all major platforms. Although the score is not available there, most of Tim's works are available directly through bandcamp.

With 2022 over, The Film Scorer covers some of the best and most notable film scores released from the last three months of the year. These include scores like Babylon by Justin Hurwitz, All Quiet on the Western Front by Volker Bertelmann, and many more. A breadth of film music awaits! The episode opens with some awards season coverage, recorded prior to the BAFTA awards ceremony, and so predicts a Hurwitz win even though Volker Bertelmann ended up winning. Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores and see below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists: October: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-october-2022/ November: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-november-2022/ December: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-december-2022/

Three-time Oscar nominated composer Carter Burwell (True Grit, Three Billboards Outside Billing, Missouri) joins The Film Scorer Podcast! We primarily talk about his latest score, which also happened to land him his third Oscar nomination (as well as another BAFTA nom), The Banshees of Inisherin! This includes determining the sound palette (going from initial ideas for period-appropriate Irish music to incorporating an Indonesian gamelan), pulling out the essence of Colin Farrell's character, and more. Along the way, he gives his thoughts on experimentation in film music and the benefit of having more time to sit down and score, while briefly covering his a capella score for Catherine Called Birdy. I was immediately drawn to Carter's score, in part because it deviates from and subverts expectation. Carter creates a sort of dark fairy tale, balancing a childlike sense with melancholy and foreboding, all through a minimal and restrained sound palette. On this point, he told me "When I started really thinking why does this music work or what am I trying to achieve, I began thinking that what it really is doing is turning the movie into a fable. It’s playing a little more like a fairytale.” This comes, in part, because of Carter's choice to largely use the music to play off of Colin Farrell's character, to embody him and his troublesome journey through the film. You can find out more about Carter on his website. The Banshees of Inisherin is currently available on HBO Max and Carter's score, as well as many of his other works, is available digitally on all major platforms.

I recently chatted with experimental composer Maya Shenfeld about her first major foray into film scoring: the Oscar shortlisted documentary The Flagmakers. Fresh off of her critically acclaimed debut album, In Free Fall (which experiments through electroacoustic arrangements), Maya's score for The Flagmakers is a contemporary, modernized take on traditional American minimalism (á la Reich and Glass). Not only do we discuss these two pieces, but we also cover Maya's long-time interest in film music, dive into the world and communities of experimental music, and more. You can find out more about Maya on her website or on bandcamp. The Flagmakers has not yet been released, and Maya is still working on potentially releasing (and expanding) her score for the documentary, although her prior works are available on all major digital platforms (and her cinematic album called Cinematic Minimalism and released under the nom de guerre Rouge Fou.

Composer Zak Engel joins me to kick off 2023, and end my brief interview hiatus. We primarily chat about his score for the mind-bending sci-fi thriller Ultrasound, which released a couple of years ago but for which Zak's score has only recently come out. It's a really cool, engaging score filled with older analog synth sounds and more modern electronics, building on influences from folks like Mort Garson, Disasterpeace, and Daniel Lopatin/Oneohtrix Point Never. We also talk about some of Zak's personal influences, how he got into film, and Zak even tackles a few of my surprise and unfair abstract questions about film, music, and the art of scoring. You can find out more about Zak on his website or on bandcamp. Ultrasound is currently available on Hulu, while Zak's score (and many of his prior works) is available on all major digital platforms.

To finish up 2022, I attempt to unravel the new murder mystery Glass Onion, with the help of its composer, Nathan Johnson (Knives Out, Looper) . Not surprisingly, then, Nathan and I jump into his big, orchestral score, including revisiting themes from the predecessor film Knives Out, creating new themes (particularly the theme for Janelle Monáe's character, Andi), and finding the right sound for the film. Along the way we talk about working with Rian Johnson and Guillermo del Toro (with whom Nathan collaborated on 2021's Nightmare Alley), picking the right projects, impostor syndrome, and more! You can find out more about Nathan on his website. Glass Onion is currently available on Netflix, while Nathan's score (and many of his prior works) is available on all major digital platforms.

Pleased to have Academy Award winning composer Volker Bertelmann join the show! Volker is fresh off of scoring the new adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, a new bleak, harrowing anti-war version of the classic novel for which he's received his first Oscar and BAFTA wins! We chat primarily about this score, including creating some of the incredibly distinct, surprising sounds used throughout and his working relationship with long time collaborator (and the film's director) Edward Berger. We also cover a few more disparate topics, like his earlier days in the music industry, finding inspiration when writing, and the drive to constantly challenge himself (telling me "I love being challenged by things that I haven’t done before...I’m actually in a long learning curve of getting challenged”). Volker's score has been fairly divisive, and I think that's a testament, in part, to the unorthodox sound palette and that drive to challenge himself. The score's main motif is a blaring three note siren or alarm, backed by the humming din of organized industrialization. Although it feels modern and electronic, the thrust of the motif is actually an amplified harmonium from the early 1900s, firmly placing it in the film's time period. It's one of those moments where immediately upon hearing the score's first few notes I knew I had to find out more. I'm glad I did, and I hope you are too! You can find out more about Volker on his website. All Quiet on the Western Front is currently available on Netflix, while Volker's score (and many of his prior works) is available on all major digital platforms.

The latest guest on The Film Scorer Podcast is French composer Raphaelle Thibaut! Raphaelle (or simply Raph) has been primarily working in documentaries lately, scoring projects such as Secrets of the Whales, Introducing, Selma Blair, and Mama's Boy, the last of which being her latest project. We primarily talk about her score for Mama's Boy, which is a lovely, somber yet optimistic score told primarily through piano, with instances of woodwinds, acoustic guitar, and more. We also touch on some of her musical influences (60s and 70s French and Italian scores), how those influences compare with more modern scores, and appreciation for documentary music broadly. You can find out more about Raph on her website. Mama's Boy is currently available on HBO Max, while Raph's score (and many of her prior works) is available on all major digital platforms.

As the year draws to a close, The Film Scorer covers some of the best and most notable film scores released from July, August, and September 2022. These include scores like Nope by Michael Abels, Blonde by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, and many more. A breadth of film music awaits! Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores and see below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists: July: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-july-2022/ August: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-august-2022/ September: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-september-2022/

My latest guest is DJ-turned-media composer Nathan Micay! While those fans of techno, house, and trance clubbing across the world might be familiar with Nathan's work in those scenes, he's recently branched out into scoring for film and tv. In fact, his first big break was with HBO's Industry, season 2 of which has just released. Of course, Nathan and I dive into his work on the show (including the palette, creating motifs, and putting together the forthcoming score release), while also touching on far-flung topics like his love of David and Thomas Newman scores (especially for the first two Mighty Ducks films) and the state of the music industry. Both seasons of Industry are on HBO in the US and I believe season 2 has just released on BBC Two in the UK. Nathan's score should be out later this November, with a vinyl release coming early 2023, but you can hear Nathan's season 1 score (and much the rest of his music) on various digital platforms or in physical formats.

On this Devil's Night, who better to raise a little hell with than my latest guest: Ben Lovett (The Night House, The Ritual). Ben and I primarily talk about his latest score, Hellraiser, which is a reimagining/remake of Clive Barker's original novella The Hellbound Heart. As part of that discussion, we cover (among other things), Ben's utilization of Chris Young's themes for the original film, making the score something uniquely his own, and dealing with the pressure (and external criticism) that comes with working on such a big, beloved (sometimes) franchise. Hellraiser is currently streaming on Hulu, while Ben's score (and much of the rest of his music) is widely available physically and digitally, including on Ben's bandcamp. In addition, Mondo is releasing a limited edition (2,000 copies) vinyl in connection with Lakeshore Records and Death Waltz Recording.

Michael Price joins The Film Scorer for episode 2 of season 3! You might be most familiar with Michael Price (at least I was) from his work with David Arnold on the acclaimed and excellent Sherlock and Dracula series, both created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. But Michael also spent five years working with Michael Kamen, beginning on Event Horizon and X-Men, and music edited a number of films including the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. During our interview we talk about all of those. We also talk about, and cover most in-depth, Michael's latest solo album Whitsun, which becomes an intimate look at Michael's childhood in Yorkshire, a connection of sound and memory. It's a lovely, nostalgic album that's both sweet and melancholic, with a universality that conjures a sense of recollection no matter one's past. As we wrapped up our chat, we began discussing the importance of music in one's life and Michael said: "If just one person made a little moment to play something or sing for themselves or with someone else in their family or with a friend, just that tiny one act I think is joyful and worthwhile…To anyone: if you do find yourself playing or singing, send me a note on Twitter, cheer us both up." So, if after listening you've found yourself playing or singing, but sure to let Michael know (and include me while you're at it). Whitsun is available digitally and physically (via CD and cassette) on Michael's bandcamp, and digitally on all major platforms. Michael's scores are broadly available digitally and physically. For those interested in Scored to Death: The Dark Art of Scary Movie Music, you can find out more information here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scoredtodeathmovie/scored-to-death-the-dark-art-of-scary-movie-music

Season three of The Film Scorer Podcast is finally here! Joining me is legendary musician and composer Cosey Fanni Tutti. Film music fans may not be quite as familiar with Cosey, who's best known for being a founding member of the band Throbbing Gristle, arguably the pioneers of industrial music. However, Cosey has also been busy with solo work, collaborations, and even film scoring. As such, we primarily discuss her score for the film Delia Derbyshire: The Myths & The Legendary Tapes, about the influential electronic musician and composer Delia Derbyshire. We also talk about her new book, Re-Sisters: The Lives and Recordings of Delia Derbyshire, Margery Kempe and Cosey Fanni Tutti, which serves as a "meditation on womanhood, creativity and self-expression, and a revelatory exploration into the lives of three visionary artists" (description courtesy of Amazon). Cosey's score is fascinating, weird, and, at times, completely haunting; I really enjoyed it. It released on September 16 and is available on all major platforms and on vinyl from Cargo Records. Cosey's other music, both as a solo artist and in her various collaborations and bands, is also widely available.

Season Three of The Film Scorer Podcast is almost here! The new season launches on Sunday, October 2nd, with new episodes continuing every other Sunday. Given the breadth of guests in Season Two, you never who will show up this time around - but I can promise, there's already some great names signed up! So subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, follow The Film Scorer on Instagram and Twitter, and keep those ears open.

With the season 3 premiere right around the corner, we've decided to drop an interview to tease your appetite. Dominic Lewis (Violent Night, The King's Man) joins The Film Scorer to talk about his new score to the hit action film Bullet Train. Dom's score is a self-described concept album featuring numerous, far-reaching influences and a number of faux needle drops that completely fooled me when I watched the film. Dom also briefly talks about his two upcoming Christmas films (including Spirited, a musical starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds) and how to make Christmas music that doesn't sound like every other Christmas score. Finally, Dom ends the interview by talking about his time working at (and giving a rare peak behind the scenes into) Remote Control Productions, Hans Zimmer's film scoring production company. As I mention during the interview, hearing Dom's score is what sold me on the interview. It's such a wild genre mix that somehow works, ending up even more weird and gonzo than the underlying film. It's always exciting when composers try to push the boundaries a bit, and even more so when they can do it in an otherwise mainstream release. Bullet Train is available to watch in theaters. Dom's score, and all of his other music, is available digitally.

As the inter-season hiatus winds down, The Film Scorer covers some of the best, most notable, and favorite film scores from April through June, 2022. These run the gamut, from "multiverse" scores like Everything Everywhere All at Once by Son Lux and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, to grimy, experimental works like We're All Going to the World's Fair by Alex G or Phil Tippett's Mad God by Dan Wool and more, this period is loaded with impressive pieces. Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores and see below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists: April: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-april-2022/ May: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-may-2022/ June: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-june-2022/

While the main branch of The Film Scorer Podcast is on its post-season 2 hiatus, I've decided to do something a little different to fill the absence. I'll be doing some shorter-form audio reviews of film scores. The first of these is Dan Wool's score to the brilliant stop-motion monstrosity, Phil Tippett's Mad God. It's a bleak, apocalyptic piece that blurs the edges of sound design. I highly recommend the score and the film! You can also read my review of Wool's score here: https://thefilmscorer.com/dan-wools-mad-score-for-phil-tippetts-mad-god-2022-film-score-review/

In the season two finale of The Film Scorer Podcast, acclaimed Northern Irish composer Hannah Peel joins the show! We primarily talk about her score for the new series adaptation of John Wyndham's novel The Midwich Cuckoos (which you may know as The Village of the Damned). It's a supremely cool score, mixing dark, oppressive and gentle soundscape electronics with voice. The most notable aspect of the latter - and the part that sold me on the score immediately - is Hannah's manipulation of her own voice to mimic the sound of cuckoos. In the midst of this, Hannah actually talks about why she thinks experimentations with voice have become more common in recent scores, and we talk a bit about her journey into composing media music as well as the thought that goes into curating a soundtrack release. The Midwich Cuckoos is available to watch on Sky in the UK and may be forthcoming elsewhere. Hannah's score, and all of her other music, is available digitally, particularly on BandCamp (with The Midwich Cuckoos being released in conjunction with Invada). You can find out more about Hannah by visiting her website.

Experimental musician turned film and TV composer Lucrecia Dalt joins me on The Film Scorer Podcast! Despite a lifelong interest in film and film music, as well as a decade-long career in composing and sound design, Dalt has just broken into the film and TV sphere in the last several months. We primarily cover her two new scores - for the horror feature The Seed and the horror-comedy show The Baby - but also dive into our thoughts on the film and film music landscapes and touch on her broader love of film. I'm a huge fan of both of these scores, which provide an exciting, fresh experimental take on media music, utilizing strange voices (especially real and pseudo throat-singing), monolithic fear, and hints of comedy. All it took was for me to hear the single from The Seed, "Venutian Offspring", to know I wanted to dig into these more. The Seed is available to watch digitally on Shudder while The Baby is available via HBO in the US and Sky in the UK. Both of her scores, and all of her other music, is available digitally, particularly on BandCamp. The vinyl version of The Seed is available via Invada.

In between composer interviews, The Film Scorer covers some of the best, most notable, and favorite film scores from January through March, 2022. These include a handful of films released in 2021 whose scores for some reason had delayed releases, like The Harder They Fall by Jeymes Samuel and Benedetta by Anne Dudley, as well as experimental scores like The Seed by Lucrecia Dalt, Texas Chainsaw Massacre by Colin Stetson, and Ted K by Blanck Mass (the latter of whom I recently interviewed), and a whole load more! Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores and see below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists: January: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-january-2022/ February: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-february-2022/ March: https://thefilmscorer.com/the-best-film-scores-of-march-2022/

Experimental electronic musician turned film composer Benjamin John Power (aka Blanck Mass) joins The Film Scorer Podcast! We initially set out to talk about his score for Ted K, which mixes gentle, ambient textures and pounding melodies to get into the head of domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski. However, we take a detour and first talk about his other new score (which, as of recording, hadn't released) for Gazza, which covers the troubled life of British footballer Paul Gascoigne (aka Gazza). Blanck Mass also talks about how hearing Ennio Morricone's score to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly at six years old inspired him to score for film, his long journey to finally having that opportunity (the Irish crime drama Calm with Horses), and the new scoring challenges he hopes to one day face. Ted K is available to watch digitally in the US (but is forthcoming in the UK) while Gazza is available via BBC iPlayer (but is forthcoming in the US). Blanck Mass's score for Ted K (though not Gazza), and almost all of his other music, is available digitally, particularly on BandCamp.

Film composer and director Nicole Russin-McFarland joins The Film Scorer Podcast! But, Nicole didn't come alone; joining her is voice actor Christopher Andrew Norris, a frequent collaborator of Nicole's (though those of you with deft ears might notice a third guest - Nicole's cat - who makes some infrequent background appearances...). We discuss their working relationship and process, spanning several dozen radio plays that the two have put together, and both of their future plans and aspirations. In addition, we cover topics like accessibility and discrimination issues in film and film music, the AWAL music program, UJAM's virtual instruments, and the Stan Winston School for film effects and vfx (among many other things). Much of Nicole's music, including her many collaborations with Chris, are available digitally on all platforms. Find out more about Nicole on her website and more about Chris on his website. This was only my third interview with multiple guests, but the first one where they both called in from different locations. A lot to handle, to be sure, but also a lot of fun! And I think the fun carries over into the interview itself.

Pleased to have composer CJ Mirra join The Film Scorer Podcast! We primarily talk about CJ's feature scoring debut, the UK family drama/horror film A Banquet. Much of CJ's score oscillates between eerie, dreadful atmospheres and textures and gentler yet ominous melodies that complement the film's many classical music extracts. We also get into his prolific work in short surf films (working on 20+), which are collected in the compilation Static, culminating in scoring the upcoming Apple TV Series Make or Break that follows the World Surf League. A Banquet is available to watch digitally, and CJ's score (as well as much of his other music) is available digitally on all platforms or on vinyl through Burning Witches Records. Find out more about CJ on his website.

At the end of January I "attended" Sundance to watch God's Country, a drama/thriller starring Thandiwe Newton. Today DeAndre Allen-Toole, the film's composer, joins the show! We chat about the film, including the challenges of making his feature scoring debut, palette choices, and the months he and director Julian Higgins spent in pre-production. We also cover his long journey into becoming a composer for media and some of his future goals and dreams. God's Country releases this fall, although you can listen to some of DeAndre's score (and find out more about him) on his website.

Fall Out Boy vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter turned media composer Patrick Stump joins the show! While our intended focus his score for the new Disney show Spidey And His Amazing Friends, we spend a significant time talking about his transition into a media composer, his early love for film music, and what it's like having this dream finally come true. Eventually we turn to Spidey And His Amazing Friends, covering his rock-powered score and how he composed new (and addressed familiar) themes for the show's characters. Spidey And His Amazing Friends season 1 is on Disney Junior/Disney+ and YouTube, with season 2 on the horizon. You can listen to several of Patricks' scores, including singles from the show, on all major platforms.