For most things, they say that the third time is the charm. While the latest installment of the Avatar series seems to be trailing the two previous installments by just a bit at the box office, one thing is clear: the music and emotions in this franchise have never run higher. And to that we’re giving hat tips, golf claps, and jumping high-fives to composer Simon Franklin. He’s a pillar in James Cameron’s acoustic armory and has been carrying the musical torch/thematic through-lines established by James Horner for that little blue mega blockbuster way back in 2009. We had the incredible opportunity to speak with Simon about his work on…
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Interview…Dave Porter Gets Into Mysterious Musical Headspace with ‘Pluribus’
Composer Dave Porter brings his orchestral, rhythmically intricate, and emotionally resonant sound to Vince Gilligan‘s mysterious new series on Apple TV+. Porter, Gilligan’s longtime collaborator, crafted a score that mirrors the moral ambiguity, psychological tension, and humanity at the heart of the story. With a career spanning landmark television, feature films, and innovative orchestral projects, he continues to redefine the possibilities of scoring for the screen. The score for Pluribus (which premiered on November 7) emphasizes the stakes and shifting dynamics of the shows characters. The score blends orchestral textures with a small-scale choir to highlight the series’ unpredictable narrative. Porter’s work is incredibly essential to the nuance of Gilligan‘s…
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Interview…Laura Karpman on Maximalism, Making Her Own Brand of Music, and Letting the World Catch Up
If you’re a film score fan, you are sure to have your favorite composers as well as a collection of soundtracks that mean a lot to you. Over time, if you listen to any musician’s output you’ll notice grooves and rhythms that some refer to as a calling card. Whether it is the repeat use of an instrument, a style of music they play or the “Horner snarl”, a Goldsmith score is a Goldsmith score, a Williams score is a Williams score, and so on. Now what perks up our ears is when the music we hear is not easily discernible. Is that Doyle or Jackman, is that Shapiro or…
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Interview…Rusanda Panfili on Serenity, Sincerity and Simply Stunning Strings
Many times, we can be in awe of artists. Why? Because they can do something that, for lack of a better word, seems like alchemy. Sure, their skill and prowess comes from dedication, focus, and decades of practice. Now whether that individual works with stone, strings or a symphony, just being present when they are “on the job” can be a life-changing experience. Let’s go back in time to September of last year when we were star-struck watching Hans Zimmer and crew (aptly named “The Disruptive Collective”) command the stage and leave thousands of film score fans in literal awe. While the music started in his mind, it was made…
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Interview…Andrew Gordon Macpherson Talks Heavy Sounds and Heavy Metal in ‘Into the Void’
Composers are our jam, and we love getting in the weeds to find out how certain sounds and themes are made. Inspiration can literally come from anywhere. Sometimes, it’s the more obscure and unexpected muses that yield the most memorable themes. While these musicians work with picture (as well as discussions with filmmakers), many times their gut reactions are all it takes to bring amazing sounds into existence. I’ll always cite this example from Patrick Doyle to remind myself that anything is possible. So enter Canadian composer, Andrew Gordon Macpherson, who has tons of experience with all sorts of sounds and styles. His work on Dark Side of the Ring…
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Interview…Will Bates On the Sound of ‘Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost’
Many times, the most difficult creative process is going to be the most personal one. This year, filmmaker Ben Stiller is offers up a documentary about life behind the scenes in his family. To be clear, this isn’t about what went into Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and There’s Something About Mary. This goes back one full generation to focus on his famous parents. The duo of “Stiller & Meara” laid the groundwork for many comedians coming down the pike. But this profound, personal look at the Stiller family shows that it wasn’t always smiles and laughs bringing up two children all while headlining night clubs and other ventures…
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Exclusive First Listen: Jung Jaeil ‘s Score to ‘Twinless’
Happy Thursday to all you film score fans! And it’s always “happy” when we’re able to share new music on our site. Our friends at Lakeshore Records have let us debut something special from one of the most exciting young voices in the film score game. Jung Jaeil came on the scene in a BIG way with his music to Parasite. The film has a cornucopia of themes that include (but are not limited to) class struggle, social inequality, and capitalism. Further, it’s explored using and blending elements from different genres like thriller, comedy, mystery and horror. It’s tough for some films to do any one of those well, but…
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Interview…Composer Dan Deacon on Creating Symphonies in the Mundane in ‘Task’ on HBO
There’s an old saying that the object of any art is the transfer of emotion. That is true, regardless of the medium, the artist, or the exhibition. Now the art we love most on this site is the art of entertainment, specifically the alchemy created when making music for moving pictures. Over the years, we’ve been very lucky and honored to have spoken to dozens upon dozens of creatives who craft sonic atmospheres for film and TV. And because music can take any shape form, duration, style, etc., you never know what’s going to move the mercury of your soul. That brings us to today’s show. One of the absolute…
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Exclusive First Listen: David Fleming’s Score to ‘Americana’
Composer David Fleming seems to get to the heart of a film better and quicker than any one else in the business. The way he looks at the story and crafts his sound is as inspired as it is innovative. Take a listen to what he did with Damsel and you’ll get an idea of how much his work influences and elevates the picture. Fleming is no stranger to down home music palettes – he did some earnest and emotional pieces for Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy as well as the epitome of red, white and blue with James Gunn’s Superman. With Americana, Fleming embraced country and western music with his…
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Exclusive First Listen: Ruth Barrett’s Theme From Prime Video’s ‘The Terminal List: Dark Wolf’
Hey, film friends, have we got a treat for your ears! Our friends at Prime Video & Lakeshore Records have let us share an EXCLUSIVE track from Ruth Barrett‘s score to The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. This is the prequel series to The Terminal List and follows Ben Edwards’ journey from Navy SEAL to CIA operative. Emmy Award-nominated composer Ruth Barrett is one of the UK’s most sought-after film and television composers. Her music is unmistakably original and eclectic, spanning feature films and high-end TV drama. And this new series is no different. For your enjoyment, grab some headphones and dive back into the world this world. Lakeshore Records is…
