Film.Music.Media

Composer Interview: Brian Tyler (May 2, 2015)

Brian Tyler is one of the most in-demand and talented composers working in the industry today. His incredible style and strong voice as an auteur in the field has helped bring us some of the most memorable high-octane and emotionally infused scores in recent years. Brian joins us for the 6th time here on Film.Music.Media to talk about his two recent scores to Furious 7 and Avengers: Age Of Ultron. We waste no time and dive right into Furious 7. Brian discusses how the series has lasted so long and what he does musically to fight off "franchise fatigue". Since the score is a hybrid of both electronics and orchestra, we talk about how Brian writes either for the orchestra first or builds the synth work first. We talk about the emotional experience it was for him writing a goodbye for Paul Walker, as the series builds a touching send-off not only for the character of Brian but for Paul. Then we dive into Avengers: Age Of Ultron. Brian explains why Danny Elfman was brought onto the project so late in the game, and how that led to one of the most unconventional yet rewarding collaborations. Since the film was so narratively huge and constantly evolving, it was a challenge even for a Marvel veteran such as Brian. Brian explains how continuity was the biggest factor for him, and how he wanted to bring references to his Iron Man and Thor scores as well as Captain America. He pushed to make sure Silvestri's original Avengers theme was there to remain as the all-encompassing motif for the group. We end by talking about Brian's upcoming slate which sees him returning for Now You See Me: The Second Act and most likely to return for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. Also, we hypothetically talk about if Brian were to reunite with his Fast 5 director, Justin Lin for Star Trek 3. Another fun and informative chat with Brian who is keeping the classic orchestral adventure style of scoring alive in the modern action landscape.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Brian TylerJeff SandersonRyan MazieChasen & Company
Photo Credit: Joanne Leung

Composer Interview: Carl Thiel (May 2, 2015)

If you're a fan of Robert Rodriguez then you know Carl Thiel's music well. Carl has been a part of Robert's creative fold for many many years now, and has become the most prominent aspect of a Robert Rodriguez film's soundscape. Carl started working with Robert all the way back on Spy Kids 3-D, and since then has co-composed scores like Shorts, Spy Kids 4, Grindhouse: Planet Terror, Machete Kills and Sin City: A Dame To Kill For. Carl talks about his collaborative relationship with Robert and how it has evolved and grown over the years. Since Robert is a musician and a composer himself, it's one of the most interesting Director/Composer collaborations in the industry. Rodriguez recently launched his own TV network called El Rey, and for its flagship series he called on his friend and collaborator Carl to take the helm. Carl talks about his musical approach for From Dusk Till Dawn and how he wanted it to both touch on the original cult classic film, but also give it a more emotional spin while still having fun with the genre. From the instrumentation and how he chose to do a less thematic structure, Carl talks about what the music needed to do for the story. We also talk about Carl's score to the upcoming docudrama, The Teller And The Truth. Hearing Carl's voice as a composer grow over the years has led him to become one of the more bold and stylistically engaging composers working today, and it was great to have him back as a guest.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Carl Thiel

Composer Interview: Jeff Russo (May 2, 2015)

Grammy and Emmy-nominated composer Jeff Russo takes some time to talk about his expansive slate of projects for 2015. Jeff has quickly become one of the most in-demand composers for television with shows like Fargo, CSI: Cyber, Power, The Returned, Battle Creek, and the upcoming mini-series Tut starring Ben Kingsley. Jeff also has two upcoming features called Surface starring Sean Astin and the Wilt Chamberlain Biopic titled Wilt. Jeff talks about the importance of scheduling and how his current slate was able to happen purely out of luck where none of the production schedules overlapped. Jeff goes into detail about how each of these different shows and genres stimulates different creative parts of his brain since the narratives vary greatly. We discuss the importance of season long arcs for certain shows, while something more serial like CSI needs to be treated a bit differently. Jeff also talks about still playing with his band that he co-founded and how performing and songwriting scratches a completely different creative itch. We also get to hear how far along he is on Fargo: Season 2, and when we might expect the series to return. It's so great to have Jeff back as a guest and always an immense pleasure to chat with him.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Jeff RussoJana DavidoffCW3PR

Composer Interview: Nathaniel Levisay (April 16, 2015)

Composer Nathaniel Levisay takes some time to speak about his newest score to The Toy Soldiers; a film that follows a group of teens in the 1980's over the course of one night. Nathaniel talks about his upbringing and how he discovered his love for music and eventually film scoring. We chat about his work on the film, and how he approached scoring a period film where the music of the time was so iconic in its sound. From what sparks the first note to being inspired by colors, we chat about how the score was meant to function in The Toy Soldiers. Nathaniel discusses the challenges and the rewards of working on a picture like this, and reflects on how growing up in the 80's allowed him to connect to it. Nathaniel Levisay has quickly established a unique voice in the industry, and has demonstrated a masterful hand when it comes to scoring films. His diverse range of scores have also quickly established his versatility amongst genres. It was a true pleasure to dig into his process.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Nathaniel LevisayZach TowHowlin' Wolf Records

Composer Interview: Rich Vreeland [Disasterpeace] (April 2, 2015)

Composer Rich Vreeland (better known as Disasterpeace) is the composer behind the fantastically bold and unique score to the horror sensation, It Follows. We chat about how Rich got into music and how he stumbled into video game scoring, which in turn led him to film scoring. Rich shares the unique process for It Follows and how he worked with director David Robert Mitchell to achieve what the film needed. In this situation Rich worked closely with a temp track that he embraced with open arms, and it really helped him find the pulse of the film. He then was able to apply his own unique style to craft a score that is boldly of its own world. Rich explains that he was very unfamiliar with the horror genre and horror scores in general, so that made it easy not to fall into the genre formulas that plague most modern horror films. Rich also shares the origins of the name Disasterpeace. From the emotional intent of the music to the challenges he faced on the score, Rich goes through what made It Follows such an amazing experience. The film is getting some of the best critical acclaim of any horror film of recent years, and much of what makes the film work so well is the boldly original score from Disasterpeace.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Rich VreelandJean-Christophe ChamboredonMilan Records

Composer Interview: Fil Eisler (March 23, 2015)

Composer Fil Eisler returns to Film.Music.Media for a chat about his most recent work including the season's biggest smash-hit series, Empire. We dive-in to discuss Fil's approach for a show that isn't afraid to hide what it is. Empire is a drama with soap opera qualities, and we discuss what is needed from the score on a show such as that. Fil also talks about how the score must work with the songs appearing in the series as well. Beyond the world of Empire we also chat about Fil's other series, UnReal on Lifetime that airs this June and looks to rebrand the network's image which from the melodramatic shows/movies it's usually known for. On the film side of things, we chat about his scores for the dramedy Growing Up And Other Lies starring Adam Brody and horror/comedy Kitchen Sink starring Vanessa Hudgens and Bob Odenkirk. Fil has been a guest many times, but we never run out of things to discuss. Each new project is always testing the versatility of this smart and talented composer who continues to impress.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special ThanksFil EislerJana DavidoffCW3PR

Composer Interview: Patrick Doyle (March 11, 2015)

Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated Patrick Doyle is one of the industry's most respected film composers, and one of the warmest and friendliest people out there. Patrick takes some time to discuss his simply wonderful score to Disney's Cinderella, which sees him re-teaming once again with director Kenneth Branagh. Patrick shares how he followed the path to becoming a composer, and how he met Kenneth Branagh while working in the same theater company. We discuss what it's like collaborating with a director from the beginning of both their careers, and how the process between them remains the same after all their films. We dive into Cinderella and how Patrick decided to approach the music to one of the most well-known stories of all-time. Listening to Patrick explain his creative process is a true delight.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Patrick DoyleBeth KrakowerWilliam Scot "Grecco" BrayKrakower Poling PR

Composer Interview: Tom Holkenborg [Junkie XL] (March 11, 2015)

Composer Tom Holkenborg (also known as Junkie XL) is on an unstoppable roll as one of Hollywood's most in-demand composers. With such hits as 300: Rise Of An Empire, Divergent and much more under his belt he has become one of the prominent sounds of the industry. Tom takes some time to chat about his most recent score to Run All Night starring Liam Neeson. We discuss the unusual process that this score had including the quick 4-week process, as well as compiling a conceptual score after only hearing the plot from an executive at Warner Brothers. Tom shares how that 1-hour musical compilation of ideas got him the job. He talks about researching classic gangster films, including those of composer Ennio Morricone in order to learn how to mesh intensity with emotions. Tom is one of the most clever and innovative musical minds working today and this interview is a great exploration of his creative process. We also pry a bit into Tom's upcoming scores to Mad Max: Fury Road and Batman vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Tom HolkenborgRay CostaAlbert TelloCosta Communications

Composer Interview: Cris Velasco (February 15, 2015)

Composer Cris Velasco takes some time to chat about his recent scores to Assassin's Creed: Unity - Dead Kings as well as his work with Clive Barker on the Book Of Blood digital comics. Cris shares about how he found the calling of music composition in college, and why he chose to pursue video game scoring. We discuss his approach and process for video game scoring including what every type of gameplay requires from the music as well as his trick on how to avoid the annoying music loops that gamers hate so much. Cris then discusses his approach for Dead Kings, but even more fascinatingly discusses the process for scoring a digital comic with Clive Barker. Cris Velasco's music has always stood out from the rest because of his impressive melodic structures and emotional pull, and it was an honor to chat with one of the titans of the video game music world.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Cris VelascoGreg O'Connor-ReadTop Dollar PR
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Composer Interview: Matthew Margeson (February 10, 2015)

Composer Matthew Margeson takes some time to talk about his fantastic new score to Kingsman: The Secret Service, which he co-composed with friend and collaborator Henry Jackman. Matt shares his path to film composing and reveals his love for Broadway and musicals, which was the source of his love for music. He got to realize his dream by doing additional orchestrating for the recent Disney adaptation of Into The Woods. We talk in-depth about collaboration, and how he found his path working as an assistant to high-profile composers including Henry Jackman. Matt talks about all the things you will learn being an additional composer, and how that evolved into a fantastic working relationship with Henry. We discuss Kingsman and everything the movie needed musically, including working on a stylized project with director Matthew Vaughn. Matt is a fantastic talent who has shown extreme versatility and a strong style very early in his career. His grasp on film music shines through his work, and it was a pleasure to chat with him about his process.
Interview Conducted By:Kaya Savas
Special Thanks:Matthew MargesonRay CostaAsenath NakayamaAlbert TelloCosta Communications
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