The Film Scorer
Nicholas Marcus
The Film Scorer Podcast features a wide array of long-form interviews with film composers, including up-and-comers, established veterans, and everybody in between. Hear first-hand from masters of the craft about the film scoring process, see behind-the-scenes, and learn all about the art of film and film music.
The "Best" Film Scores of 2024
Although we're now a couple months into 2025, I finally present you with the "best" film scores of 2024. As usual, there are some very mainstream scores in here that most observers would agree with and there are a few left field choices. If you're a longtime listener, that shouldn't surprise you. As with all of these lists, although I say they're the "best", what I really mean is these are my favorites. Who's to say what's really the best? Surely not me. If you can't control yourself, look below
Mar 24, • 28:08
The Best Scores of the 2020s (So Far) (with Piecing It Together)
It's a bit worrying to realize that we're now over halfway through the 2020s - where has the time gone? Well, I suppose we all know one collective reason why it feels like a blur... But rather than lament the passage of time, I've decided to celebrate what's been released during the last five years; specifically, celebrating the "best" film scores of the decade, so far. Joining me in this endeavor is David Rosen, a fellow podcast host and film composer. Dave and I have "known" each other virt
Mar 17, • 54:37
Meg Remy (aka U.S. Girls) and Grace Glowicki
In an absolute coincidence, during International Women's Month Meg Remy (U.S. Girls) and Grace Glowicki join me on The Film Scorer Podcast! Our primary focus is the film Dead Lover, for which Grace is director, co-writer, and lead actress and Meg provided most of the score. As such, we talk about the film itself, the music (and how Meg and Grace worked together on it, trying to find a unifying style), and the benefit of having a female director and composer working together on a female-centric
Mar 9, • 36:19
Rihards Zalupe Scores Flow
Rihards Zalupe joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Rihards' latest score is for the Oscar and BAFTA nominated animated film Flow, which he co-composed with the film's writer and director Gints Zilbalodis. As such, Rihards and I spend much of our conversation talking about the score, including creating themes or specific sonic palette choices for each of the film's different animal main characters, co-composing a score with the film's director (which was also Gints' first time working with a composer
Feb 23, • 46:12
Awards Season 2025: Best Original Scores at the BAFTAs and the Oscars
The BAFTAs air on February 16 and the Oscars on March 2. I'd never consider myself a big awards season guy, but I love that it's the one time of year where film music is widely celebrated and has a little spotlight, if only briefly. As such, here's a little peek into the six nominated scores between the two awards. I've also done interviews on two of the six nominated scores (The Wild Robot and The Brutalist) and also interviewed Volker Bertelmann a little while back about his BAFTA and Oscar wi
Feb 11, • 13:47
Film Score Recap: April Through June 2024
Although we've just entered 2025, this series is deep in the middle of 2024. The months of April, May, and June released some of my favorite scores of the year (feel free to guess which) as well as arguably the most popular score of the year in Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's Challengers, and plenty more scores, both big and small. I also noticed that I've interviewed almost a third of the composers mentioned during this period - I still get surprised now and again with just how many folks I've
Jan 20, • 27:33
Bryce Dessner Scores Sing Sing
In a quick 1-2 punch after talking with Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist), Bryce Dessner (The National, The Revenant, The Two Popes) joins The Film Scorer podcast! Bryce released two scores last year, for the films Sing Sing and We Live In Time. However, Bryce and I were under a tight time constraint and so had to pick and choose what we chatted about; no time for a classic rambling conversation. As such, we spend much of our conversation covering his score for Sing Sing. This includes, among othe
Jan 10, • 27:09
Daniel Blumberg Builds The Brutalist
Much to my dismay, The Brutalist is not an industrial grindcore band. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to talk about it. As such, composer Daniel Blumberg joins the show! It should be no surprise, then, that we spend much of our time talking about his score to Brady Corbet's 3.5 hour epic, which is only Daniel's second feature score. This includes discussing the balance between improvisational and written music (especially when scoring to picture), using prepared piano to mirror the imagery and pl
Jan 5, • 40:35
Donna McKevitt
Composer Donna McKevitt joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Donna is someone that I've chatted to here and there over the last few years, so it was a treat having her on the show and finally getting the chance to "meet" her. Her latest scores are for The Swimming Diaries and My Name is Alfred Hitchcock, two very different documentaries and very different scores. Unsurprisingly, we spend much of our conversation talking about those two works, while also pivoting into other topics like the discrepancy
Dec 22, 2024 • 44:53
The Angel
The Angel (Boiler Room, Kidulthood) joins The Film Scorer! Angel's latest score is for the crime thriller Heist 88, which came out last year but her score only released last month. As such, we spend much of our conversation talking about the score, including the hybrid palette, influences from Chicago's 1980s club/house music scene, and getting into Courtney B. Vance's head. We also touch on some of her other film and TV projects, her long career as a record producer and DJ, obtaining her early
Dec 15, 2024 • 47:51
Wilbert Roget, II
In the latest episode of The Film Scorer podcast I'm joined by Wilbert Roget, II (Star Wars: Outlaws, Helldivers 2, Mortal Kombat). While Wilbert is best known for his work scoring video games, including recently receiving a Grammy nomination for Star Wars: Outlaws, our focus is on something a little different. Wilbert has just made his first foray into scoring for tv, with the limited series Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance! As such, we dig deep into his score for the six-episode series, includin
Nov 24, 2024 • 45:07
Kris Bowers Scores The Wild Robot
Season 5 of The Film Scorer Podcast continues to pick up steam as Kris Bowers (Bridgerton, Green Book) joins the show! The Academy Award winner and nominee (who was just nominated for a Grammy for his score to The Color Purple a few days ago) recently scored the hit animated film The Wild Robot. As such, Kris and I spend much of our conversation talking about his score, which is both adventurous and a tearjerker, and filled with thematic exploration. The conversation touches on the challenges o
Nov 10, 2024 • 25:59
Amelia Warner Scores The Young Woman and the Sea
Season 5 of The Film Scorer Podcast is here! In the Season 5 premiere I chat with composer Amelia Warner. Amelia's latest score is for the Disney sports biopic Young Woman and the Sea (starring Daisy Ridley), about Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel. As such, we spend much of our conversation focused on that score, including how her score and approaches developed over time, balancing the film's sports and family aspects, working closely with legendary producer Jerr
Oct 27, 2024 • 40:08
Season Five Trailer - The Film Scorer Podcast
Season Five of The Film Scorer Podcast is almost here! The new season launches on Sunday, October 27th, with new episodes continuing every other Sunday after that (more or less). Given the breadth of guests in season three, including Academy Award nominated actor-turned-composer Viggo Mortensen, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Abels, 2024 Academy Award nominees Jerskin Fendrix and Laura Karpman, Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, you never who will show up this time around - all I can say is I a
Oct 22, 2024 • 1:02
Film Score Review III: 'She Dies Tomorrow' by Mondo Boys
Dipping back into the well again, reaching to September 2020, here's the audio version (cleaned up and shortened) of my review of Mondo Boys' score for She Dies Tomorrow. Again, the audio is still a little rougher but after thirty seconds or so you don't really notice (or at least I didn't as I was editing). There's also a nauseating little cue thrown in the middle - which I embarrassingly called a "song", which Sony was kind enough to give me permission to use when I first recorded this. I don'
Oct 15, 2024 • 4:21
Brooke & Will Blair (The Blair Bros.) Score Rebel Ridge
Just because the podcast is between seasons and on a brief hiatus doesn't mean that the work stops. To keep me busy, I chatted with Brooke Blair and Will Blair (Blue Ruin, Green Room), the very rare sibling composer duo, about their latest score: Rebel Ridge. Rebel Ridge marks the fifth collaboration between the Blair Bros. and director Jeremy Saulnier, and is arguably their best. As such, we spend much of our time talking about their score, including developing the palette, experimenting with
Sep 15, 2024 • 53:39
Film Score Recap: January Through March 2024
Welcome in the new year (and forget that it's already September) by hearing about some of the best and most notable film scores kicking off 2024, including Dune: Part 2 by Hans Zimmer, Spaceman by Max Richter, and plenty more, both big and small. Remember: the show is still in hiatus between seasons, but hopefully this can hold you over a little bit. Keep your eye on The Film Scorer website for reviews and articles covering some of these scores, including detailed writeups and lists. January: ht
Sep 7, 2024 • 23:10
Film Score Review II: ’Five Shaolin Masters' by Yung-Yu Chen
Somewhat early on in The Film Scorer days, I did a few video reviews of film scores. The first was the 1974 score for Five Shaolin Masters, by the prolific Chinese composer Yung-Yu Chen. Given that the show is currently between seasons, there's a bit of time to kill (and I know you're all clamoring for new episodes), so I've decided to clean these up a bit and release them through the podcast as well. First off: Chen's score. The audio here is a little rougher than you're used to, as it may have
Aug 28, 2024 • 5:18
Daniel Hart
We've reached the end . . . of season 4. To commemorate the occasion, Daniel Hart (The Green Knight, A Ghost Story) joins The Film Scorer! Daniel is fresh off of scoring season 2 of Interview with the Vampire, which itself had its season finale only a couple of weeks ago. As such, Daniel and I spend a lot of the interview discussing his scores for both seasons of the show (and some hints about what's to come in the newly-announced season 3). We then break out from there, discussing Philip Glass,
Jul 14, 2024 • 43:46
Viggo Mortensen
As season 4 draws to a close, I'm joined by someone all of you should know: Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings, The Road)! One thing you might not know about Viggo - it was certainly news to me - is that he's also a musician, making a number of albums with famed guitarist Buckethead and even scoring a couple films, including his latest directorial effort The Dead Don't Hurt. As such, we discuss his musical history, his score for The Dead Don't Hurt, his first foray into making music for film
Jun 30, 2024 • 23:38
Viggo Mortsensen
As season 4 draws to a close, I'm joined by someone all of you should know: Viggo Mortsenen (The Lord of the Rings, The Road)! One thing you might not know about Viggo - it was certainly news to me - is that he's also a musician, making a number of albums with famed guitarist Buckethead and even scoring a couple films, including his latest directorial effort The Dead Don't Hurt. As such, we discuss his musical history, his score for The Dead Don't Hurt, his first foray into making music for film
Jun 30, 2024 • 23:38
Jason Graves
On the latest episode, I'm joined by Jason Graves! Jason is best known for a number of different video game scores, such as the Dead Space games, Tomb Raider, Far Cry Primal, and Moss 1 and 2, so it's no surprise that we spend much of our conversation talking about his latest game scores: Still Wakes the Deep and No Rest for the Wicked. They're two very different games, in terms of genre, style, gameplay, and more, and so Jason's scores are equally unique. We probably spend the most time talking
Jun 16, 2024 • 55:27
Carla Patullo
Recently anointed Grammy winner Carla Patullo joins The Film Scorer podcast! While Carla has over thirty scores under her belt, she might be most known for her non-score album So She Howls, for which Carla won the Grammy for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album earlier this year. Unsurprisingly, then, Carla and I spend a fair bit of time talking about that album. However, and perhaps more importantly, we actually focus much of our discussion on the genesis of that album: Carla's cancer diagnosi
Jun 2, 2024 • 42:51
Suvi-Eeva Äikäs & Ben Steiner
In a Film Scorer first, a composer-director team joins the show! Composer Suvi-Eeva Äikäs & director Ben Steiner recently worked together on Ben's film Matriarch (which Ben directed and which Suvi scored). As such, we primarily talk about Suvi's score for Matriarch from both the director and composer perspectives (and with them each touching on sound design as well, particularly regarding the score edging into sound design and the sound design edging into score). Along the way, we touch on s
May 19, 2024 • 39:55
Film Score Recap: October Through December 2023
While 2023 ended several months ago, here at The Film Scorer it's only just happened. Tune-in to hear about some of the best film scores that rounded-out the year, included Poor Things by Jerskin Fendrix, Killers of the Flower Moon by Robbie Robertson, Godzilla: Minus One by Naoki Sato, and plenty more that you may not be quite as familiar with. 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
May 16, 2024 • 25:56
Eiko Ishibashi Scores 'Evil Does Not Exist'
Fresh off of scoring Evil Does Not Exist, composer Eiko Ishibashi joins The Film Scorer podcast! Evil Does Not Exist is Eiko's second collaboration with acclaimed director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and the film itself actually stemmed from Eiko approaching Ryusuke regarding providing visuals for her live performance. Evil Does Not Exist grew out of that, while also spawning the film Gift, a sort of "composer's cut" of Evil Does Not Exist, which removes spoken dialogue and focuses on Eiko's music. Not s
May 5, 2024 • 17:08
Gareth Coker Scores Ark
To celebrate his first full-length tv series score, Gareth Coker joins The Film Scorer podcast! You video game fans in particular may know Gareth from his work scoring games like Ori, Ark, and Halo Infinite, but Gareth hasn't stopped there. Given that he's already scored the various Ark games, it's no surprise that he was tapped to score Ark: The Animated Series, the animated adaptation of the Ark games. As such, we spend much of our interview talking about his scores for both the show and the
Apr 21, 2024 • 46:03
An Interview with Mike Post
Five-time Grammy winner Mike Post joins The Film Scorer podcast! A lot of you will probably be familiar with Mike already, who boasts one of the most impressive tv resumes of all time. For those of you that aren't, Mike's responsible for the two-note “dun-dun” sound in Law & Order, as well as themes and scores for shows like The Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Magnum P.I., NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, various Law & Order shows, and many, many more. He's also played for and with t
Apr 7, 2024 • 52:41
Andrew Scott Bell Spills Blood and Honey
Last year's Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey drew a pretty divisive reception, but my favorite part, Andrew Scott Bell's score, rose above all the noise and discord. With Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 about to release, Andrew joins me on The Film Scorer podcast. Unsurprisingly, Andrew and I spend a good chunk of the interview talking about his scores for both parts, including the aspect that impressed me the most: how he crafts an organic, "real" sounding score in the face of a very limite
Mar 24, 2024 • 55:28
The Best Film Scores of 2023
Another year, another list of the ten "best" film scores, this time I'm running through 2023. These scores aren't presented in any particular order - I intended to go alphabetically, but instead ended up going by vibes instead, wherever the solo conversation took me. At the end of the day, even though these are described as the "best", they're really just favorites - the idea of something being "best" in the arts is silly, and any attempt to discover that sort of "truth" futile. Feel free to chi
Mar 10, 2024 • 37:23
In-Person with Tom Schraeder
Composer Tom Schraeder joins me for my first-ever in-person interview. Tom and I broke the ice by chatting for about an hour in my kitchen before heading downstairs and hitting record, and I think the comfort really shows up here. Tom has scored a number of horror films particularly, in addition to a long career as a folk musician, and we use both as jumping off points for our discussion, digging into more conceptual pieces rather than focusing on any single particular score or piece of music (
Mar 3, 2024 • 52:07
Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch Talks "All of Us Strangers"
Composer Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch joins the show! Emilie's latest score is for the film All of Us Strangers, a sort of romance-fantasy-supernatural film that I found absolutely moving. As such, we primarily talk about her score for that film, including talking about striking an emotional balance (one that feels organic but not manipulative), avoiding falling into "period" piece clichés, and more. We then meander into other topics, like the use of Michel Legrand's score from The Go-Between in M
Feb 18, 2024 • 29:05
Awards Season: Best Original Scores at the BAFTAs and the Oscars
The BAFTAs air on February 18 and the Oscars on March 10 - I know many folks don't necessarily like the awards season, but it's the time of year where film music has the spotlight on it and is celebrated in the mainstream. As such, here's a little peek into the seven nominated scores between the two awards. I've also done interviews on four of the eight nominated scores, so seek those out as well BAFTAs: Killers of the Flower Moon – Robbie Robertson Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson Poor Things – J
Feb 14, 2024 • 10:02
Sam Haft Talks The Living Tombstone, Hazbin Hotel
The Film Scorer Podcast is back from its season 4 mid-season break! To celebrate in this return, Sam Haft joins the show! As of now, Sam might be best known for being one-half of the duo The Living Tombstone, alongside Yoav Landau. Unsurprisingly, we dig a little bit into this, including how Sam got involved in the band (and his broader musical journey) and what his music-writing relationship with Yoav is like. The bigger part of our conversation, however, surrounds the new Prime adult-animated
Feb 4, 2024 • 44:54
On Reusing Film Music
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 art
Jan 14, 2024 • 9:11
Frederic Yonnet Talks Killers of the Flower Moon
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 har
Jan 7, 2024 • 37:50
Film Score Recap: July Through September 2023
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 we
Dec 24, 2023 • 24:15
Michael Abels Talks Jordan Peele, The Burial
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 tal
Dec 17, 2023 • 25:03
Jerskin Fendrix Talks Poor Things
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 shorte
Dec 10, 2023 • 23:18
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
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. Grass
Nov 26, 2023 • 41:35
Laura Karpman Scores The Marvels, American Fiction
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 conversati
Nov 19, 2023 • 36:41
Yair Elazar Glotman
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 awa
Nov 12, 2023 • 29:29
Rostam Batmanglij (Rostam) Talks The Persian Version, Vampire Weekend
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 infl
Oct 29, 2023 • 29:56
Christopher Willis Talks Lamya’s Poem, Black Mirror
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 inc
Oct 15, 2023 • 38:48
Charlie Clouser Talks Saw X
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, e
Oct 1, 2023 • 55:22
Season Four Trailer - The Film Scorer Podcast
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
Sep 27, 2023 • 0:51
Film Score Recap: April Through June 2023
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.
Sep 24, 2023 • 25:23
An Interview with Sherri Chung
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 t
Aug 28, 2023 • 47:21
A Brief Overview of Composer Unionization
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 s
Jul 24, 2023 • 19:35
Steph Economou
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
Jul 9, 2023 • 43:17
Mark Jenkin
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
Jun 18, 2023 • 33:37
Film Score Recap: January Through March 2023
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 m
Jun 13, 2023 • 23:50
Daniel Pemberton Swings ’Across the Spider-Verse’
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 s
Jun 4, 2023 • 33:00
Chad Cannon
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 suc
May 28, 2023 • 31:00
Nitin Sawhney
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 th
May 21, 2023 • 38:57
Brian Tyler Talks ’Super Mario’, ’Fast X’
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 magaz
Apr 23, 2023 • 31:03
The Best Film Scores of 2022
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 m
Apr 18, 2023 • 27:39
Tyler Bates Talks ’John Wick 4’
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
Apr 9, 2023 • 53:18
Anne-Kathrin Dern
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 wit
Mar 19, 2023 • 46:56
Tim Hecker Takes a Dip In The ’Infinity Pool’
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 B
Feb 26, 2023 • 34:42
Film Score Recap: October through December 2022
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 websi
Feb 22, 2023 • 25:57
Carter Burwell Talks ’The Banshees of Inisherin’
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,
Feb 19, 2023 • 29:44
Maya Shenfeld
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 m
Feb 5, 2023 • 40:07
Zak Engel
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 p
Jan 22, 2023 • 42:06
Nathan Johnson’s Glass Onion - Scoring a Murder Mystery
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 Nat
Dec 24, 2022 • 43:29
Volker Bertelmann Talks ’All Quiet on the Western Front’
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
Dec 11, 2022 • 50:15
Raphaelle Thibaut
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
Nov 27, 2022 • 36:17
Film Score Recap: July through September 2022
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 li
Nov 17, 2022 • 30:27
An Interview with Nathan Micay
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 touchin
Nov 13, 2022 • 48:58
Raising Hell with Ben Lovett
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) tha
Oct 30, 2022 • 40:14
An Interview with Michael Price
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. W
Oct 16, 2022 • 44:53
Cosey Fanni Tutti
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
Oct 2, 2022 • 25:04
Season Three Trailer - The Film Scorer Podcast
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.
Sep 25, 2022 • 0:52
Dominic Lewis Rides the ’Bullet Train’
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 Spirit
Aug 21, 2022 • 43:38
Film Score Recap: April through June 2022
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 Scor
Aug 14, 2022 • 25:47
Film Score Review I: ’Phil Tippett’s Mad God’ by Dan Wool
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://thefilmsco
Jul 10, 2022 • 8:58
Hannah Peel
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
Jun 12, 2022 • 38:52
Lucrecia Dalt
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 lo
May 29, 2022 • 41:29
Film Score Recap: January through March 2022
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
May 6, 2022 • 25:07
Blanck Mass Takes Us Inside Ted K
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). Bla
May 1, 2022 • 34:30
An Interview with Nicole Russin-McFarland (and Christopher Andrew Norris)
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 aspiration
Apr 17, 2022 • 49:12
CJ Mirra Makes ’A Banquet’
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
Apr 3, 2022 • 32:46
DeAndre Allen-Toole
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 y
Mar 20, 2022 • 42:38
Patrick Stump: From Fall Out Boy to Film Music
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
Mar 6, 2022 • 40:58
The Best Film Scores of 2021
Better late than never - The Film Scorer returns for the annual tradition of covering the "best" film scores of 2021. These scores aren't presented in any particular order, and are really just favorites - there are NO "best" scores! 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!
Feb 24, 2022 • 28:22
Colin Stetson Scores a Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Colin Stetson (Hereditary, Red Dead Redemption II) joins The Film Scorer podcast to talk about his brutal, unconventional score to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Netflix's new installment in the iconic horror series. Texas Chainsaw Massacre probably displays Colin at his most unrestrained, as the filmmakers largely gave him free reign to go as unconventional and vicious as possible. You can hear this in Colin's voice when he describes the score and composing process, and the feeling is infectious. As
Feb 20, 2022 • 30:32
An Interview with Derek Kirkup
Derek Kirkup joins The Film Scorer Podcast to talk about his gentle, bittersweet score to the new familial drama Sorority. Along the way we talk about Nic Cage's acting career and how his boundary-pushing approach may have parallels to pushing film music forward, as well as music in AR and VR cinematic experiences. Sorority released on Amazon Prime on February 10th, and Derek's score comes out on February 14th. You can also find more out about Derek on his website.
Feb 13, 2022 • 45:23
Matt Sullivan Talks West Side Story
Four-time Grammy nominated music producer and supervisor Matt Sullivan (Chicago, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast) joins The Film Scorer Podcast! We primarily discuss his work with Steven Spielberg as executive music producer on West Side Story, how he carved this role out for himself almost by accident on the set of Chicago, and the upcoming musical Disenchanted! Matt is actually the first non-composer to join the show, and it was great having a crash-course in music supervision and production,
Jan 30, 2022 • 32:40
Film Score Recap: October through December 2021
In between composer interviews, The Film Scorer covers some of the best, most notable, and favorite film scores from October through December, 2021. These include Halloween Kills by Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Daniel A. Davies , The Matrix Resurrections by Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer, Spencer and The Power of the Dog by Jonny Greenwood, 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 cov
Jan 19, 2022 • 19:23
Marcelo Zarvos
To continue 2022's strong start, the great composer Marcelo Zarvos (Ray Donovan, The Equalizer 3) joins me for a quick chat! Marcelo recently scored the newly released film A Journal for Jordan, directed by Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan. We discuss his work on the film, some early Brazilian rock and metal, and what it's like working with Denzel. It's a lovely, intimate score that manages to balance tragedy and love, always staying true to the drama that forms the heart of the
Jan 16, 2022 • 39:36
An Interview with Catherine Joy
To kick-off the new year, Catherine Joy joins The Film Scorer Podcast! We discuss a number of her projects, as well as (among other things) the Joy Music House, her work with the Alliance for Women Film Composers, and the differences between composing, orchestrating, and score supervising! We actually conducted this interview back in August of 2021, so a couple references may be slightly dated (such as the Oscar shortlists), and I'm glad I've finally gotten around to releasing it. Catherine ha
Jan 2, 2022 • 51:30
Harry Gregson-Williams on The Last Duel, House of Gucci
Pleased to have Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, Mulan, The Chronicles of Narnia) join me for a quick chat. We primarily focus on his scores for the two new Ridley Scott films The Last Duel and House of Gucci, as well as his score for the upcoming Disneynature film Polar Bear. Along the way we talk about distraction in film music and some recent scores that Harry's been enjoying. Although it's a quick chat - Harry originally only had twenty minutes, though we stretched it to just over half an hour
Dec 19, 2021 • 25:27
Mark Korven Welcomes Us To ‘Raccoon City‘
The one and only Mark Korven (The Witch, The Lighthouse) joins me on The Film Scorer Podcast! Mark is probably best known for scoring films like The Witch and The Lighthouse, but his latest score is for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. We talk about that film and his score, as well as his prior releases, his signature instrument the "Apprehension Engine," and Mark announces an upcoming 25th anniversary release of his score for Cube. Of course, during the interview we touch on a load more
Dec 5, 2021 • 39:53
An Interview with Andy Fosberry
Fan of the show and prolific film composer and solo artist Andy Fosberry joins The Film Scorer Podcast! We spend a significant time locking into Andy's composing and recording process, which has allowed him to write and record several scores in the span of two weeks each! Afterward, we cover a wide swathe of topics, including a shared love of Mica Levi and Cormac McCarthy, differing thoughts on the Friday the 13th film series, and plenty more. In a rare twist, I've also included some snippets
Nov 28, 2021 • 49:30
An Interview with Peter Gregson
Peter Gregson joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Peter and I talk about his Recomposed Bach Cello Suites (in which Peter re-examined some of Bach's great cello works), taking me far out of my musical knowledge depth and comfort! We also discuss his excellent new album 'Patina' and his forays into scoring for film and other media. During the conversation, Peter mimics a few cello melodies by singing, which is a highlight that can't be missed. You can find out more about Peter on his website, while
Nov 14, 2021 • 42:23
Michael Yezerski on ‘Blindspotting‘
Composer (and fan of the show!) Michael Yezerski joins The Film Scorer podcast to give an in-depth look at his score for the new Starz series Blindspotting! Michael actually co-composed the score with avantgarde and renowned jazz trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and Ambrose was originally scheduled to join the chat but unfortunately had to drop out. Hopefully both composers will be able to join when season 2 rolls around! We also talk about some of Michael's recent film scores, including The Vigi
Oct 31, 2021 • 45:38
Ariel Marx
Excited to have composer Ariel Marx join the show! Ariel has been on a major upswing in 2021, scoring Shiva Baby (which I loved), Rebel Hearts, and the third episode of American Horror Stories. We talk about a few of these projects (as well as some others that are on the way), how the love of collaboration brought her into composing for media, and more! You can find more about Ariel on her website. Shiva Baby and American Horror Stories are both streaming on Hulu while Rebel Hearts is on disco
Oct 18, 2021 • 41:34
Film Score Recap: July through September 2021
The Film Scorer takes a breather from composer interviews to cover some of the best, most notable, and favorite film scores from July through September, 2021. These include Dune and the Dune Sketchbook by Hans Zimmer, The Green Knight by Daniel Hart, Beckett and Minamata by Ryuichi Sakamoto, and a whole load more! 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-j
Oct 7, 2021 • 21:16
Elliot Leung
Blockbuster Chinese composer Elliot Leung joins The Film Scorer Podcast! Elliot's latest score is for the major Korean War film The Battle at Lake Changjin, which released this weekend and has already smashed numerous box office records (as well as being the highest grossing film in the world this weekend). However, we only briefly discuss his score. Instead, we touch on his other films, his general process, and how Martin O'Donnell's score for Halo inspired Elliot to pursue a career in composin
Oct 3, 2021 • 44:26
Joe Kraemer Takes Us on a ‘Magical Journey‘
Pleased to have Joe Kraemer join the podcast! Though known for films like Jack Reacher and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Joe's latest is the children's fantasy film Emily and the Magical Journey. We discuss that score near the end of the interview, and in the meantime we talk about his other works (including the upcoming Old Man starring starring Stephen Lang), late Soviet-era pop music, Pacino's character in Heat, and much more! Find out more about Joe on his website. Emily and the Magi
Sep 26, 2021 • 1:01:24
Frank Ilfman Makes a ‘Gunpowder Milkshake‘
Composer Frank Ilfman joins The Film Scorer podcast to do a deep dive into his score for the hit Netflix action film 'Gunpowder Milkshake.' During the dive, we touch on the score's spaghetti western, noir, and broader 60s and 70s American, French, and Italian influences. Along the way we also touch on Frank's own influences, including a chance encounter with Klaus Doldinger during the recording of 'The NeverEnding Story'! Find our more about Frank on his website. 'Gunpowder Milkshake' is current
Sep 19, 2021 • 50:30
Jessica Rose Weiss
Overjoyed to have composer and singer/songwriter Jessica Rose Weiss join The Film Scorer Podcast! Jess's latest film score (co-composed with Mychael Danna) is for the new Amazon Prime retelling of Cinderella starring Camila Cabello. Jess and I talk about crafting their magical, romantic (and folk-influenced) score for this jukebox musical, as well as her mentorship with Mychael and her time spent working at Hans Zimmer's Remote Control Productions! We jump right into the conversation in this epi
Sep 5, 2021 • 44:26
An Interview with Roger Mason
Prolific composer and musician Roger Mason joins The Film Scorer Podcast! They talk broadly about Roger's media compositions and approach, as well as: the differences between Australian and American productions; figuring out how to play what's in your head; and the famed Australian musician David Page. Note that there's no small talk on this one - Roger jumps straight into the heavy stuff! I was particularly excited to talk with Roger given his pre-composing background. He was well known on th
Aug 29, 2021 • 44:50
Nima Fakhrara
Film and video game composer Nima Fakhrara (Detroit: Become Human; Becky) joins the show to talk about, among other things: diversity in film music, the necessity of being genuine in everything you create, and a few of his latest projects. Find out more about Nima on his website. Many of Nima's film and video game scores are available on all major streaming platforms.
Aug 22, 2021 • 50:00
Steph Copeland
Film composer and singer-songwriter Steph Copeland joins the show to talk about, among other things: her recent scores for Vicious Fun, The Retreat, and The Oak Room, as well as her trend of scoring for horror and balancing her dual identities of a film composer and a solo artist. Find out more about Steph on her website. Vicious Fun is currently available on Shudder while the others are available on VOD. Certain of Steph's scores, as well as her solo back catalog, are available on all major s
Aug 8, 2021 • 35:39
Drum & Lace (Sofia Hultquist)
Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist (aka Drum & Lace) joins The Film Scorer for the season 2 premiere! She talks about scoring hit tv shows Dickinson and Good Girls, facing positive reception for those shows (and the negative public response to the Netflix film Deadly Illusions), and the interrelationship between her scoring and solo music identities. Find out more about Drum & Lace on her website. Dickinson is is currently available on Apple+, Good Girls' final season just finished on NBC, and D
Jul 25, 2021 • 47:32
Film Score Recap: April Through June, 2021
The Film Scorer Podcast is back - covering some of the best and most notable film scores from April, May, and June 2021, including Junkie XL's Army of the Dead, Clint Mansell's In the Earth, and Abraham Marder and Nicolas Becker's Sound of Metal. Catch-up on the latest film music releases from across genre, composer, and continent! See below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists: April: https://thefilmscorer.com/best-fi
Jul 5, 2021 • 16:27
Gazelle Twin
Gazelle Twin (aka Elizabeth Bernholz) joins the show to head up the season finale of season 1 of The Film Scorer Podcast! The experimental/avantgarde composer talks about her film score debut with 2020's Nocturne and her follow-up collaborative score for The Power with Max de Wardener. In the process, we talk about ritualism and early music, the themes that draw her to horror films, and the amazing British composer Mica Levi. Find out more about Gazelle Twin on her website. Nocturne is current
May 9, 2021 • 33:16
Film Score Recap: January Through March, 2021
For this new, experimental endeavor in The Film Scorer Podcast, catch up on some of the most noteworthy film score releases from the last three months (including brief thoughts on the recently wrapped-up awards season). See below for articles covering some of my favorite scores for the following months, including detailed writeups and lists: January: https://thefilmscorer.com/best-film-scores-of-january-2021/ February: https://thefilmscorer.com/best-film-scores-of-february-2021/ March: https:/
Apr 30, 2021 • 12:01
An Interview with Will Bates
Composer Will Bates joins me to talk about scoring the Amazon Prime film Bliss, which stars Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek. Along the way we talk about his work on commercials, starting off as a jazz and indie rock musician, and creating recording and production studio Fall On Your Sword. Find out more about Will on his website. Bliss is currently available on Amazon Prime and Will's score, as well as many of his other works, is available on all major streaming platforms.
Apr 25, 2021 • 47:11
Rob Lord
Composer, guitarist, and keyboardist Rob Lord talks about his "cosmic country" score for the Amazon Prime hit 'Troop Zero.' Along the way they discuss their favorite scores of 2019, David Bowie, and floating through the jazz world of New Orleans. Find out more about Rob on his website. Troop Zero is currently available on Amazon Prime and Rob's score is available on all major streaming platforms, released through Lakeshore Records.
Apr 11, 2021 • 49:01
Stefan Gregory Goes on ‘The Dig‘
Australian composer Stefan Gregory joins The Film Scorer to talk about his score to the new Netflix historical drama The Dig. They also discuss Stefan's journey from being in an indie-rock band to becoming a composer for film, experimentation in film music, and the parallels between opera and film history and development. Find out more about Stefan on his website. While The Dig is currently available on Netflix, Stefan's score is not yet available, though hopefully it will be soon.
Mar 28, 2021 • 49:27
Jay Wadley Talks 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things'
Composer Jay Wadley joins The Film Scorer to talk about his score to I'm Thinking of Ending Things. As they had a limited amount of time (compared to most other interviews), the two go in-depth into the score, discussing how it came about, Jay's working relationship with director Charlie Kaufman, and the broader abstract thematic elements of Jay's work. Find out more about Jay on his website. I'm Thinking of Ending Things is currently available on Netflix. Jay's score for I'm Thinking of En
Mar 14, 2021 • 30:47
Nainita Desai on The Reason I Jump
Composer Nainita Desai joins the show to talk about her new score to the feature documentary The Reason I Jump, as well as her composing process, the differences between scoring for film, tv, and documentaries, and the role of awards acclaim in her work. Find out more about Nainita on her website. The Reason I Jump is currently available through Kino Lorber and Nainita's full score is forthcoming (although singles from the score are available).
Feb 28, 2021 • 44:11
Bonus Episode: The Best Film Scores of 2020
BONUS EPISODE: Nick runs through the "best" film scores of 2020, which may require fudging the rules a little bit. Feel free to chime in with some of your favorites from the world of film and beyond.
Feb 18, 2021 • 23:47
Tom Hodge Talks The Mauritanian
Experimental composer and musician Tom Hodge joins to talk about his latest film score: The Mauritanian, a Golden Globe nominated political and legal drama starring Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, and Benedict Cumberbatch. We also talk about various and historical approaches to film music, dealing with difficult subject matter, and advice for young composers. Find out more about Tom on his website. The Mauritanian is now out in theaters and Tom's score is available on all major streaming platform
Feb 14, 2021 • 34:46
An Interview with Reed Reimer
Composer Reed Reimer joins The Film Scorer Podcast to talk about his recent cyberpunk multimedia project 'Codeburst,' juggling genres from orchestral to djent to trap, and collaborating with a co-composer. Reed also flips the script and takes over as interviewer by the end! 'Codeburst' and 'Cthulhu Dreamt' are both available for streaming on all major platforms, while the full multimedia version of 'Codeburst' is available through Fable Factory.
Jan 31, 2021 • 43:07
Bonus Episode: Scored to Death with J. Blake Fichera
Fellow film music fan and writer J. Blake Fichera joins The Film Scorer Podcast to discuss his new book "Scored to Death 2," in which Fichera interviews some of horror's greatest composers like Michael Abels, Richard Band, Bear McCreary, and more! "Scored to Death 2" is available for purchase everywhere and I highly recommend it! Find out more about Fichera and his book at his website and check out his podcast "Scored to Death" in which he similarly interviews composers (albeit in an even long
Jan 17, 2021 • 49:37
Mondo Boys
Composer duo Mondo Boys join The Film Scorer to discuss their recent scores to the films Fatman, She Dies Tomorrow, and Mortuary Collection. Mondo Boys also talk about how they collaborate with directors, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Roger Ebert's love of breasts. More information is available about Mondo Boys on their website. Fatman is currently available on VOD, She Dies Tomorrow is streaming on Hulu, and Mortuary Collection is streaming on Shudder. Several of Mondo Boys' scores are availab
Jan 3, 2021 • 52:47
An Interview with Ros Gilman
Composer, violinist, and pianist Ros Gilman talks about his upcoming animated film The Last Cloudweaver, his road to becoming a film composer, and much more! Find out more about Ros on his website. Selections of Gilmans' scores are available on all major streaming platforms and YouTube.
Dec 20, 2020 • 27:11
Ben Symons Talks Hosts
Composer Ben Symons talks about his dread-filled score for the new UK horror film Hosts, his approaches to film music, composing for major YouTube streamers, and much more! Find out more about Symons on his website. Hosts is currently available on VOD while Symons' scores are available on all major streaming platforms.
Dec 6, 2020 • 46:32
Roman Molino Dunn Talks Huracán
Join The Film Scorer as he talks with composer Roman Molino Dunn about his score to the new psychological drama Huracán, about an mma fighter struggling with dissociative disorder. They also discuss Dunn's composing process, sampling the sounds of subways, and a mutual love of short film. Find out more about Dunn on his website. Huracán is currently available on HBO, HBO Latino, and HBO Max while several of Dunn's scores are available on all major streaming platforms.
Nov 22, 2020 • 50:23
Harry Escott Talks Roadkill
Join The Film Scorer as he talks with English composer Harry Escott about his jazzy and stylish score to the new BBC One political series Roadkill starring Hugh Laurie. They also talk about some of Harry's films (like the Steve McQueen drama Shame) and a mutual love of drone. Find out more about Harry on his site. Roadkill is now airing on BBC One in the UK and PBS Masterpiece Theater in the US while many of Harry's scores are available on all major streaming platforms.
Nov 8, 2020 • 44:02
Holly Amber Church
Join The Film Scorer in this seasonally-appropriate episode 3 as he talks with prolific horror composer Holly Amber Church. They talk about James Horner, the novelist John Kennedy Toole, and Holly's penchant for weird "instruments" like fluorescent lights and clown balloons. Find out more about Holly at her site Holly's most recent film is Open 24 Hours which has recently released on VOD and DVD, with the score available on all major platforms (as are many of Holly's scores).
Oct 25, 2020 • 44:38
Two Twenty Two
Join The Film Scorer for his second episode in which he talks with film composer duo Two Twenty Two (comprised of Tom Nettleship and Daisy Coole). They chat about a love for adventurous film composers, their complicated (and highly effective) process for writing music as a duo, and their latest score - Clay's Redemption - an eclectic synth/jazz fusion hybrid for this supernatural noir. Find out more about Two Twenty Two here The uncut video of our conversation (featuring much more of my ramblin
Oct 11, 2020 • 58:37
Sean Carney
The Film Scorer's first guest is Sean Carney! A jazz vocalist, touring guitarist, and member of the bands WOLVES and Miscellaneous, Sean has recently released his first feature-length film score for the Neo-Western To Hell and Gone. We dive deep into the process for scoring To Hell and Gone, making the jump into composing for features, and our joint dislike of the Star Wars prequels. A short, highlights-only text version of the interview can be found here. More information about Sean can be
Sep 27, 2020 • 44:01