Score: The Podcast

In Score’s season 5 finale, composer Rob Simonsen talks about having the #1 and #2 films in the world on the same weekend (DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE; IT ENDS WITH US), and how one film led to the other being done inside of one month — the biggest time crunch he’s ever had. Plus, what is was like working with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, poking fun at Marvel in the sound booth with Kevin Feige during recordings, and what’s next with his scoring a major upcoming Pixar release. Interview by Kenny Holmes and Robert Kraft.

Breakout composer Andrea Datzman (INSIDE OUT 2) talks about her initial rejection from film scoring industry, and what led her to persevere. How her struggle with Lyme disease threatened to upend her initial breakthrough with Michael Giacchino on INSIDE OUT, and led to a surprising new revelation about her own brain and neuropsychology. She also discusses her experience learning from Michael Giacchino as a student, during the scoring sessions for ABC’s LOST. Interview by Robert Kraft and Kenny Holmes.

In this bonus interview episode, Andrew Gordon Macpherson talks about his music and TV editing skills leading to his career scoring video games and television documentaries, including the hit Vice series DARK SIDE OF THE RING, and WHO KILLED WCW?, produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. How the world of professional wrestling drama created a canvas for an epic soap-opera-esque musical approach, finding ways to blend spaghetti western with zen meditation bowls, and making a sub-culture of pro wrestling drama something for the average person to be able to appreciate. Plus, the influence of Jim Johnston on the iconic music all wrestling fans know. Bonus interview by Kenny Holmes and Matt Schrader. (Note: Technical difficulties interrupted the interview several times. We have edited to trim out some of these interruptions.)

Composer Andrew Lockington (ATLAS, MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN) joins SCORE to talk about Toronto, working with and under the tutelage of fellow Canadian Mychael Danna after wanting to start a rock band, and how his interest in orchestration led to his composing breakthroughs. Plus, working with Jennifer Lopez, creating “suites” of music, what makes temps so tricky to work with, and how he’s built a relationship with director Brad Peyton across multiple big-budget action films. Interview by Kenny Holmes and Robert Kraft.

We catch up with composer extraordinaire Christophe Beck (UNFROSTED, ROAD HOUSE) for the first time in six years! Christophe shares how early piano lessons led to dreams of making his own album (now in the works). Plus, how years leading a composer team on major films refreshed his love of teaching and sharing, his creative rapport with director Doug Liman, and working with comedy icon Jerry Seinfeld in his directorial debut on the Netflix satire/“Pop Tart biopic” UNFROSTED. Interview by Kenny Holmes, Matt Schrader, and Robert Kraft.

Composer Chris Benstead talks about being Guy Ritchies’ musical maestro on multiple projects, including THE GENTLEMEN on Netflix and THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE. How his musical education led him into music mixing and eventually working in the “sound” departments on major projects, before his work with Patrick Doyle, Steven Price, Alan Menken and Hans Zimmer brought him back into the “composer” role for Guy Ritchie. Why Guy sometimes asks him to be “braver” with a cue, and how to delegate (aka “let go”) of certain parts of the music composition process that you’re good at. Interview by Kenny Holmes and Matt Schrader.

YouTuber Rudy Mancuso has been following SCORE for years, as a musician and composer in his own right. He joins Kenny Holmes and Matt Schrader to discuss his breakout hit film from SxSW ‘MÚSICA’ out now on Prime Video — a semi-autobiographic film, years in the making, that pushes musical possibilities to refreshingly brilliant musical storytelling. Directed as only a composer could, MÚSICA (also starring Camila Mendes and J.B. Smoove) is an exploration of synesthesia, in which Rudy experiences real life in semi-musical form. Rudy discusses how his content creator life was the perfect practice for navigating his own feature film, why puppets (yes, puppets) are so integral to his film, and why he never had any doubt he would direct AND compose the music himself.

Composer Laura Karpman joins Score to talk about her work on the Oscar-nominated score for AMERICAN FICTION, breaking down how jazz informed a story rich in satire and wit to give it a unique musical edge and voice intertwined with characters. Then, she discusses her path from likely music professor into at one point being one of the only women working in film and TV composing. Plus, Robert shares the personal influence Thelonious Monk had on his own life and love for jazz.

Composer David Fleming (The Last of Us, Blue Planet II) talks about his inventive score for Prime Video’s new Mr. & Mrs. Smith, working with Donald Glover, coming up through the Remote Control composer system with Atli Orvarsson, Steve Jablonsky and Hans Zimmer, and why the new Jim Henson documentary will melt everyone’s hearts. Interview by Kenny Holmes, Matt Schrader and Robert Kraft.

The Miami-based Carlos Rafael Rivera with two series releasing now (Griselda, Monsieur Spade) joins to talk about his massive breakout with The Queen’s Gambit, followed by Hacks and Lessons in Chemistry. Why Sofia Vergara's dramatic turn as a drug kingpin in Miami deserved an operative approach. How he manages to maintain his Miami location for an industry that is largely located in Los Angeles. Plus, he revisits his 2017 adventure to go see Score: A Film Music Documentary in New York, and how he’s brought some of his teaching skills (and musicians) into his music work. Before that, Kenny and Matt break down the Oscar nominees, as Robert joins a few minutes later to explain why Oppenheimer’s score (by Ludwig Gorannsson) is so groundbreakingly original.

One of the original members of the indie band Arcade Fire, Richard Reed Parry (THE IRON CLAW, EILEEN) discusses his jump into film scoring, the importance of finding “mojo” and “vibe,” and how the wrestling biopic The Iron Claw nearly stumped him musically — until he unlocked the rich, layered sound that carries the film. How Spike Jonze’s film “Her” prepared him for the next stage in his career, and why he believes it’s important to be as musically dynamic with other musicians as possible.

Geoff Zanelli makes his long-awaited Score debut after one of Netflix’s most watched animated films of all-time, the Adam Sandler-produced LEO. In this episode, Kenny and Robert discuss the long-awaited arrival of MAESTRO, the Leonard Bernstein biopic, which we discussed on the 2nd episode of SCORE: THE PODCAST back when it was to be directed by Spielberg. Then, Robert and Geoff reminisce about drinking absinthe in Paris, before jumping into the challenge of making Adam Sandler laugh, and the paradox of writing “funny” music in animation. Plus, Geoff talks about his path from music school to being an intern at Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Productions in the early (Lion King era) 1990s, sitting in on Alan Meyerson mixes, and getting his first opportunities while working for John Powell on the movie Face/Off. 

Composer of the new historical epic NAPOLEON Martin Phipps joins Score for the first time! How he located a piano once owned by Napoleon himself for the score. Plus, his path to film and television music, his work on Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror and The Crown, and establishing trust with the great Ridley Scott. How Martin overcame his early doubts about musical approach for NAPOLEON to meet its spectacular giant sets, and musically signaling Napoleon as an ambitious outsider rising to power. Interview by Robert Kraft and Kenny Holmes.

Score season 5 returns with composer James Newton Howard, who currently has four projects releasing this month, including the Hunger Games prequel that he says asked him not to use synths (“they haven’t been invented yet”). Plus, how working with Hans Zimmer helped pull him out of a period of depression, when to fight for your musical opinion, and why he likes the rush of being asked to “save” blockbuster films in the final weeks before release. Interviewed by Robert Kraft and Matt Schrader.

Kenny, Robert and Matt launch this offseason special talking about the Spitfire Audio Black Friday sale, and their success of the offseason show MORE SCORE, which is now available for $10/month on Patreon, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe to MORE SCORE on Patreon for year-round interviews, film music talk and even cool merch: http://Patreon.com/MoreScore ... in your Apple Podcasts feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1357882784 ...on Spotify: http://anchor.fm/score/subscribe Then, the brilliant Bear McCreary joins to catch us up on his many projects, including Masters of the Universe Revelation, Vol. 1 & 2 out this week. Bear breaks down the metal symphonic sound he pitched Kevin Smith in their first meeting, and why that was a risky approach. He details working with Mark Hamill on a couple projects, and explains some of his early career missteps that he's made an effort to correct, allowing him and his studio Sparks & Shadows to thrive. This episode is presented by Spitfire Audio Follow us on Twitter @ScoreThePodcast or send Kenny and Robert your questions for the mailbox at ScoreTheMailbox@epicleff.com Hosts: Robert Kraft & Kenny Holmes Executive Producer: Matt Schrader © 2021 Epicleff Media

Kenny and Robert begin this Season Finale joined by Composer Carol and Matt Schrader reminiscing on the best moments of Season 4 and recapping the Emmy winners in the music categories. Subscribe to MORE SCORE on Patreon for year-round interviews, film music talk and even cool merch: http://Patreon.com/MoreScore  Then, legendary songwriter and composer Randy Newman (Toy Story franchise, Monsters Inc., Meet The Parents, Meet The Fockers, Marriage Story, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life) joins to share stories about his early days growing up around his uncles Alfred and Lionel, closely watching maestros Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams evolve into film music titans, revealing why Frank Sinatra passed on what became one of Randy's greatest songs and explaining why he decided to score Toy Story, which catapulted his film scoring legacy. This episode is presented by Spitfire Audio Follow us on Twitter @ScoreThePodcast or send Kenny and Robert your questions for the mailbox at ScoreTheMailbox@epicleff.com Hosts: Robert Kraft & Kenny Holmes Executive Producer: Matt Schrader Coordinator: Carol Kuswanto © 2021 Epicleff Media

Kenny and Robert begin the show discussing recent scores they've been checking out including Jordan Peele's take on Candyman by composer Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe and HBO's popular series The White Lotus by composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer. Subscribe to MORE SCORE on Patreon for year-round interviews, film music talk and even cool merch: http://Patreon.com/MoreScore Then, 9x Oscar-nominated composer and friend of the show James Newton Howard (News of the World, Jungle Cruise, Raya and the Last Dragon, Fantastic Beasts series, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, King Kong, The Hunger Games series, The Sixth Sense, Signs) joins the show sharing why he dropped out of USC after three months on a music scholarship, revealing a question he once asked that immediately got him fired from an early film scoring gig, discussing how he connected with Metallica to collaborate for Jungle Cruise and why that may not be the last time they work together, and defining the most important skill a film composer should master. This episode is presented by Spitfire Audio Follow us on Twitter @ScoreThePodcast or send Kenny and Robert your questions for the mailbox at ScoreTheMailbox@epicleff.com Hosts: Robert Kraft & Kenny Holmes Executive Producer: Matt Schrader Coordinator: Carol Kuswanto © 2021 Epicleff Media

In another loaded double-guest episode, Kenny and Robert begin the show chatting with World Soundtrack Awards Film Composer of the Year nominee Nainita Desai (The Reason I Jump, For Sama, American Murder: The Family Next Door) about her early years working as an engineer and mixer, overcoming "imposter syndrome," the art of writing music for documentary and keeping the authenticity of true stories and why she was caught by surprise when she learned she was nominated by the WSA. Subscribe to MORE SCORE on Patreon for year-round interviews, film music talk and even cool merch: http://Patreon.com/MoreScore Later, award-winning composer and record producer Dan Romer (Luca, Beasts of the Souther Wild, Beasts of No Nation, Wendy, Superman and Lois) joins the show to sharing what he learned about scoring Italian influenced music, revealing what motivated him to create unique sound palettes for his scores, and details what happened with No Time To Die and why being replaced on that film only made him stronger. This episode is presented by Spitfire Audio Follow us on Twitter @ScoreThePodcast or send Kenny and Robert your questions for the mailbox at ScoreTheMailbox@epicleff.com Hosts: Robert Kraft & Kenny Holmes Executive Producer: Matt Schrader Coordinator: Carol Kuswanto © 2021 Epicleff Media

Robert and Kenny begin the show discussing the nominees for the 2021 World Soundtrack Awards, including many former guests and friends of the show. Kenny also shares why Blake Neely had an exciting and unexpected surprise while watching the Tokyo Olympics over the weekend.    Subscribe to MORE SCORE on Patreon for year-round interviews, film music talk and even cool merch: http://Patreon.com/MoreScore  Later, Emmy-nominated composer Rupert Gregson-Williams (Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Hacksaw Ridge, Veep, Catch 22, The Crown, Behind Her Eyes and more) joins the show sharing his early stories of growing up with his brother and fellow A-list composer Harry and why they only recently collaborated on a project after many years of success as solo composers, detailing why a particular cue on The Crown was his most challenging job to date, and revealing why Adam Sandler prefers to skip spotting sessions on his films. This episode is presented by Spitfire Audio Follow us on Twitter @ScoreThePodcast or send Kenny and Robert your questions for the mailbox at ScoreTheMailbox@epicleff.com Hosts: Robert Kraft & Kenny Holmes Executive Producer: Matt Schrader Coordinator: Carol Kuswanto © 2021 Epicleff Media

Robert and Kenny begin the show discussing the trailer release and score cues of Dune with original score by Hans Zimmer. Kenny asks Robert to explain why the music used in trailers most often doesn't reflect the score/sound of the film. Subscribe to MORE SCORE on Patreon for year-round interviews, film music talk and even cool merch: http://Patreon.com/MoreScore Later, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning composer Carter Burwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Morning Show, Space Force, Fargo, Carol, Twilight series, No Country For Old Men, True Grit, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Tragedy of Macbeth and so many more) joins the show sharing that his initial leap into film was as an animator, how he connected with the Coen Brothers and why their bond has only gotten stronger after more than a dozen films together, explaining why he never left the east coast, and detailing his first earthquake encounter in 1994 while scoring Airheads, which happened to be one of the most catastrophic earthquakes in history. This episode is presented by Spitfire Audio Follow us on Twitter @ScoreThePodcast or send Kenny and Robert your questions for the mailbox at ScoreTheMailbox@epicleff.com Hosts: Robert Kraft & Kenny Holmes Executive Producer: Matt Schrader Coordinator: Carol Kuswanto © 2021 Epicleff Media