Scoring Philosophy
For me screen scoring is all about concept. Finding a new direction, a unique way of considering music and sound in each project. And most importantly: staying true to that design. Every decision in choosing sounds, instruments, textures, should be supported by intention. Intention that is coherent with the narrative and with the picture (and everything that picture includes). It doesn’t mean that a film score cannot be eclectic and diverse, quite the opposite a film score can combine multitudes of genres and sounds without losing the integrity and coherence of its aim, as long as it stays true to a general concept that ties it all together. Overall, I believe that the question “why?” should be asked much more in the film scoring process.
Screen scoring is not only about scoring for picture, it is also scoring for sound. The collaboration between sound design and music has to be as deep and intertwined as possible: what we are working on is a film, not a tracklist or even a so-called “soundtrack”. Although traditionally sound design and music are perceived in different narrative levels, I believe it does not have to be that black and white. Ultimately sound and music are perceived as a coherent auditory experience, a whole.
That musical concept is important to find not only for finding a unique sound palette for the project, but also to make the composition process itself unique and particular to the project. I want the creative process to be true to the themes of the film, to connect artistically with the spaces and narratives depicted in the story. Visiting the set, recording on set, capturing spaces, discussing with the team members and actors who impersonate the characters and the world of the narrative, there are so many ways for a composer to dive into a new story and I always wish to take the opportunity to do so since I believe it can only have a positive impact on the end result, and on keeping the process fun and interesting for everyone involved.