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 sounds for the primary characters while also balancing and integrating these pieces of music (asking himself “How do you write and create a score where all these can interact?”).
Daniel’s score is certainly one of the best and most exciting of the year. In fact, it’s a rare time where I’ve seen innumerable reactions to the film, both from film score fans and the general audience, absolutely raving about the score. And it’s not surprising. Daniel’s score is exciting, invigorating, and a creative force, somehow balancing a number of disparate genre explorations. Of the score, he’s elsewhere said that it’s “the only place I can combine electronics, record scratching, an orchestra, a goose, a punk rock band, hip-hop beats, whistling and opera and have it not feel weird . . . I have tried to push the boundaries of what a superhero film score can be to hopefully create music like nothing you’ve heard before.” It’s great stuff and I highly recommend it. I also have to applaud the team behind the film for giving Daniel the space to make a creatively exciting score – this isn’t often the case on bigger films!
We also talk about Daniel’s writing process, which places an interesting weight on his initial impression, telling me “every time I read a script, the first hour afterwards can often be the most important hour because it’s so fresh . . . and if you look at Spider-Verse, one of the very first things I wrote becomes the opening and ending of the film”. Finally, we move fully beyond Across the Spider-Verse and talk about his score for last year’s lovely Brian and Charles, which showcases his desire to explore new musical directions and take creative risks, his ability to write quickly (Daniel mentions a mystery film he just scored in one week), and the use of composing teams.
You can find out more about Daniel on his website. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is currently playing in theaters worldwide, and Daniel’s score, as well as many of his other works, is available digitally on all major platforms.
Have a listen to our conversation below or wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Enjoying these interviews? Show the love by subscribing and leaving a rating or review!
About Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
“Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero.” – Courtesy of Sony