I began my film music journey at Hans Zimmer's studio in Los Angeles after graduating with a degree in music from Oxford University, where I attended as a Leask Scholar. I always loved classical music and film music, and if you'd told me that 10 years later I'd be attending the Oscars and recording sessions for Star Wars I would have bitten your hand off! Now approaching feature film number 10 as lead composer, and having worked in music teams around the world on huge worldwide computer game titles from Horizon Zero Dawn to The Sims, and seeing films I work on released on big streamers, currently having two films on Netflix, I'm pleased to say its going well!
I've always loved music its amazing to me that something can be so nebulous and unwieldy yet so emotionally specific, and I love the power of music to tell a story and make us feel. I feel like music is the medium through which a film is felt. I love searching for the players and sounds which can deliver the right feeling to take us home in the right moments and tell our story.
I love meeting new people and different artists and I have a really collaborative approach. Meeting the great Danny Elfman for tea in LA he told me that often when he starts a film he likes to pick one scene and score it three or four different ways, often with a 'wildcard' to kick off a discussion and begin zeroing in on finding something exciting and letting the discussion steer the creative process, so I like this way of working, and it means that our score becomes something which we can all grow together which I love to do.
Seeing John Williams at the Oscars last year was a huge privilege. I wanted to become a film composer when I first heard the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack, and for me the Window to the Past track from that album became my favourite thing I'd ever heard. I was really lucky to meet the performer of the iconic recorder melody, the great Richard Harvey, and he told me about his experiences of recording that soundtrack with the LSO. I feel really lucky to have met so many of my heroes.
I think the secret to great music is a mystery and its endlessly interesting searching for amazing sounds and performers. I think there is a magic that happens with certain performers in a certain room with a certain combination of notes and its when our music is performed that it truly comes to life. I feel like I'm on my creative journey and I'd love you to join me on that ride! Recently I've been so lucky to work with some amazing performers including Mark Pusey, Ed Sheeran's drummer, Natalia Tsuprek, an incredible virtuoso violinist, Sarah Davison the incredible cellist from Horizon Zero Dawn fame, and many other amazing players to boot. I get very excited about recording days and hope to see you in the booth!
I work out of my studio in Hackney Wick and live in London, UK.