Oscar-winning composer Mychael Danna on the gravity of marrying musical score with film's theme
Mychael Danna
Composer Mychael Danna's expansive repertoire ranges from animated comedies ('Storks', 2016) and sports dramas ('Moneyball', 2011) to biographical narrations ('Capote', 2005) and horror ('Resident Evil: Apocalypse', 2004). Yet, the composer insists, the approach towards every genre remains constant. "We always believe that a director is at the apex of a film. But it is the story that's more important," says the 58-year-old
Hollywood composer, who is currently in the city as part of the international jury at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. "Every decision you take, be it as a composer or any other artiste associated with the project, must be a reflection of the story. This is more crucial than doing what you wish to with the music."
Point out that an artiste must own the project to do justice to the film, and he says, "In a way, that is true. A film with my score will really be that if I put a part of myself into it instead of blindly following instructions. This is why I only take up projects that I can connect with. If that's lacking, people will know you are faking it."
Danna, who bagged the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for his work on Ang Lee's 'Life of Pi' (2012), is a fan of the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. He had earlier confessed his love for the musician's score on Satyajit Ray's Apur Sansar (1959): "The beauty of the score lay in its confidence, simplicity and its ability to effortlessly blend with the theme."
He believes that much like the edit of a film, the score plays a vital role in defining its pace too. "When I watch a film, I identify its pace before even thinking about the music. The audience must be allowed time to absorb certain moments, while a few must gather momentum," he says, adding that MAMI's opening film, Kokona Sen Sharma's directorial debut, 'A Death in the Gunj', gathered just the right energy. "The variety that the fest is offering is refreshing. There is a change in the kind of films India is creating," he says.
Hollywood composer, who is currently in the city as part of the international jury at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. "Every decision you take, be it as a composer or any other artiste associated with the project, must be a reflection of the story. This is more crucial than doing what you wish to with the music."
Point out that an artiste must own the project to do justice to the film, and he says, "In a way, that is true. A film with my score will really be that if I put a part of myself into it instead of blindly following instructions. This is why I only take up projects that I can connect with. If that's lacking, people will know you are faking it."
Danna, who bagged the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for his work on Ang Lee's 'Life of Pi' (2012), is a fan of the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. He had earlier confessed his love for the musician's score on Satyajit Ray's Apur Sansar (1959): "The beauty of the score lay in its confidence, simplicity and its ability to effortlessly blend with the theme."
He believes that much like the edit of a film, the score plays a vital role in defining its pace too. "When I watch a film, I identify its pace before even thinking about the music. The audience must be allowed time to absorb certain moments, while a few must gather momentum," he says, adding that MAMI's opening film, Kokona Sen Sharma's directorial debut, 'A Death in the Gunj', gathered just the right energy. "The variety that the fest is offering is refreshing. There is a change in the kind of films India is creating," he says.
