60Seconds

RECENT WORK

Previously I worked closely with a team in LA on The LEGO® Movie, which was musically quite daring and a great opportunity to take some risks. It covered a lot of musical styles; and making the transitions between them clear really helped get the jokes across. As with The Great Gatsby, it was helpful that I could turn around material while it was night time in LA.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES?

We would all talk about the problem of getting editors to stop cutting, but it’s a global complaint! As is getting squeezed in post-production.

TRENDS?

We are seeing an increase in recording the full orchestra in the scoring stage rather than each individual section. There is something magical when an orchestra comes together to play.

WHAT MAKES AUSTRALIA UNIQUE?

Crews here have the reputation for being hardworking and versatile. We’ve all got a lot of skills because we’ve had to: playing in and recording bands, audio post, mixing, dialogue recording, sound effects – it gives you a well-rounded appreciation of the other crafts and how your work can dovetail into them to make a better whole.

INSPIRED BY?

I’ve been learning music since I was nine years old so working in this field is a dream come true. I’m a partner in Trackdown and I love that someone might be recording dialogue in one room, writing music in another, and on the scoring stage an orchestra is playing. When we first opened the facility in 2003 we said it was the best scoring stage in the southern hemisphere and I still think that’s correct.

An advantage we have with orchestras in Australia is that there are no residuals; it is a one-off buyout.

OBSESSIONS (OUTSIDE FILM)?

Music is so much a part of my life that I hang out with my kids’ school bands twice a week.