In Conversation with Disasterpeace
Rich very kindly took the time to have a chat with me about, amongst other things, composing the score for It Follows, video games, horror films, musical influences, Adventure Time and more.
Head over to Paracinema to read the interview and listen to some of the creepy score.
In Conversation with Disasterpeace
It Follows composer talks video games, horror films, musical influences, and Adventure Time.
Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, It Follows has been generating immensely positive reviews since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival last year. The insidiously creepy tale of a young woman who becomes the target of a relentless supernatural stalker after she has sex with her boyfriend, it’s as much a loving throwback to old-school horror (specifically John Carpenter’s Halloween) as it is a revitalising and unusual take on the genre. Mining deeply primal fears and frequently deploying the kind of logic that exists only in nightmares, It Follows administers a queasy dose of sexual anxiety and paranoia in its exploration of the murky realms between sex and death.
While its intelligent script, likeable characters, strangely poetic style and restrained direction have all garnered high praise indeed, one particular aspect of the film has received almost unanimous acclaim. Described by one critic as sounding “as if [John] Carpenter had Trent Reznor around to score Halloween back in 1978”, the intensely atmospheric, synth-driven score, courtesy of San Francisco-based Richard Vreeland, aka Disasterpeace, is one of the most distinctive horror scores in recent memory. Perhaps best known as the composer for video games such as FEZ, Vreeland’s eerie electronic compositions for It Follows pulse and crackle with menace, emerging as the perfect accompaniment to Mitchell’s terrifying tale. Amidst the stark drones, unsettling dissonance and full-on panicked intensity are moodily reflective moments which serve to add emotional depth to the characters. While there are certainly echoes of the pioneering music of John Carpenter, as well as subtle nods to the likes of Goblin, Tangerine Dream and even Krzysztof Penderecki, Vreeland’s music is as spine-chillingly unsettling as it is strikingly original.
Rich very kindly took the time to have a chat with us about, amongst other things, composing the score for It Follows, his creative influences, and what makes a truly effective horror film soundtrack…
How did you become involved with scoring It Follows? Did you have much freedom or did David have very specific ideas about how it should sound?
I scored a game called FEZ a few years ago. David loved the music and reached out to me via e-mail. Our initial discussions were straight-forward. We talked logistics and expressed our interest in working together. David touched base right before he started filming and then we fell out of touch for a year. When he came back to me, prepared to start scoring, I had a lot of work underway and did not have much time. I turned him down at first, but he could tell that I wanted to work on the film. After much discussion, I gave in to his persistence. I’m glad I did! We at first talked about exploring an aesthetic with guitars and other acoustic instruments. Over time, we realized that synths had the versatility we needed.
The score was an absolute collaboration. I think David heard something in my approach that he thought could be unique in a horror film. For me, I found his naturalistic style gave me room to play. He pushed hard to have themes and recurring melodies, and we did a bit of that in spots.
It’s your first feature film score – what was the writing process for you? Did you need to get into any particular mindset in order to compose it, and was it vastly different from how you approach composing for computer games?
I had scored some shorts before, as well as cutscenes for games, so it wasn’t too hard from a technical standpoint. I chose not to write much until I saw the film. The first thing I did was sit at my piano and try to come up with a theme. I wrote a piece I liked but never found a spot for it in the film. David and his editors created a thorough temp score that became my bible for the film. John Carpenter, Penderecki, and John Cage were all present. Some of my tracks from FEZ were also part of the temp score.
Scoring film is in some ways a nice reprieve from working on games. I’m working on music for a game right now that allows you to be a subway designer. I’m coding, playtesting, and doing lots of logistical problem-solving. I’m trying to make each interaction between the game and the sound symbiotic. It is intense and often a rewarding process. Scoring linear media for me tends to be more zen than problem-solving. I’m also working on an episode of Adventure Time right now. My creative process for that is a lot like flinging paint on a canvas. The structure of a film is more of a known quantity, and I can just get on with it. The linearity of scoring film makes it easier for me to perceive the outer limits.
What sort of challenges did you face? And what, in your own opinion, was the most rewarding aspect of the whole experience?
Working on such a tight deadline was a major challenge. We thought we’d have months to score the film, but we got into the Cannes Film Festival. We wrote all of the music in about three weeks. Trying to reference my own material became an exercise in ego management. I can be ruthless about not treading old ground. At the end of the day, I had to make a few creative sacrifices. I think if we had more time, I could have written some better cues. I struggled with the similarity of some of the music to that of FEZ. I am a perfectionist though, and these are all minor issues in the grand scheme of things.
I am proud of what we have accomplished as a whole. It was an intense period of work, and there was a lot of back and forth. We managed to do something unique and in not much time. I’m hoping to have more time in the future! Three weeks was tough.
Hearing the score on a surround system for the first time was fantastic. We spent a week mixing the film with Christian Dwiggins at Tunnel Post in Santa Monica. Christian pushed the energy of certain scenes over the top by suggesting we add more elements. He helped the music jump out of the screen. There are cues in the film that became downright obnoxious in the best way.
How difficult was it striking a balance between creating music that was distinctive and atmospheric, but that didn’t distract too much from the narrative of the film?
We wanted the music to play an active role, as if it was a character. The music demands the attention of the audience in scarier moments. In calmer scenes, I think it helps engage the moviegoer by adding emotional weight. We tried to pick our spots. We always took care to give the film and its dialogue the space it needed.
In terms of your music, who are your biggest influences?
My tastes and influences are shifting all the time. When I started, I was all about heavy music. I took up guitar in high school. I was big into bands like Tool and Rage Against the Machine. And I loved playing pentatonic, odd-metered power chord riffs. There was something spellbinding about distorted guitar. I also had a glorious amp, a Fender Vibrolux Reverb from the 60’s. I was dumb enough to sell it about five years ago. I spent a few years making guitar recordings before getting more into computer music. Those experiences were the foundation of my music education. I went to Berklee College of Music later and learned a lot there as well. I could talk all day about my influences. There are so many, but a short list includes Ravel, Debussy, Stravinsky, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Vince Guaraldi, Steve Reich, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Tortoise, Jaga Jazzist, Yasunori Mitsuda, Koji Kondo, King Crimson, Yes, Stemage, Alex Mauer, Mastodon, Queen, and so on…
Games and their music are also an undeniable influence that I wear on my sleeve. I think that that relationship comes out in a subconscious way. David had a definite affinity for the music from FEZ. We took steps to honor that aesthetic but also bring something new to the film.
You mentioned that John Carpenter was present in the temp score. He has had an overwhelming influence on film soundtracks and there seems to be something of a resurgence in Carpenter-esque electronic scores at the moment. Scores for recent titles such as Starry Eyes, The Guest, and Cold in July all wear their Carpenter influences on their sleeve. Why do you think his music is so influential and how much of an influence has he had on your work?
His music is dark, simple and effective. We used some of his music in the temp score for the film and as a result I used a few of his pieces as direct reference. I am not well versed in the music of Mr. Carpenter, but I appreciate what he has done.
Are you a fan of horror films? What do you think makes a good horror score, and do you have any particular favourites?
I’ve straight up avoided horror films until recently. But their culture is omnipresent. If I said I was not influenced by it I would be lying. I’ve been listening to Goblin for many years but was never big into horror. I think I can count the horror films I’ve seen on one hand!
How do you think your score might differ from other horror film scores, and do you think your unfamiliarity with the genre has given it a different flavour?
I’m not sure! I imagine my prior unfamiliarity with horror – and scoring films – has yielded something unusual.
What do you think an electronic score can provide that a traditional, perhaps orchestral score can’t?
As a designer of sound, synthesizers are a dream come true. I can shape my instruments to sound and behave in so many different ways. That ability is not unique to synths, but the speed and ease with which it is possible is unparalleled. The barrier to entry is also far cheaper than working with an orchestra.
It Follows has generated a lot of buzz and so much positive feedback – why do you think it’s made such an impact on audiences?
I think it approaches the genre in a fresh way. I think we tried to do something new while honoring great horror films of the past. The premise is horrifying without needing lots of gore and jumps. The characters are funny and easy to relate to. They’re young people written in a believable way, and I think that goes a long way.
What’s next for Disasterpeace?
Right now, I am working on a guest directed episode of Adventure Time. I’m also working on a minimalistic subway layout game called Mini Metro. After that, I’ll be diving into a Miyazaki-inspired dungeon crawler called Hyper Light Drifter. A Flatland inspired Japanese garden game called Miegakure is also on my horizon. In case you can’t tell, I love how different those all sound and are!
Visit disasterpeace.com to listen to and download Rich’s music, including his score for It Follows.
