3 Weeks to Score a Movie? ​Composer Jordan Seigel Breaks Down His Rapid-Fire Workflow

Composer Jordan Seigel bridges the hole between Hollywood’s greatest blockbusters and the intimate world of indie movie. He is taken on huge initiatives like Snow White and Ant-Man and the Wasp, however his roots are firmly planted on the earth of jazz piano.His newest rating for the Duplass brothers’ movie, The Baltimorons, offered the right alternative to merge these two worlds.We sat down with Seigel to debate his collaboration with director Jay Duplass, the “coronary heart of darkness” observe that reshaped a key cue, and the way he balances his composing work with orchestrating for artists like Hozier and Frequent.Let’s dive in. – YouTubewww.youtube.comNFS: Hello Jordan! How has your expertise on high-profile initiatives like Snow White and Ant-Man and the Wasp ready you for indie fare like The Baltimorons?Jordan Seigel: Working as an orchestrator on high-profile initiatives like Snow White and Ant-Man and the Wasp taught me how you can develop extremely environment friendly workflows and plan dwell recording classes meticulously—expertise that’s been invaluable on indie initiatives. On The Baltimorons, I had lower than three weeks to ship a full rating, together with writing, mockups, approvals, dwell recordings, and the ultimate combine. That tight timeline pressured me to give attention to the artistic course of and belief my instincts, understanding any setback may jeopardize supply. I strategy each mission—no matter scale or finances—with the identical stage of dedication and self-discipline.NFS: Your background as a jazz pianist is clearly important to the jazzy tone of the rating. Are you able to inform us extra about your jazz coaching and the way it’s mirrored on this mission?JS: Earlier than I grew to become occupied with composition and orchestration for movies, I centered totally on jazz piano. I began enjoying piano at age 5, however my actual ardour for jazz started in highschool, the place I spent hours transcribing and emulating the greats—Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, and lots of others.I first grew to become occupied with movie music in faculty and spent a number of years exploring how you can carry my jazz background into this new context. As I experimented, I started to see how my jazz coaching may inform my compositions in refined however significant methods. Finding out John Williams’s scores bolstered this perception, displaying how his jazz background strongly formed his music.The Baltimorons was a novel alternative to lean totally into jazz. I constructed the rating round my jazz piano trio and had an unbelievable time composing in a method that’s deeply rooted in my musical basis, mixing my movie music sensibilities with the idioms of jazz.NFS: What was it like working with the Duplass brothers, significantly director Jay Duplass?JS: Working with Jay and Mark Duplass was incredible — I’ve been a fan of their work for a very long time, so it was actually thrilling to collaborate with them. Jay is an unbelievable director and an particularly good communicator.We did our recognizing session nearly — that is the place the composer and director watch the movie collectively and focus on the place the music ought to go and the way it ought to operate. Jay was at all times respectful and trusting of my musical instincts. We might focus on every scene with the identical aim: how the music may finest serve the image.Jay is aware of the movie higher than anybody — each selection, each character motivation. Typically, he shared insights I hadn’t thought-about, and he was at all times utterly open to concepts I advised.There was one cue that I really re-wrote after the movie premiered at South by Southwest. It was a cue that I had performed one model of, and Jay had initially permitted. After the screening, Jay reached out and requested if I’d do one other model of the cue. I, in fact, was comfortable to, and we mentioned what the scene wanted. Jay mentioned, “We have to really feel like Cliff (our primary character) is headed into the center of darkness.”This was extraordinarily insightful for me, because the scene is all photographs of his automotive driving by means of the streets of Baltimore. With this additional context, I despatched a brand new model, which Jay cherished, and we recorded it for the ultimate launch. Jordan Seigel Credit score: Impact24 NFS: What made jazz the suitable automobile in your musical storytelling with this rating?JS: Jazz felt like the right automobile for this rating due to its timeless high quality. The movie takes place at Christmas, and we needed it to evoke the sensation of a real-life Charlie Brown journey. Considered one of my favourite initiatives has been the Apple TV+ Peanuts collection and specials, the place I served as pianist for Jeff Morrow’s rating and contributed extra music and orchestration. That work, closely influenced by Vince Guaraldi, helped me grow to be very comfy along with his distinctive model. For The Baltimorons, I needed to seize that Guaraldi-esque spirit whereas nonetheless sustaining my very own musical voice, mixing nostalgia with contemporary storytelling.NFS: I’m fascinated by your collaborations with artists akin to Hozier and Frequent. Are you able to inform us extra about these experiences?JS: I like working throughout totally different genres, and orchestrating or arranging for varied artists is at all times rewarding. I did some orchestral preparations for a live performance Frequent did a few years in the past, and he nonetheless performs them occasionally. A lot of his songs don’t initially characteristic orchestral components, so it’s creatively fulfilling to reimagine them with a full ensemble.I’ve labored as an orchestrator on a lot of tracks for Hozier, in addition to acclaimed producer Bekon. It may be a bit totally different than a typical movie scoring session, as typically we’re experimenting with the sonic nature of the ensemble a bit extra. Maybe the producer needs to make use of some particular results on one aspect, or we wish to take the time to discover totally different approaches for a way the strings would possibly play a determine throughout the refrain. It’s at all times thrilling to push the boundaries of how orchestral devices can complement modern music.NFS: The Baltimorons is a intelligent entry within the “unconventional romance” style. How did you purpose to seize the distinctive nature of the movie’s central romance by means of your rating?JS: One of the crucial charming components of the movie is that Cliff and Didi’s relationship unfolds extra like an journey than a standard romance for a lot of the story. Utilizing a jazz combo for the rating helps preserve that sense of unpredictability, retaining the viewers from feeling like they know precisely the place the connection is headed.There’s a pivotal scene the place the characters dance to “Somebody to Watch Over Me.” After I first watched the movie, Jay had included a model of the basic Gershwin tune, which was excellent in idea however didn’t totally match the arc of the scene. I requested if he’d be open to letting me create an association that intently adopted the second’s emotional journey. He put a number of belief in me, as I did a chart and we recorded it within the studio with out Jay ever listening to a mockup. He heard it for the primary time on the dub and was so appreciative of the brand new association, which was extremely rewarding.NFS: Is there the rest you want to add about The Baltimorons or some other upcoming initiatives?JS: The Baltimorons was really a dream mission — an unbelievable alternative to compose in a method I’m keen about, work with my jazz trio, and collaborate with my spouse, Natsuki Sugiyama, on saxophone. I really feel very lucky to have labored with these musicians on almost each mission I’ve performed over the previous decade. In actual fact, I’ve a residency with the trio and guitarist Graham Dechter at The Baked Potato in Studio Metropolis — we play the primary Monday of each month.I even have a couple of upcoming initiatives I’m actually enthusiastic about. One is an HBO documentary about Mel Brooks, directed by Judd Apatow. I used to be introduced on as lead orchestrator and arranger, which concerned recreating and arranging many cues and themes from a few of my favourite Mel Brooks movies. Rising up watching these movies, it was an absolute blast to document these iconic themes.I’m at all times drawn to initiatives that problem me creatively or let me discover new approaches to storytelling by means of music. Whether or not as a composer, orchestrator, or pianist, essentially the most rewarding work for me is collaborating intently with musicians and administrators to create a rating that feels contemporary and genuine.