1A

Kris Bowers On The Evolution Of Music In 'The Wild Robot'

Dec 25, 2024

Kris Bowers, an Oscar-winning composer celebrated for his work on films like 'Green Book' and the Netflix series 'Bridgerton,' discusses his latest project, 'The Wild Robot.' He shares insights into how the score evolves as the robot, Roz, learns to communicate with her island's wildlife. Bowers highlights the emotional depth of the music, using unconventional sounds to mirror the wilderness. He also emphasizes the importance of live musicians in enriching the storytelling experience through music.

30:25

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Kris Bowers

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Quick takeaways

Kris Bowers highlights the evolution of the film's score to reflect Roz's growth and her connection with the wilderness.

The composer emphasizes the importance of emotional themes in scores, using distinct motifs to convey character feelings without reliance on dialogue.

Deep dives

The Evolution of the Musical Score

The composer discusses how his work on "The Wild Robot" involved creating a score that evolves alongside the main character, Roz, who learns to communicate with her natural surroundings. Initially, he approached the score from a technological perspective, influenced by the idea of Roz as a robot. However, after witnessing the hand-painted animation style and themes of nature, he shifted to a more organic sound, representing the robot's growth influenced by her environment. This transformation in the score allowed the music to mirror Roz's journey to connect with the wilderness and its inhabitants.

Intro

2min

The Musical Journey of 'The Wild Robot'

2min

Scoring Emotion: The Music of 'The Wild Robot'

12min

Intermission with Sponsor Highlights

2min

The Healing Power of Music

15min

The Artistic Journey of Music and Storytelling

2min

Kris Bowers is no stranger to using music to build a world. The Oscar-winning composer has worked on films like "Green Book," 'Origin," and "The Color Purple," and on the hit Netflix series "Bridgerton." He's also known for his on-the-spot compositions, illustrated in this conversation with 1A Entertainment Correspondent John Horn.

His latest project is "The Wild Robot". In the animated feature directed by Chris Sanders, Roz is a robot is marooned on a deserted island, unable to communicate with the animals and the natural world she finds herself in.

As her programming evolves, and as she learns to speak to her animal neighbors, the score evolves with her.

Kris Bowers joins us to talk about putting music to this wild world.

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1A

Kris Bowers On The Evolution Of Music In 'The Wild Robot'

Episode guests