Director Robert Eggers, known for his haunting films like The Witch, teams up with Robin Carolan, a rising composer scoring Nosferatu and The Northman. They discuss the creation of immersive, gothic soundscapes that enhance horror and tension. Robert shares his lifelong fascination with Nosferatu, while Robin reveals the challenges of blending traditional and modern musical styles. They humorously debate the film's identity as a Christmas movie, all while exploring the transformative power of music in storytelling.
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A Terrifying Contrast
Robert Eggers' Nosferatu opens with a music box, creating a fairytale atmosphere.
Minutes later, a loud score abruptly shifts the tone to terrifying.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Beethoven's Knees
Eggers instructed composer Robin Carolan to write music that “would bring Beethoven to his knees.”
Carolan admitted this was intimidating but helped clarify Eggers' vision.
insights INSIGHT
A Risky Collaboration
Carolan, primarily an electronic music producer, had never scored a film before The Northman.
Eggers took a chance on Carolan, trusting his musical understanding and storytelling.
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The novel tells the story of Count Dracula, a vampire who moves from Transylvania to England to spread terror and create more vampires. The story begins with Jonathan Harker, an English solicitor, who travels to Transylvania to finalize the sale of a property to Count Dracula. Upon discovering Dracula's true nature, Harker barely escapes with his life. Dracula then travels to England, where he targets Harker's fiancée, Mina, and her friend Lucy. A group of characters, including Professor Van Helsing, Dr. John Seward, and Quincey Morris, band together to hunt down and destroy Dracula. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, modernity vs. tradition, and the fears and anxieties of the Victorian era, including immigration, sexual desire, and the role of women in society.
“Music that will bring Beethoven to his knees”We couldn’t pass up the chance to record with BOTH visionary director Robert Eggers and composer Robin Carolan, whose period-horror NOSFERATU released on Christmas Day. (Robert confirms for the record it IS — sort of — a Christmas movie.) This interview done remotely, with Robert and Robin together in the same room in London.How Robert’s breakout film THE WITCH led to a creative partnership with Robin, a UK-based music producer who had never scored a film before. Why he took 6 weeks to agree to take Robert’s Viking epic THE NORTHMAN — and how it proved a trial by fire for his composing career. Robert talks about his history with NOSFERATU going back to high school (once thought of as an imitation of Dracula, but has achieved its own legendary mythological status). How Robert challenged Robin to “bring Beethoven to his knees” in the opening scene, and the decision to craft hypnotic “spirals” and haunting vocals to keep the danger close even when Nosferatu is not on screen. And why Robert’s films — dripping with rich mythology — extend the traditional orchestral approach into unsettling, aleatoric music and modern sounds that carry the audience in and out of comfort.Interview by Kenny Holmes and Matt Schrader.For exclusive and 4K footage inside studios of your favorite composers, follow Score on YouTube Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.Check our Vienna Symphonic Library’s collection of innovating libraries and samples at vsl.co.at — including their flagship Synchron Series, recorded at Vienna Synchron Stage, where hit films and shows for HBO, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Bear McCreary’s score to Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video, and many more are recorded. Check out Synchron Duality Strings libraries, or check out the free sample player, freebie libraries and demos at http://vsl.co.atTo learn more about recording at Vienna Synchron Stage, visit http://synchronstage.comScore: The Podcast is a presentation of Epicleff Media and is produced by Holmes Productions.Video Timecodes0:00 Intro4:05 Vienna Symphonic Library7:16 Robert Eggers & Robin Carolan21:00 'The Northman'31:18 Starting 'Nosferatu'40:28 Hypnosis of 'Nosferatu'48:56 Most Difficult Scenes of 'Nosferatu'1:01:53 VSL Synchron Series1:03:47 VSL "Batman" Demo
Score: The Podcast 