Composer Christopher Young Discusses Scoring A Film In The Academy Originals Video

They are the people who put the emotions, tone and color into a motion picture. Whether it’s a historical epic, a Sci-Fi saga, or a tender love story, the composers are the artists who paint the musical portrait up on the big screen. What would E.T.’s and Elliott’s bicycle ride be without the string section in John Williams’ score for E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL or the Colonial Marines big battles scenes with the creatures be without the brass section in James Horner’s thrilling score to ALIENS or the fight in the arena of GLADIATOR without the percussion filled, waltz-like score by Hans Zimmer.

At the 7th Academy Awards in 1934, AMPAS presented the first Best Score Oscar to One Night of Love — Columbia Studio Music Department, Louis Silvers, head of department (Thematic Music by Victor Schertzinger and Gus Kahn).

In the Academy’s newest edition of “Academy Originals,” composer Christopher Young (“Spider-Man 3”, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”, “Drag Me To Hell”) takes viewers inside his creative process in an exploration of where ideas come from.