You may have heard composer’s Roque Baños work in films like “The Machinist” and “Fragile” but he recently made his U.S. film debut with scoring “Evil Dead”. His score is not only amazing it is down right terrifying. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Roque about his work on the film and what we can expect next.
Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with scoring “Evil Dead”?
Roque Baños: I sent a message to Fede Alvarez by Facebook. We didn’t know each other and I introduced myself to him thinking that he might not have any idea about me and my work. We answered very excited saying that he knew my work very well and he loved it. From there we started a very hard obstacle race to get the score. He temped the lock picture with my music from other movies and everyone was agreed that I should be the composer.
MG: How does it feel to have created a score that literally scares its viewers?
It is very satisfactory, seeing how the music does with the movie and the audience react to that in the way you were looking for. Our proposal was to create the most terrifying score you’ll ever hear.
MG: Tell us about the use of sirens in the score?
RB: I always look for a unique sound in a score that makes it special, as it was with the theremin in “The Machinist”, or a wolf-ghost-like sound in “Intruders”. So in Evil Dead, I wanted a sound that really freaked out the people. At the beginning of the process I was really scared for the movie, and couldn’t sleep for two weeks! I was hearing sirens very late at night in the city, and I thought this could be a good option to make the pope really scared. I tried an acoustic siren and Fede loved it! Me too, actually, each time the siren sounds, everyone is frighten!
MG: With your work on “The Machinist” and “Fragile”; what do you enjoy most about creating scary music?
RB: For me the most satisfying aspect of if is that you can experiment a lot with the music. Scary movies allows that more than any others, and I love that.
MG: Did you get any inspiration from the past “Evil Dead” films?
RB: I knew the very well, but I didn’t use any of them for inspiration. I just try to start from zero-point when I have to compose a new score for a film, that’s the way I think it gets more freshness on it. Fede and I talked a lot about that, and our goal was to create a “classical” score for the movie, more similar to those from the 80’s but with a modern sound on it.
MG: What was your biggest challenge on this score?
RB: To not repeat any music, or get boring with it. To try to caught the audience and stick them to their seat without letting them even breath. And of course, to get an emotion coming out from everyone, beside of the scare.
MG: Do you have plans to work with Fede Alvarez again in the future?
RB: Of course!! We have became very close friends and we have talked already about our next protect together. I wish it happens! Fede is a great director, very talented and very comfortable to work with.
MG: How does this project compare from your past score work?
RB: I believe this score is a resume of all my work since my first movie. I’ve truly put all my knowledge on it, and so far, I consider it my best one. It contains emotion, action, fear, despair…
MG: What do you have lined up next?
RB: I’ve done a couple of movies from Spain since there, and still trying to decide my best option to be next in the US.
