In this episode of Sync Music Matters, I’m joined by composer and music producer Simon Franglen for a fascinating conversation spanning pop production and film score.

Simon reflects on his early career writing jingles and programming the Synclavier for Trevor Horn, an experience that placed him at the intersection of music and emerging technology. That foundation led to high-level session gigs working on music for artists including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion – culminating in his role producing “My Heart Will Go On” for Titanic.

His transition into film scoring began with Dances With Wolves, working alongside John Barry and then Alan Sylvestri and James Horner. Experience that shaped his approach to melody and storytelling. We discuss how those lessons continue to inform his work today.

The conversation then turns to Simon’s latest project, Avatar: Fire and Ash, where he recorded new themes and created original musical instruments to help define the film’s sonic world. With a piano in the room, Simon plays excerpts from the score, offering rare insight into his creative process.

Simon talks about the film’s songs including “Dream as One” by Miley Cyrus and “The Future and The Past” sung by Zoë Saldaña and how they support the narrative.

We also explore the decline of strong thematic composition in modern cinema and why Hollywood has shifted away from it.

Finally, Simon offers his perspective on AI and the music industry, addressing both the risks and the enduring importance of human creativity.

Listen to the Avatar: Fire and Ash Score on Spotify

In the latest episode of Sync Music Matters, I sit down with composer Nathan Klein to dive deep into his gripping score for the Sky series Atomic – a project defined by chaos, grit, and raw emotional power. From experimenting with industrial synths to navigating the psychological pressures of pitching, this conversation is a fascinating insight for anyone interested in film scoring and TV music composition.

Nathan shares the creative journey behind developing the sonic identity of Atomic. The series demanded a score that felt chaotic and like it was part of a naughties buddy movie. To capture this, he leaned into Gritty industrial synths and Aggressive, textural string performances

The Trap of Second-Guessing: Why Composers Must Trust Their Voice

One of the most valuable themes in this episode is the danger of second-guessing what directors want during the pitching process. Nathan talks candidly about trying to predict expectations instead of following his instincts

He highlights that directors often respond most strongly to ideas that feel authentic and bold.

Creativity Under Pressure: Overcoming Mental Blocks

We also dig into how pressure can stifle creativity—something every composer, producer, and artist knows too well. Nathan shares how deadlines, self-doubt, and the fast pace of TV work can shrink your creative space if you let them.

The conversation expands beyond Atomic into Nathan’s work on BBC series Ludwig and Film Club, directed by, written by, and starring Amy Lou Wood. These projects required a totally different musical touch offering an intimate contrast to the intensity of Atomic.

Whether you’re an emerging composer, a seasoned scorer, or someone fascinated by the craft behind film and TV music, this episode offers:

• Practical insights into the composing and pitching process
• Honest discussion about the psychological side of creative work
• A behind-the-scenes look at two major projects from one of the industry’s rising composers

Nathan Klein Website

Nathan Klein Instagram

I recently sat down to interview Mac Quayle the Emmy-winning composer, known for his iconic work on Mr. Robot and most recently Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Our conversation traced his journey from club DJ to composer of some of television’s most unsettling soundscapes.

From Dance Floors to Film Scores

Before Hollywood, Mac was shaping late-night dance floors as a DJ and remixer in New York. But with the advent of streaming and the death of music sales Mac decided to change lanes.

That pivot led him to collaborate with legendary composer Cliff Martinez, and Mac moved from commercial music to cinematic storytelling

Scoring Monster

With Monster, Mac wasn’t interested in jump scares or obvious horror tropes. Instead, he built a score rooted in psychological dread – leaning into quiet tension and emotional unease – the kind that lingers long after the scene ends. The result is a sonic world that feels intimate, unsettling and hauntingly human.

We dived deep into his creative toolkit of modular synths, processed textures, and unconventional string techniques – exploring the tactile noises that make strings feel alive, anxious and close to the skin.

Mac Quayle Website

Mac Quayle Instagram

Sync Music Matters

In this episode of Sync Music Matters, I chat with composer Oli Julian, the man behind the gloriously mischievous scoring of The Twits for Netflix

Known for his work on Sex Education and Catastrophe, Oli brings his signature blend of fun, rhythm and emotional punch to Roald Dahl’s anarchic world with a soundtrack he describes as “kleptomaniacal”

The new film, featuring the voices of Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas as the grotesquely dysfunctional Mr and Mrs Twit, is anything but conventional and neither is its score. Oli takes us behind the scenes of a sonic palette that includes Bulgarian choirs and what he calls “flatulent” baltic brass, giving the film an irreverent and delightfully chaotic tone.

He tells the story of how, during one of his early meetings, he found himself playing the musical saw over Zoom – a moment he jokes might have sealed the deal.

But beneath the playfulness, there’s a deep sense of craft and authenticity to Oli’s work. We talk about how his first dalliance with making music came in the from of a humble four-track recording of Wonderwall by Oasis.

As a drummer, Oli admits he’s “rhythmically led,” and it shows — the propulsive energy of his cues often drives the emotional core of a scene. For him, groove and feel aren’t just musical ideas, they’re emotional anchors.

During our chat, a familiar theme emerges – one shared by so many composers: the importance of authenticity and being confident in what you create.

The Twits might be a story about the world’s most horrible couple, but under Oli Julian’s mischievous baton, it’s also a celebration of the beautifully bizarre – proof that even the strangest sounds can make perfect sense when they come from an honest place.

Oli Julian Website

Oli Julian Instagram

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:03:00) Interview with Oli Julian – What was your path into music?

(00:13:35) Creating a Unique Sound?

(00:15:20) Under The Skin: Scoring The Twits

(00:26:38) Working with David Byrne

(00:28:30) Winning an RTS award (Drama vs Comedy)

(00:34:05) Renegade Nell

(00:40:46) Getting a Taste

(00:49:41) Quickfire Questions

Jeff Russo – Scoring Alien: Earth. On Sync Music Matters this week, I sit down with Emmy-winning composer Jeff Russo the creative force behind some of television’s most memorable music. From the darkly playful Fargo score to his latest work on Alien Earth (now streaming on Disney+), Jeff has a gift for crafting soundscapes that challenge, surprise, and deepen the stories they accompany.

We talk about scoring Alien: Earth and following in the footsteps of Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner. Jeff also reflects on his early career as a producer and songwriter, working alongside Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman from Prince’s band The Revolution, and his friendship with Lenny Kravitz.

Our conversation also dug into his long-standing creative partnership with Noah Hawley. Their first project together, The Unusuals, marked the start of a collaboration that has carried through to Fargo and now Alien Earth. Jeff spoke about the trust and shared vision that comes from years of working together.

And then there are the instruments. The Bassdesmaphone or the Aztec Death Whistle, the unconventional tools tools which spark creativity

This episode is full of insights and inspiration

Jeff Russo is an Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated composer, songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and music producer.

Jeff has scored a plethora of movies and TV series and received an Emmy in 2017 for his work on Fargo and was nominated a further four times.

Recent film credits include The Last Rodeo; Star Trek: Section 31 whilst resent series include FX’s Alien: Earth and Netflix’ Untamed

Jeff is also a founding member, lead guitarist and co-songwriter of two-time Grammy nominated, multi-platinum selling rock band,Tonic

Jeff Russo on Instagram

Jeff Russo Website

Andrew Lockington Interview – This week on Sync Music Matters I’m joined by Canadian composer Andrew Lockington whose music you may have heard recently on shows like Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness and Landman. All shows which were created and directed by Taylor Sheridan

We delve into the score for Landman, Andrew’s creative process and how a lot of the music was written before any footage has been shot. We also discuss the art of embracing imperfection and how the emotion behind the music is maybe more important than the music itself. Andrew also reveals why he thinks that only 50% of composing is actually about the music.

Andrew Lockington is best-known for his epic scores to the Warner Bros. blockbusters San Andreas, Rampage and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which together have surpassed over $1 billion in box office revenues.

Recent and current credits include Netflix’s epic sci-fi feature Atlas starring Jennifer Lopez and several projects with Taylor Sheridan including Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness and Landman.

Andrew is always looking to push the boundaries of film scoring which has led him to recording in exotic locations like jungles of Papua New Guinea, ancient temples in Northern Japan, a volcano in Polynesia and an abandoned subway station beneath central London.

Andrew Lockington on Instagram

Andrew Lockington Website

In this episode of Sync Music Matters, I sit down with Jenn Anderson-Miller, a leading voice at the intersection of music, technology, and rights, to explore how How AI Is Reshaping the Music Industry from how music is made to how creators are protected.

Jenn Miller is the CEO and Co-Founder of Audiosocket, a forward-thinking music tech company revolutionising how music is licensed and used in media. With over 15 years of experience helping shape the music licensing landscape, Jenn is also the host of the insightful new series, Equitable Solutions for Creators in an AI Era.

Jenn has participated in the DOJ Copyright Roundtable Sessions and recently moderated a SXSW panel on the future of music rights management. She brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and real-world experience to the urgent conversation about How AI Is Reshaping the Music Industry.

We begin by unpacking the difference between traditional AI, which powers tools like recommendation engines and music data analytics, and generative AI, which can now create entirely new compositions, lyrics, and even synthetic vocals.

What does this mean for artists, composers, and rights holders.

Can generative AI replace human composers? That’s one of the key questions we explore. While AI is capable of generating music at scale, Jenn emphasises the emotion, humanity, and lived experience that only human creators bring – the very qualities that make music truly resonate.

We also examine whether the rise of AI-generated content will push audiences to seek out more authentic, human connection through music and what that might mean for the future of music.

A major focus of our conversation is the evolving world of music rights management. As AI tools become capable of generating content that mimics real artists or samples existing work, who owns the rights to AI-generated music?

Jenn shares her expertise on the legal and ethical implications, the need for updated rights frameworks, and why protecting creators is more important than ever.

• AI will transform music workflows, but human creativity remains irreplaceable.

• Emotion and authenticity are the core of what makes music meaningful.

• The industry must modernize rights management systems to address AI’s impact.

• Advocacy and equitable solutions for creators are key to shaping a fair future.

Interesting Article: Why AI Can’t Make Art (and Probably Never Will) https://lateralaction.com/articles/ai-cant-make-art/

Jack Halama Interview – In this episode of Sync Music Matters I’m talking to BAFTA nominated multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Jack Halama.

He’s written for numerous productions including Disney+ comedy/drama Rivals to Netflix series Who Is Erin Carter? He’s also written additional music for a host of major series including Marvel’s Loki, and Star Wars spin off Obi Wan Kenobi.

Jack has a diverse background that straddles contemporary and classical education. Jack draws on eclectic range of influences blending guitars, synths and classical elements to create a unique style.

Rivals has a very distinct musical identity and Jack talks about the importance of making bold musical choices in order to create that identity. He also wonders whether it’s also the key to winning pitches. The importance of creating your own sounds and specifically recording instruments underwater.

We nerd out on what plugins and synths he uses and also talk about the underwater recordings he made for Netflix’ Who is Erin Carter – he literally recorded a guitar and cello underwater which makes for a unique sound palette.

This Jack Halama Interview is available wherever you get your podcasts

Jack Halama Website

Jack Halama Instagram