Composers
Composer Lorne Balfe Discusses MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, The Game Awards And SIX UNDERGROUND
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, released during the summer of 2018, found Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team (Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames) along with some familiar allies (Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Monaghan) in a race against time after a mission gone wrong. Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby also joined the cast with filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie returning to the helm.
The film, which had a worldwide haul of $791,017,452, delivered the franchise’s largest three-day opening back in July with $61.5 million. (Box Office Mojo). The film is available now on Blu-ray, DVD and live-streaming.
The score was composed by Lorne Balfe. In addition to the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, Balfe’s music has been heard these past few years with GEOSTORM, 12 STRONG, PACIFIC RIM UPRISING and Michael Bay’s upcoming film SIX UNDERGROUND. Composer of video games “Call of Duty: Warfare II,” and “FIFA 19”, Balfe was the musical director for The Game Awards in December.
I recently caught up with the Emmy-nominated composer (and father) who has been creating explosive, yet thoughtful musical worlds for audiences and fans of TV, films, video games and award shows.
photo – facebook.com/lornebalfemusic/
WAMG: The last time we spoke was in 2015 for the film TERMINATOR: GENISYS and boy have you been busy.
Lorne Balfe: If I’m not doing movies, I’m having children, so I’m basically busy all the time. (laughs)
WAMG: I watched the Game Awards – how was it to be the show’s musical director? https://youtu.be/SHt3FyE-VIQ
LB: It’s a different part of the brain, that’s for sure, during awards ceremonies. You have to think of the bigger picture. I loved it. I worked with Geoff (Keighley) maybe seven years ago and we spoke about a montage for the show and it ended up being perfect timing. I slowly eased into being the musical director on the show. Instead of just one I ended up doing five pieces of music. We’re building up to next year so we’ll be a bit more comfortable with it.
WAMG: The opening was so awesome and the ratings were staggering. According to Variety, “the 2018 show numbers didn’t just increase, they leapt, up 128% to over 26.2 million global livestreams.” Those are mind-boggling numbers!
LB: I’m going to take credit for that (laughs). It shows you what the future is and how the industry is. I was wracking my brain for weeks trying to figure out how to open the show and I went with people who are at the forefront for composing for video games. They are a new breed, while getting some familiar faces there who had worked on classic games. Thankfully I have Harry Gregson-Williams and Hans Zimmer’s phone numbers and it worked out well. It was a great opening and legitimate and music-wise, for me, it was to thank the gaming community.
WAMG: It was really cool as well as unique to see the music and scores from the games being performed on the show.
LB: It’s always been in the shadow of movies and that’s why I wanted to try the musical set pieces, which is way bigger than what you get at the Oscars. When I’m composing for a film now, I’m always hearing about video games and the music. It’s a total reversal. And you look at the viewer numbers and shows it’s no longer a niche.
WAMG: 26 million viewers streaming a live awards show proves that.
LB: If I had known that at the time I probably would have had an accident (laughs).
WAMG: When you were working on TERMINATOR GENISYS, I asked you, “As you were writing the score did you ever stop and think, I am composing for a TERMINATOR film!” You replied, “No and the weirdest thing is once I started, and it happened so quickly, that if I’d spent any time thinking about that, I probably would have had a heart attack and panicked. I wouldn’t have gotten a single note written.”
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2015/07/composer-lorne-balfe-talks-score-for-terminator-genisys/
Now I have to ask you the same thing about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT. Did of you have a holy crap moment where you go, I’m composing for a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movie as well as collaborating with director Christopher McQuarrie.
LB: Before you start the only real reaction you have to composing for a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE film is simply “f**k”. I remember going to watch the first one twice in the cinema and the whole franchise has been part of my movie development. You have to kind of forget about what it is that you’re composing for because if you don’t, it overwhelms you. It’s one of those rare dreams that comes true. There are not that many franchises now days and with Chris, who wrote THE USUAL SUSPECTS, he’s an amazing filmmaker and you’re getting to work with Tom Cruise who is the last of the movie stars.
Global Premiere of ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ at Palais de Chaillot on July 12, 2018 in Paris, France.
WAMG: How do include Lalo Schifrin’s iconic theme and what was the discussion with Christopher McQuarrie? I love the heavy percussion that you use, not only in this film but as well as 13 HOURS, 12 STRONG, and dark and Ethan Hunt’s theme.
LB: I’m a failed percussionist. (Laughs). I love percussionists and working with musicians. I always think rhythmically when writing far more than melodies or harmonies, it’s just how my brain works.
WAMG: Speaking about your MI score, congratulations on your nomination from the Seattle Film Critics http://seattlefilmcritics.com/2018/12/10/the-favourite-leads-the-2018-seattle-film-critics-society-nominations/
LB: A lot of musicians put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the score. It’s always great for the team and with MISSION we had 30 recording days and sessions and we’re very happy with the nomination.
WAMG: Plus you were awarded an Emmy-nomination for “Outstanding Main Title theme” for GENIUS.
LB: I always try to work on a couple documentaries a year. GENIUS was one of those projects that I loved doing – it was great to delve into the worlds of Picasso and Einstein. It was great to be invited into their worlds and trying to create a soundtrack, a voice for them was nearly impossible. We can’t tell what goes on in their heads, but it’s always a great journey composing for these shows.
WAMG: In March of 2016, I interviewed Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan about the documentary THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON. It was a thrill talking to him and watching the film, and your fantastic score captured what it was to be an astronaut, the space race, and literally the final man to walk on the Moon.
LB: To me, I wanted to try to give some respect to him and his colleagues because a lot of their journeys have been forgotten about. There was such a rush for the space race but then they just got put aside. That’s how I always looked at it. The sacrifice that they all made and it’s something none of can imagine doing. When writing for it I treated it as if it was a Western and the astronauts were the new generation of Cowboy discovering new land.
WAMG: Speaking of franchises, you also worked on PACIFIC RIM UPRISING. Ramin Djawadi’s score on the original was terrific but what you did with the music, especially the Jaegers theme, was so great.
LB: It’s always a little difficult with a franchise, and a sequel, but it was so much fun! Fans are pretty loyal and expect to hear some of the same music. PACIFIC RIM UPRISING was a new story and thematically you didn’t need to have them too connected. You can’t go wrong with Robots and Space.
WAMG: With going between different mediums of TV, film and video games over these past few years, has you approach changed to composing?
LB: The only thing that’s changed has been the way I work. It’s much slower now and the hours I spend are more focused. I’m more comfortable now with knowing there are really no rules where before I was worried on what I was trying to say musically. I’m more relaxed now when trying to tell the story and the filmmaking process.
WAMG: As with MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, there are vocals in the “Mission” music cue. The choir takes the theme and gives it a unique twist.
LB: It’s also having fun with it I think. We teased the audience throughout the whole film with that main theme and Chris always wanted for the ending sequence to have a loyal version of it. Having the choir sing the “Mission Impossible” theme in Latin was the cherry on the cake. It goes to the “Spinal Tap” school of thinking. If you go ten, you can go to eleven.
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4QPkPa4bxs08SvFTpLwt1T
https://lalalandrecords.com/mission-impossible-fallout-2-cd-set/
WAMG: What’s coming up next for you?
LB: I’m working with Michael Bay on his new film SIX UNDERGROUND with Ryan Reynolds. I’m just at the beginning stages of it too.
SIX UNDERGROUND is directed by Michael Bay (Transformers) and will star Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool). The film, produced by Skydance Media and Netflix, is targeted for worldwide release in 2019 on Netflix. The action film is based on an original idea from writers and executive producers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, best known for their irreverent work on Deadpool and Deadpool 2. Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger will produce Six Underground along with Bay.
WAMG: I can’t wait for that! I love Michael Bay films!
LB: I can’t wait! His movies are one of the reasons I got into composing for films. It’s the same with Jerry Bruckheimer. Every time I saw his name at the beginning of a film, you knew you were going to have a blast. I had the privilege of working with Jerry on GEOSTORM and 12 STRONG. And now working with Michael again after 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI, you sit there and see the most visually impressive cinematic action scenes – it’s an honor to write for them.
WAMG: With those themes in 12 STRONG and 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI, it has to be a solemn experience to compose music for this genre.
LB: 13 HOURS was a very personal story for Michael because he wanted to show and respect those who have gone to war. Musically it’s a challenge because you don’t want to go over the top patriotic. You have to create a more internal soundtrack to each soldier’s story. It’s always difficult with a true story – you can’t belittle it.
For more on Lorne Balfe, visit his website: http://lornebalfe.com/
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