The Screen Composer's Studio

Mychael Danna - Concept + Instinct

November 04, 2020 The Screen Composers Guild of Canada Season 1 Episode 9
The Screen Composer's Studio
Mychael Danna - Concept + Instinct
Show Notes

“You don’t need to follow all the rules to be successful.  There is a certain advantage in having an individual path that is unique”

Mychael Danna is one of Canada’s most successful film composers, a national treasure and a unique talent who has reached the highest levels of global success.  His illustrious career hit a pinnacle in 2013 when he won the Oscar for his dazzling score to Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, but his path leading to that moment is rich with powerful films accompanied by equally powerful scores.  His career was kick started by early successes with Atom Egoyan, and the two would become evergreen collaborators, working on now classic indie films like Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter, and Ararat.  His integration of non-western musical colors and love of early music set him apart, and Hollywood soon came calling.  Now the list of notable films stretches on: The Ice Storm, Girl, Interrupted, 8MM, Being Julia, Capote,  Little Miss Sunshine, Moneyball… among many more.  Mychael has recently moved into scoring marquee animated films like Storks and The Good Dinosaur, often collaborating with his brother, Jeff.  We chat about his early days studying and discovering world and ancient music in Toronto, and uncover his approaches to music and storytelling.  Mychael is remarkably humble and candid, and this chat is sure to delight longtime fans as well as be an inspiration to composers at any stage in their career.