Composer Nicholas Britell discusses his approach to scoring Noah Baumbach's upcoming film 'Jay Kelly,' starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler. He used a felt piano for an intimate texture and recorded the score on analog tape to evoke a historic feel. The score incorporates themes that reflect the characters' emotional journeys through Europe.
Film Overview
'Jay Kelly' is Noah Baumbach's latest project, centering on famous actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) and his manager Ron (Adam Sandler). The story follows their profound journey across Europe, where they confront life choices, family relationships, and personal legacies. Baumbach envisioned the score as a key character in the film, emphasizing emotional fullness and melodic qualities.
Developing Jay's Theme
Britell began by reading the script and developing initial ideas. He presented an early demo to Baumbach using a felt piano, which features a layer of felt between the hammers and strings for a more intimate, textured, and restrained sound. This became the centerpiece for Jay's theme, capturing his introspective nature. As Jay grapples with his decisions, the score shifts to a Steinway D concert grand piano to convey emotional depth.
The Tribute Sequence
A pivotal scene occurs at an Italian film festival honoring Jay, accompanied by a montage of his past films drawn from Clooney's real work. Britell composed 'The Tribute' cue to feel like a festival-commissioned piece, distinct from the main score. He aimed for a commercial sound with a big orchestra but produced it differently to maintain separation. The piece blends a fanfare theme—first heard at the film's start during Jay's movie wrap—and a cinema theme, transitioning to felt piano for contemplation.
Evoking Memory and Recording Process
To represent Jay's memories, Britell experimented with reversing audio but instead wrote and performed music backwards, creating an inward, emotional pull that worked effectively. The entire score was recorded to analog tape, mirroring the film's shot-on-film aesthetic. 'There’s a sound you get from the tape that just is, you just don’t get elsewhere,' Britell explained. This parallel enhances the film's historic tone.
