Making sound make music

Composer Nathan Johnson bridges sound recording and composing in his approach to film scores. In Brick (2005), directed by his cousin Rian, Nathan used a variety of household implements including cutlery, filing cabinets, cheese graters, wine glasses and radiators to create a unique sonic ambiance.

In his videos about the making of Looper (2012), he shows how he gathered a wide range of field recordings to create a sort of playable, found-sound orchestra. The results were combined with live strings and horns to produce deep textures featuring pitched industrial fans, tuned treadmills, and a wide range of intricate rhythmic elements – all looping and cycling on themselves at various speeds.