• About Us
  • Advertising on Awards Daily
Sunday, May 28, 2023
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
Awardsdaily
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Calendar 2023
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Calendar 2023
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News
No Result
View All Result
Awardsdaily
No Result
View All Result


Composer Jordan Gagne Evolves ‘Altered Carbon’ Score in Season 2

The Netflix series continues 30 years after the events of Season 1. How does Gagne's score reflect that shift?

by Clarence Moye
March 4, 2020
in ADTV, COMPOSERS, Interviews
0
Composer Jordan Gagne Evolves ‘Altered Carbon’ Score in Season 2

(Photo: Diyah Pera/Netflix)

Netflix’s sci-fi drama Altered Carbon envisions a future where a person’s memories and persona can be stored and implanted in a new host. As with many great sci-fi properties, this plot mechanic allows the series to explore many broader themes. Ideas revolving around human-machine ethics, gender identity, cyberspace and reality, and more all surface within the narrative. It also allows the series to adopt new actors, similar to the varied casting employed in Doctor Who. Season 1 saw the main character Takeshi Kovacs played by House of Cards‘ Joel Kinnaman. The same character is played by Avengers star Anthony Mackie in Season 2.

The accompanying score also reflects a similar shift from Season 1 to Season 2. It maintains a toe in the original season while adopting new themes in Season 2. Credit composer Jordan Gagne with that rather consistency within evolution. It’s a tricky concept that he and composing partner Jeff Russo (FX’s Fargo) explore with great success.

Here, Gagne talks with Awards Daily about his long-term collaboration with Russo and what that brings to their scoring. He also goes into detail about shifting the Altered Carbon score into Season 2. Finally, he speaks generally about sci-fi scoring and his great love for the genre.

Awards Daily: You’ve partnered with Jeff Russo on multiple projects, including Altered Carbon. What is it about Russo that makes your collaboration such a productive one?

Jordan Gagne: To be honest, we have very similar taste in music. The sounds we use are within our general aesthetic musically. We’ve just always connected on that. It’s been a pretty seamless partnership, and we’ve worked together for the better part of seven years. It’s just never been a problem. In recent years, we’ve moved to co-composing things like Treadstone and Altered Carbon. It’s just always been going in that direction, I suppose.

AD: When talking about Altered Carbon, how does the sound of a sci-fi series differ from something like ABC’s The Rookie or USA Networks’ Treadstone, both of which you’ve composed?

JG: If you think sci-fi, there are two home bases that people usually gravitate toward. There are either the super orchestral score or futuristic beeps and boops kind of thing. Those are the two things that everyone typically goes to. With Altered Carbon, we thought we’d probably have both of those, but if we picked one, then it wouldn’t be that interesting. We also knew that, if we went in the middle, it would also not be that interesting.

So, what we decided to do was to add a third element that we could add in between this range to make it interesting and differentiate Altered Carbon from something like Treadstone. So, we added the choir. We have orchestra, the beep-boop electronics, and the singers on top of it. When you put that together in a sci-fi project, it really works. It’s the main component of the Altered Carbon score.

AD: When I look at your resume, I see a lot of sci-fi titles. What is it about sci-fi that appeals to you as an artist?

JG: For me, with sci-fi, it’s that theme that anything goes. There’s no pre-ordained restraint. Many genres come with baggage of what a score should be. With sci-fi, the filmmakers are typically creating their own worlds. There’s a significant world-building component, and as such, they’re usually really open to having a totally unique sound. There’s no limitations on sci-fi, and for me, that’s what makes it the most exciting genre.

AD: Going back to Altered Carbon, Season 2 advances 30 years over its first season. How does your score reflect that massive shift in time while maintaining a consistency within the series? 

JG: Right, and there’s even an extra component that adds to the difficult. Our story picks up 30 years in the future. We don’t want it to feel like a complete anthology, but there are new actors playing the same characters. That makes the score extra important. The strategy was to have a very disciplined score in episode one of Season 2. It was almost like it was episode 10 of Season 1, and then, once the audience becomes cool with the change in actors, we can start to add new elements. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have felt like the same show. I don’t know if anyone would notice that, but that was the goal.

AD: Our website focuses on the awards process, and one thing that I noticed is that, over the last ten years, there aren’t many series in contention for dramatic scoring at the Emmys. There are big titles like Westworld out there, but nominations don’t reflect the number of sci-fi series on air. Why do you think that is? Do you think there remains a bias against sci-fi in the Television Academy?

JG: I think it’s perceived that there is a bias against sci-fi in the Television Academy. I don’t know that I can pinpoint the exact reason why. Though, I would say, since it’s considered that niche audiences watch sci-fi unless it’s a Westworld that has a huge fan base that becomes a story on its own, I wonder if the eyes aren’t on it. Or that they require a suspension of disbelief. Or maybe given how much world building is required that there aren’t as many eyes on the individual parts. I don’t know really. If you find out, then let me know. (Laughs)

I think also biopic roles are typically shoe-ins during awards season, and you can’t do a biopic if it’s a sci-fi. They have to be new characters, so maybe there’s something there too.

AD: You know, that would be a really interesting and compelling thing: a sci-fi biopic. 

JG: You should make that. (Laughs)

AD: I don’t know that I’m that creative! So, as I’ve mentioned before, you have a lot of variety in your resume? What do you personally gravitate toward as a composer? 

JG: For me, I love to work on things that I would totally watch. I’m very much a fan of prestige television. That’s really appealing to me. There’s so much engagement on television right now with people really caring about it and really talking about it. Scores used to be a very kind of background thing and not known or talked about as much. Now, it’s not just music buried on a TV show. You’re carrying the narrative. You’re really contributing to the storytelling It kind of makes you elevate your game. Prestige TV is really the place to be right now.

Altered Carbon Season 2 is now available on Netflix. 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Print
Tags: Altered CarbonComposersNetflix
Clarence Moye

Clarence Moye

Clarence Moye is an editor of film and television at Awards Daily. He is a member of Critics Choice and the Hollywood Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @ClarenceMoye.

Related Posts

‘White House Plumbers’ Cinematographer Steven Meizler Creates a Paranoid Visual Pallet Out Of Our Cinematic Past

‘White House Plumbers’ Cinematographer Steven Meizler Creates a Paranoid Visual Pallet Out Of Our Cinematic Past

by Clarence Moye
May 26, 2023
0

When sitting down with director David Mandel to discuss the potential visual pallets for the HBO limited series White House Plumbers,...

2023 Emmys: A Window Closes and Team ADTV Offers Their Emmy Underdogs

2023 Emmys: A Window Closes and Team ADTV Offers Their Emmy Underdogs

by Clarence Moye
May 26, 2023
4

Wednesday, May 31, marks the final day of eligibility for the 2023 Emmy season. After that, you're on your own,...

jodi balfour ted lasso

Ted Lasso’s Jodi Balfour Reveals What Jack, Roy, and Jamie Might Have in Common As Keeley’s Partners

by Megan McLachlan
May 26, 2023
0

Awards Daily talks to Jodi Balfour about romancing Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) in Season 3 of Ted Lasso. Like so...

last flight home

‘Last Flight Home’ Director Ondi Timoner On the Importance of End Of Life Rights

by Megan McLachlan
May 25, 2023
0

Awards Daily talks to director Ondi Timoner about her very personal documentary Last Flight Home, which tells the story of...

being mary tyler moore

‘Being Mary Tyler Moore’ Director James Adolphus On Why Moore Never Saw Herself as a Feminist

by Megan McLachlan
May 25, 2023
0

Awards Daily talks to director James Adolphus about his new HBO documentary, Being Mary Tyler Moore, and the lady behind...

‘White House Plumbers:’ Costume Designer Leah Katznelson Balanced History with Artistic Freedom For the Watergate Drama

‘White House Plumbers:’ Costume Designer Leah Katznelson Balanced History with Artistic Freedom For the Watergate Drama

by Clarence Moye
May 25, 2023
0

We know a great deal about the Watergate hearings, its cast of characters, its major events, and the various trials...

Next Post
‘Ozark’ Season 3 Trailer: Marty and Wendy ‘Are All In’

'Ozark' Season 3 Trailer: Marty and Wendy 'Are All In'

Reframe: Witness

Reframe: Witness

May 28, 2023

2023 Cannes Dispatch: That’s a Wrap

May 27, 2023

2023 Cannes Dispatch: Will Win / Should Win

May 26, 2023
2023 Emmys: A Window Closes and Team ADTV Offers Their Emmy Underdogs

2023 Emmys: A Window Closes and Team ADTV Offers Their Emmy Underdogs

by Clarence Moye
May 26, 2023
4

Wednesday, May 31, marks the final day of eligibility for the 2023 Emmy season. After that, you're on your own,...

jodi balfour ted lasso

Ted Lasso’s Jodi Balfour Reveals What Jack, Roy, and Jamie Might Have in Common As Keeley’s Partners

by Megan McLachlan
May 26, 2023
0

Awards Daily talks to Jodi Balfour about romancing Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) in Season 3 of Ted Lasso. Like so...

last flight home

‘Last Flight Home’ Director Ondi Timoner On the Importance of End Of Life Rights

by Megan McLachlan
May 25, 2023
0

Awards Daily talks to director Ondi Timoner about her very personal documentary Last Flight Home, which tells the story of...

being mary tyler moore

‘Being Mary Tyler Moore’ Director James Adolphus On Why Moore Never Saw Herself as a Feminist

by Megan McLachlan
May 25, 2023
0

Awards Daily talks to director James Adolphus about his new HBO documentary, Being Mary Tyler Moore, and the lady behind...

95 Years of Oscars: Ranking The Best Picture Winners Part Two – #75-51

95 Years of Oscars: Ranking The Best Picture Winners Part Two – #75-51

by Mark Johnson
May 25, 2023
72

Welcome to Part Two of our countdown of the greatest Best Picture winners of all time! In Part One, we...

2023 Emmy Predictions: Breaking Down the Lead Actress in a Limited Series Race and ‘Succession’ Watch!

2023 Emmy Predictions: Breaking Down the Lead Actress in a Limited Series Race and ‘Succession’ Watch!

by Clarence Moye
May 22, 2023
1

This week, Joey leads the Water Cooler in a conversation about the Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series...

AwardsDaily Crew

  • About Us
  • Sasha Stone
  • Editor Ryan Adams
  • Editor Clarence Moye
  • Editor Mark Johnson
  • Contact Us

ADTV Crew

  • ADTV Home
  • Megan McLachlan, Editor
  • Joey Moser, Editor
  • Clarence Moye, Editor
  • Jalal Haddad, Senior Contributor
  • Shadan Larki
  • Ben Morris
  • David Phillips
  • Advertising on Awards Daily
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Oscar Podcast
  • AwardsDailyTV

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Calendar 2023
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In