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During this holiday break, I’m taking the opportunity to spotlight a few interviews that I really enjoyed on The Tomorrow Society Podcast. This year, I’m replaying two conversations with composers. The first is with Mark Mancina, who’s worked on so many great films and other projects. I hope you have a great holidays and are healthy and hanging in there.
It’s easy to take movie scores for granted, yet they’re so important to a successful film. When the music clicks, everything feels right. This point especially applies to animated films, where songs combine with images to connect with our emotions. A perfect example is Disney’s Moana, which offers tunes that fit comfortably within the story. Composer Mark Mancina has created numerous scores that fit this mold. In diverse films like Moana, Speed, and August Rush, his work has the right touch.
Mancina is my guest on this episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast to discuss his career writing music for movies and television. Along with action hits like Training Day and Twister, Mancina has composed for many Disney projects. Our conversation focuses on that work, which started with The Lion King. Mancina also wrote music for Tarzan, Brother Bear, and The Haunted Mansion. Most recently, he collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaiai Foa’I on Moana.
During our fun discussion, Mancina and I cover these questions about his work:
- How did he get interested in composing music when he was young?
- How did Mancina’s background in classic rock help his work with artists like Elton John and Phil Collins?
- What were the challenges in adapting The Lion King for the stage musical?
- Why was working on The Haunted Mansion such a great experience?
- What were the hurdles creating the score for Moana during the long project?
Show Notes: Mark Mancina
Learn more about Mark Mancina’s career and music at his official website.
Read about the August Rush musical in a Washington Post article from February.
Listen to Mark Mancina’s theme park music in the Rivers of Light and Aulani soundtracks.
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Related Podcasts: Mark Mancina
Bruce Broughton on Spaceship Earth, The Timekeeper, Cinemagique, and More (Episode 33)
Paul Leonard-Morgan on Creating the Score for Test Track (Episode 45)
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