Hans ZimmerToday, HeyUGuys was able to interview a true legend when it comes to movies. Examples of films he has scored include True Romance, Thelma & Louise, Black Hawk Down, more recently the likes of Gladiator,  Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and his latest being that of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes. On his first ever assignment for HeyUGuys, Adam Farina was given over 30 minutes to talk with the composing icon and you can listen to the full interview audio below.

Points that might be worth taking note are that of the ‘projects’ he and Nolan are currently looking at collaborating on. It has to be the Dark Knight follow-up doesn’t it?! Or is it just Inception which they are both currently working on?

Take it away Adam…..

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”The job is about being better”, says the Maestro. ‘Elementary, my dear Zimmer’.

OK, so I never said that, but Sherlock never said said ‘Elementary, my dear Watson’ either, so Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and I are even!

But that quote is verbatim Hans Zimmer and what’s far from elementary is the fact that I am sitting opposite a genius of cinematic score. When people talk about James Cameron elevating the level of visual effects into the stratosphere, Hans Zimmer has been doing exactly the same thing to movie scores for years. Dark Knight, the Rock, Pirates of the Caribbean and now Sherlock Holmes. He even did the jingle for ‘Going for Gold’. Yes, indeed THAT ‘Going for Gold’. While you may not have the latter on your iPod ready to help you break the pain barrier on an early morning run or even earlier morning commute, his work has elevated the pulse rates of cinema goers and  now game fans alike with the sound track to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the record breaking video game released only a month ago. Hans Zimmer has brought another modern and masterful score to fruition with a character who is 150 years old this year.

Listen to the audio below and you can use these quick-guides to give you  more of an idea of what we talked about and where you can jump to for the relevant bits.

  • 00:00 – 03:30 Comparing the Sherlock Holmes Score to that of Dark Knight (and possible sequel!) and how they tried to keep away from it
  • 03:30 – 05:00 Sequels and how the scores came together for them
  • 05:00 – 08:00 Watching (listening to) his work with an audience and their reaction to his work
  • 08:00 – 10:30 Working with Robert Downey Jr. and how he can rely on his performance to help his score
  • 10:30 – 13:00 Location
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Inspiration
  • 14:00 – 15:15 Action and setting the scene
  • 15:15 – 16:40  Finding the right sound
  • 16:40 – 20:00 Working through the creative process & finding the right musicians
  • 20:00 – 21:30 Would Holmes approve with his work & what was his favourite part of the movie?
  • 21:30 – 23:00 How to present your work to the studio
  • 23:00 – 26:40 What makes a ‘massive’ score?
  • 26:40 – 29:30 Presenting ‘crazy ideas’ to Guy Ritchie
  • 29:30 – 31:07 What’s next (Working with Christopher Nolan on the ‘next project’ – what could it be?!)

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After my final question I begin to make my exit and sincerely wish Hans all the best for the future, he nods with thanks and says ”that’s perfect timing” as he must check in with his wife and children in Santa Monica, also home to his sound company ‘Remote Control’ productions. It’s a nice note to leave on, a private family moment at Christmas time. I’ll look forward to mine with ‘the clan’ watching (and listening) this modern re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, expertly crafted through just as an imaginative score. Elementary, really.

Sherlock Holmes is released on Boxing Day and you can read our review of the movie here or look at footage and photos from the World Premiere here.