Patrick Doyle

Patrick Doyle has enchanted audiences for three decades with profoundly melodic sensibilities, signature styles, and sweeping themes. He is an iconic Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA-nominated composer. Patrick has composed over 60 critically acclaimed film scores, including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Thor, Murder on the Orient Express, Brave, Cinderella, Sense and Sensibility, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Carlito’s Way, Indochine, Great Expectations, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Hamlet, Donnie Brasco, A Little Princess, Gosford Park, and Death on the Nile. And did you know – he is the first Scot in history to be commissioned by a reigning monarch to compose the Coronation March? Patrick’s King Charles III Coronation March was performed live at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023, reaching a global audience of half a billion viewers. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Patrick about his creative journey, gaining fascinating insights into his process, influences, and how he balances classical and contemporary elements in his scores:

Can you share a bit about when and where your composing journey began, and what drew you specifically to film scoring?

The first film that made me aware of the power of music was The Bridge Over the River Kwai. I think I was about 5 years old, and my sisters took me to the cinema to see it. I also remember watching clips of Disney’s Fantasia on television as a youngster and later seeing the film in my early teens. I thought it was inspiring and brought music to life in such a vivid and exciting way. Growing up, my house was always full of music. I was very proud of my first proper composition, a piece for string quartet, which I wrote at 17. I always took a keen interest in film music, but never intended to be a film composer. Although I was classically trained in music and a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, I was drawn to a company of actors and drama, so I worked for many years in theatre as a musical director and a performer. It was after meeting and working with Kenneth Branagh that my first film project, Henry V, came along. It was a great opportunity and coincidentally came at a time when I had decided I wanted to return to music and pursue a career in film scoring.

What was the path or the breakthrough moment that landed your first major scoring project?

My score for Henry V means everything to me and my family. It changed the trajectory of our life. Indeed, the film represented a ‘first’ for so many on the project. It was Kenneth’s first picture as Director, the producer David Parfitt’s first picture and a first-time experience for several of the actors involved, many of whom went on to become stars of modern cinema.

Who/what are your most inspiring musical influences?

I love the score for The Godfather. I think it is incredibly powerful, bold, brave and highly musical. I am also influenced by great classical music, which I’m sure all composers are. I am particularly drawn to the great dramatic composers in the world of classical music, whether it be Verdi, Puccini or Prokofiev. I have always said Berlioz was the very first film composer. I was delighted to recently hear the great conductor, Sir Simon Rattle, say the very same thing.

Can you walk us through your creative process, particularly how you get started and how you merge classical and contemporary elements so seamlessly in your scores?

The first thing one does before commencing a score is to read the script. You need to listen very closely to the filmmakers as to what they require. And give yourself some thinking time. In conversations with the filmmakers you discuss the style, size of the orchestra and what they’re looking for. And, of course, suggest what you can bring to them. It seems obvious, but I think you need to read the script in detail more than once, then again sections at a time and truly immerse yourself in all the appropriate research needed for the project well before starting to write. Very soon the ideas will start to form. How early you receive a script will change from project to project. But I pour over them. I have huge respect for the time, thought and detailed creative planning which has gone on long before I’m asked to be involved. In terms of merging my own classical music training and combining this with the requirements for the score, you must be a chameleon and look for opportunities to keep it contemporary, and classical. If that’s a requirement of course. Sometimes you’re required to keep away from the world of classical music and inhabit the world of electronics or sound design. But usually, you can find a way to merge them both. That’s the skill of a composer.

Do you ever encounter writer’s block; What’s your remedy to cure it?

I suppose I fret quite a bit before I begin a project. And the fret process continues until I find my early roots to the score. But I don’t have writer’s block as such. I just have writer’s neurosis! I try to keep faith in the fact that eventually themes and ideas will come along, if you do your research properly and listen to what the filmmakers require.

Your music often plays a pivotal role in shaping the emotional landscape of a film. Can you describe your process for creating such impactful scores?

Emotion comes from the performances, and the editing, the direction, the costume, the cinematography, the overall narrative and story. It emerges from many sources. These are all the inspirational elements that a composer hopes will be in the picture and their job is to really enhance what is already on the screen.

Is there a particular genre that piques your interest over another? Are there any genres or types of films you haven’t scored yet but would like to explore in the future?

I am so lucky to have avoided being typecast in my career. I have been very fortunate to have composed for all cinematic genres – except a Western! I would be thrilled to score a Western. But I’m not complaining. Comedy is surprisingly one of the most difficult genres to score for. You never want to overdo it. It takes careful balance and sensitivity.

You have quite an impressive and varied portfolio, is there a particular score that you’re especially proud of or that holds special significance to you? If yes, what about that credit made it your proudest to-date?

Being asked to name a favourite score is such a difficult question. I have been very, very fortunate to have composed so many different scores for such a variety of world class directors. I would have to say my first film score for Henry V was an extraordinary experience. And I am especially proud of scoring Disney’s Brave because it was so authentically and respectfully close to my culture, and the cast includes many of my great friends. Of course, scoring Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and being part of such a worldwide phenomenon was wonderful. But these projects are among many, many favourites and I have forged so many fantastic filmmaker relationships and working experiences in my career.

What’s one piece of advice you would offer to aspiring composers looking to break into the film industry?

I would encourage any aspiring young composer to study all the arts. By this I mean literally go and see plays, the opera, all forms of theatre, see art exhibitions, listen to great music, read great works, and study great art. I believe one day all become of profound influence and benefit to furthering the composer’s craft.

What’s your studio setup like? (DAW/Hardware systems); Do you have a favourite piece of gear (or plugin)?

My studio set up is quite stripped back, with a focus more on software than hardware. I compose in Logic, with the essentials of my orchestral template housed separately on a computer running Vienna Ensemble. My go-to for a good many years have been Genelec for speakers and M-Audio for midi keyboards, but the game changer for me in terms of utilising gear efficiently was choosing to run my samples on hard drives in a RAID 0 array. Now, however cheesy this may sound, my favourite piece of gear is still my gorgeous sounding Yamaha upright piano that has provided inspiration throughout almost every score I have worked on.

Can you share some insights into your process of selecting and utilizing virtual instruments to achieve specific sounds or moods in your scores?

This process can be the most enjoyable and also the most painstaking part of the process, especially when going about achieving something unique when right in the middle of a project with a tight deadline. Before starting a project, I curate a template that encompasses as much of the required musical palette as possible. I leave no stone unturned in the search for the perfect sounds. That involves arming myself with the latest in great sample libraries, going back over older ones, and cherry picking from previous score templates. This part of the process often leads to ideas for music cues immediately, which can sometimes spiral into getting joyfully sidetracked! The best advice I could give, that I have reminded myself of again and again over the years, is to remain conscious that inspiration will always come again. Remembering this throughout the journey of creating the full score for a project is invaluable.

If you could snap your fingers and have any virtual instrument custom-tailored for you, what would it be?

It never ceases to amaze me how many virtual instruments that are becoming more and more expertly custom-tailored every year. It’s a joy for a composer and never taken for granted. If it is not already out there, a virtual instrument that I would undoubtedly make use of on a regular basis during the demo phase would be a choir patch that; sings the words asked of it, in the order asked of it, with the defined combination of male and female voices, and with the bonus of translating to other languages (accommodating for syllabic emphasis) when required…. So not a big ask really, I would say… and thank you to whoever created it, if it does in fact already exist!!

What role do Heavyocity products play in your work?

I have had the pleasure of using Heavyocity products for over 15 years now. Damage, Evolve and Punish have played a crucial part in many of my scores. They are often the basis for providing me with that extra bit of inspiration or flair in my composition process. It’s terrific to know that when I’m addressing a request from a director or producer, I can rely on their brilliantly produced sounds and plugins to help form the solid foundation I need for a music cue or achieve exactly what’s required for any given scene. For me, Heavyocity products are unbeaten in terms of quality, and vital in what they provide to my music.

Check out Patrick’s full list of credits and upcoming projects at: https://patrickdoylemusic.com/

Patrick Doyle photos by: Michael Carlo