My Work on Films Featured in The New York Times' "Films We've Loved Since 2000" List
I was pleased to discover that several films I've worked on have been included in The New York Times' recent "The Movies We've Loved Since 2000" list. While working alongside Roger Neill, I had the opportunity to be part of four of these celebrated productions. Each project presented unique creative challenges and memorable experiences that helped shape my development as a film composer.
20th Century Women (2016)
Working on this Oscar-nominated film with director Mike Mills was a particularly formative experience in my early Hollywood career. I had the chance to visit the set during production (see Roger's cameo as the conductor of the girl's choir), and I was struck by Mike’s attention to detail, the precision with which he approached every shot and every moment. We all spent many hours in Roger's studio together, watching the score evolve from blocky cello pop to an ethereal, nostalgic, bittersweet synth landscape that perfectly captured the film's essence.
The film's 1979 Santa Barbara setting required a careful balance of period-appropriate music and original score elements. The experience of helping craft the sonic landscape for this critically acclaimed coming-of-age story was invaluable.
Don't Think Twice (2016)
Mike Birbiglia's bittersweet comedy about an improv troupe, Don't Think Twice, required a musical approach that reflected the improvisational nature of the characters' world while also supporting the film's more poignant moments of friendship, jealousy, and personal growth.
The collaborative process on this film reinforced the importance of understanding the emotional underpinnings of comedy and how music can support both the humour and the deeper emotional moments that give the film its resonance. The music became part of the conversation between characters rather than simply commenting on it. Like a good improv performer, the score knew when to step forward and when to hang back, creating space for the story to breathe.
Three Months (2022)
By the time Three Months came along, I had returned to the UK, and Roger and I had already established a comfortable remote working relationship. When the pandemic hit, our workflow remained largely unchanged while many other production teams scrambled to adapt.
I recall setting up a modest workstation on my living room table, unable to access my full studio during lockdown. Despite these limitations, there was something fitting about scoring a coming-of-age story during a period when the entire world was being forced to reinvent itself.
The film—focusing on a teenager waiting the three months required to determine if he has contracted HIV—demanded music that could capture both anxiety and hope. Our remote collaboration across time zones somehow enhanced our sensitivity to these emotional currents, perhaps because we were all experiencing a similar sense of suspended time and uncertainty.
Sam Now (2022)
Reed Harkness' beautiful documentary Sam Now presented a different kind of challenge. Spanning 25 years of a family's journey, the emotional footage combines with a thoughtful musical approach that supports the documentary's narrative without overwhelming its authentic moments.
Working on this project deepened my appreciation for documentary as an art form that requires a distinct musical sensitivity. Unlike narrative features where the composer helps shape the emotional reality, documentaries ask composers to respond to an emotional truth that already exists in the footage.
What stands out most about Sam Now was how the visually stunning approach to non-fiction storytelling called for music that could match its artistry while respecting the raw honesty of the family's experiences. Finding that balance—between artistic expression and respectful restraint—was a lesson I carry with me to every project.
Looking back at these four films, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have contributed in some small way to their musical identities. Each project offered its own challenges and rewards, but what unites them is the collaborative spirit at the heart of filmmaking—directors, composers, and countless others bringing their best to create something meaningful together.
To view the complete New York Times list, including these films, visit their interactive feature here.