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In this episode of The Sync Music Matters Podcast I’m talking to Music Supervisor and Consultant Isaac Allaway (previously) Emma Middleton.
Isaac is a film trailer specialist and was voted “Music Supervisor of the Year” in 2020 at AIM Sync. He was also a winner and finalist at the Music & Sound Awards for his work on trailers for The Crown Seasons 3 & 4.
I often talk about the important of irreverence in the creative field and Isaac loves to try new and unexpected musical ideas. I love the fact that he has a ‘curveballs’ folder.
Isaac and I talk about how he went from studying English literature to setting up his own Music Supervision agency.
We go under the skin on his recent projects working on The Witcher and The Crown where he provides insights into the world of both sourcing and writing music for movie trailers.
We discuss his love affair with the music of John Powell… and how he left behind the Javelin in favour of a career in music.
So grab yourself a brew, sit back and enjoy this fascinating and insightful interview with Isaac Allaway
The trailers, music and companies that we discuss are all linked in the show notes below
Isaac Allaway’s website and work
The Witcher Season 2 – Trailer (Rubato Music)
The Crown Season 3 Trailer (Rubato Music)
Companies mentioned by Isaac Allaway
Music that has inspired Isaac Allaway
John Powell – How To Train Your Dragon OST
John Powell – Should I Know You (How To Train Your Dragon 2 OST)
In Episode 4 of The Sync Music Matters Podcast I’m talking to Universal Production Music’s senior producer Andrew Stannard
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Interview with Ben Salisbury – How do composers create film and TV scores that feel like they are an integral part of the world on screen?
That’s one of the questions I explore in this interview with Ben Salisbury, the 2 x Ivor Novello Award-winning and Emmy-nominated composer behind scores for Ex Machina, Devs, Annihilation, Civil War and Under Salt Marsh.
Often collaborating with Geoff Barrow, Ben Salisbury has become one of the most influential composers working in film and television today. His scores beautifully blur the line between music, atmosphere and sound design, creating worlds that feel immersive and unsettling
In this episode of Sync Music Matters, Ben explains his approach to scoring for picture, including how he developed the music for Under Salt Marsh and why he wanted the score to feel as though it was emerging directly from the landscape itself.
Topics covered in this episode
- How Ben Salisbury got started as a film and television composer
- Advice for aspiring composers looking to break into the film and TV industry
- The creative process behind scoring Under Salt Marsh
- How composers can use sound, texture, and atmosphere to support storytelling
- The importance of collaboration in screen music
- Working with Geoff Barrow and Suvi-Eeva Äikäs
- The surprising origin of the Under Salt Marsh title music
Listen to the full episode of Sync Music Matters to hear Ben Salisbury’s advice on breaking into film composition, collaborating creatively and writing scores that feel inseparable from the picture.
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How do you score a mind slowly unravelling? In the latest episode of Sync Music Matters, I interview Chris Roe the Ivor-nominated composer, to unpack his haunting score for The Lady – the ITVX and BritBox drama based on the shocking true story of Jane Andrews, former dresser to Sarah Ferguson who murdered her boyfriend.
Chris breaks down how the music evolves alongside Jane’s psychological collapse. What begins as glossy, fairy-tale elegance gradually becomes unstable, distorted and emotionally raw.
We talk about:
- Using vintage synths like the Juno-6 to give the score a 90s feel
- Transforming royal, bell-like textures into something brittle and unsettling
- Collaborating with award-winning Irish composer Niamh Ní Mheara on breathy vocal textures that reflect Jane’s rising panic
- The difference between scoring for TV and scoring for film
Plus, in the new Cue & A segment, we break down one of Chris’s cues piece by piece so you can hear exactly how these ideas translate to screen.
If you’re interested in TV scoring, psychological storytelling through music or modern screen composition techniques, this interview with Chris Roe is packed with insight.
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In the latest episode of Sync Music Matters, I speak with music supervisor Paulina Marquez about her work on Season 2 of The Night Manager for Amazon Prime Video, starring Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman.
With more than 20 years of experience across film and television, Marquez explains how music supervision is less about deep musical knowledge and more about emotion, storytelling, and narrative impact.
A key creative decision for the new season was building much of the show’s musical identity around Colombian artists, helping give the series a distinctive sonic world. We also discuss the subtle power of diegetic music in shaping atmosphere, and why supervisors should avoid temping tracks they won’t be able to clear later.
Marquez encourages bold choices when it comes to sync, arguing that unexpected music can often create the most memorable moments on screen.
Originally from Mexico and now based in Barcelona, Marquez began her career at MCO Audio Design Studios and now works across international productions for platforms including Netflix, Amazon and Apple. Her credits include Elite, The Burning Body, and Hurricane Season, and she maintains a long-standing collaboration with director Manolo Caro.
We also talk about her early musical influences from Led Zeppelin to Jarvis Cocker. Plus we end up debating a surprisingly divisive topic: which way toilet paper should hang.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of Sync Music Matters to hear Paulina’s insights on music supervision, sync licensing, and building a musical identity for television.
Paulinas Website: https://www.paulinasmusic.com/
