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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 Mac Quayle on Scoring Monster: The Ed Gein Story
I recently sat down to interview Mac Quayle the Emmy-winning composer, known for his iconic work on Mr. Robot and most recently Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Our conversation traced his journey from club DJ to composer of some of television’s most unsettling soundscapes.
From Dance Floors to Film Scores
Before Hollywood, Mac was shaping late-night dance floors as a DJ and remixer in New York. But with the advent of streaming and the death of music sales Mac decided to change lanes.
That pivot led him to collaborate with legendary composer Cliff Martinez, and Mac moved from commercial music to cinematic storytelling
Scoring Monster
With Monster, Mac wasn’t interested in jump scares or obvious horror tropes. Instead, he built a score rooted in psychological dread – leaning into quiet tension and emotional unease – the kind that lingers long after the scene ends. The result is a sonic world that feels intimate, unsettling and hauntingly human.
We dived deep into his creative toolkit of modular synths, processed textures, and unconventional string techniques – exploring the tactile noises that make strings feel alive, anxious and close to the skin.
Mac Quayle Website
Mac Quayle Instagram
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Oli Julian – Kleptomaniacal Music – Scoring The Twits for Netflix
In this episode of Sync Music Matters, I chat with composer Oli Julian, the man behind the gloriously mischievous scoring of The Twits for Netflix
Known for his work on Sex Education and Catastrophe, Oli brings his signature blend of fun, rhythm and emotional punch to Roald Dahl’s anarchic world with a soundtrack he describes as “kleptomaniacal”
The new film, featuring the voices of Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas as the grotesquely dysfunctional Mr and Mrs Twit, is anything but conventional and neither is its score. Oli takes us behind the scenes of a sonic palette that includes Bulgarian choirs and what he calls “flatulent” baltic brass, giving the film an irreverent and delightfully chaotic tone.
He tells the story of how, during one of his early meetings, he found himself playing the musical saw over Zoom – a moment he jokes might have sealed the deal.
But beneath the playfulness, there’s a deep sense of craft and authenticity to Oli’s work. We talk about how his first dalliance with making music came in the from of a humble four-track recording of Wonderwall by Oasis.
As a drummer, Oli admits he’s “rhythmically led,” and it shows — the propulsive energy of his cues often drives the emotional core of a scene. For him, groove and feel aren’t just musical ideas, they’re emotional anchors.
During our chat, a familiar theme emerges – one shared by so many composers: the importance of authenticity and being confident in what you create.
The Twits might be a story about the world’s most horrible couple, but under Oli Julian’s mischievous baton, it’s also a celebration of the beautifully bizarre – proof that even the strangest sounds can make perfect sense when they come from an honest place.
Oli Julian Website
Oli Julian Instagram
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:03:00) Interview with Oli Julian – What was your path into music?
(00:13:35) Creating a Unique Sound?
(00:15:20) Under The Skin: Scoring The Twits
(00:26:38) Working with David Byrne
(00:28:30) Winning an RTS award (Drama vs Comedy)
(00:34:05) Renegade Nell
(00:40:46) Getting a Taste
(00:49:41) Quickfire Questions
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Jeff Russo – Scoring Alien: Earth. On Sync Music Matters this week, I sit down with Emmy-winning composer Jeff Russo the creative force behind some of television’s most memorable music. From the darkly playful Fargo score to his latest work on Alien Earth (now streaming on Disney+), Jeff has a gift for crafting soundscapes that challenge, surprise, and deepen the stories they accompany.
We talk about scoring Alien: Earth and following in the footsteps of Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner. Jeff also reflects on his early career as a producer and songwriter, working alongside Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman from Prince’s band The Revolution, and his friendship with Lenny Kravitz.
Our conversation also dug into his long-standing creative partnership with Noah Hawley. Their first project together, The Unusuals, marked the start of a collaboration that has carried through to Fargo and now Alien Earth. Jeff spoke about the trust and shared vision that comes from years of working together.
And then there are the instruments. The Bassdesmaphone or the Aztec Death Whistle, the unconventional tools tools which spark creativity
This episode is full of insights and inspiration
Jeff Russo is an Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated composer, songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and music producer.
Jeff has scored a plethora of movies and TV series and received an Emmy in 2017 for his work on Fargo and was nominated a further four times.
Recent film credits include The Last Rodeo; Star Trek: Section 31 whilst resent series include FX’s Alien: Earth and Netflix’ Untamed
Jeff is also a founding member, lead guitarist and co-songwriter of two-time Grammy nominated, multi-platinum selling rock band,Tonic
