Hildur Guðnadóttir (Composer: Joker | Chernobyl)

Film.Music.Media

[Watch the video interview on our YouTube Channel]

Emmy-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir has quickly become one of the most prominent composers in the industry. Her musical journey started when she was young, but it was later in her life, and after finding a musical collaborator in Jóhann Jóhannsson that she became more involved in film composing.

Hildur talks about her childhood and growing up in Iceland. And we talk about how she met Jóhann, and what the creative spark was between the two. She talks about the process of working with him, practically as a co-composer on every score of his and how they were always on the same wavelength.

Hildur discusses scores such as Mary Magdalane, Sicario: Day Of The Soldado, Ófærð (Trapped), her Emmy-winning score for Chernobyl and of course Joker.

Hear how Hildur actually went to a power plant to sample the metallic sounds of the structure itself to help build her score for Chernobyl. And hear how she collaborated with director Todd Phillips on Joker, who loved her work so much that he called her up and offered her the job. Hildur was onboard Joker early enough that she was able to write some of the score based solely off the script. Todd Phillips then played her score on the set to help build scenes, while Joaquin Phoenix actually had an earpiece that fed her music to him so he could shape his performance from the music right on the spot.

Hildur is one of the most talented and unique voices working in the industry today and it was a real pleasure having her on All Access to dive into her process.

A Film.Music.Media Interview | Produced & Presented by Kaya Savas