Exclusive: Composer Patrick Kirst Discusses His Visceral BREAKING SURFACE Score
Josh Millican
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Earth and oceans will collide when the icy survival horor Breaking Surface hits VOD on December 15th. The film promises to be an intense and brutal ride from start to finish. Give the trailer a spin and read more about the Breaking Surface below.
Synopsis:
A few days after Christmas, half-sisters Ida and Tuva set out on a winter dive in a remote part of the Norwegian coastline. Towards the end of the dive, a rockslide traps Tuva underwater. As Ida surfaces to call for help, she discovers that the rockslide has struck above water as well, burying their equipment, phones, and car keys–they are completely cut off from any chance of outside rescue. As the frantic race for survival unfolds, Ida is put to the ultimate test of character and forcefulness. During Ida’s fight to save Tuva, a fractured sisterhood is exposed, and when all seems lost, the stakes rise beyond simple survival.
Breaking Surface is written and directed by Joachim Hedén; the film stars Moa Gammel, Madeleine Martin, and Trine Wiggen.
Dread Central was lucky enough to score an interview with the composer of Breaking Surface‘s suspenseful score, composer Patrick Kirst. Enjoy!
Dread Central: How did you get connected with Breaking Surface? What about the script, drew you to the project?
Patrick Kirst: Breaking Surface marked my 3rd collaboration with director Joachim Hedén. We had worked on a drama and a comedy film before, and this was our first genre film together.
When I watched a rough cut with some temp score on a visit to Sweden, there weren’t any subtitles yet. [The movie is in Swedish]. I was sucked in without understanding a word of dialogue! I knew right there that this was a great film and that I had to score it. But at the time it was still unclear if I would be the composer for the job since European financing regulations initially prohibited me from being the composer as (s)he had to be of Swedish nationality. But in the end, some exceptions could be applied, and I was luckily on board!
DC: How would you describe the Breaking Surface score?
PK: The score is both visceral and raw and definitely shows my own personal approach to a genre film. It is packed with tension and action-elements and dissonances, but it is also personal and emotional. It is overall a hybrid score where the more orchestral string and brass elements meet sound design and manipulation with electronic synth elements.
DC: Breaking Surface takes place in Northern Norway. Did the setting influence your score at all?
PK: Yes, the film is a battle against the raw and unforgiving forces of nature. The feeling of being lost and alone in an ice-cold mountain and snow landscape in the middle of nowhere was definitely an inspiration. I also saw this outer, icy cold environment as a reflection of the rather distant and broken relationship between the two sisters.
DC: Breaking Surface is being labeled as a “survival horror”. Did you watch any similar films to get inspiration for the project? If so, which ones?
PK: Probably my biggest inspiration for the score was the film The Revenant. Sakamoto beautifully captured Leonardo Di Caprio’s character’s journey in the icy-cold, raw and vast landscape. Another big influence is Jóhann Jóhannsson’s brilliant score for the thriller Sicario, and Johnny Greenwood’s evocative and daring score for There Will be Blood. Other survival thrillers that I watched for inspiration were 47 Meters Down, and The Shallows because they also deal with the element of water, though in a different way.
DC: How involved was director Joachim Hedén with the scoring process? Did he have a very specific sound he was looking to achieve for this film?
PK: Joachim is someone who likes to respond to the composer’s vision, rather than dictating a specific sound. He relies on the expertise a composer brings to the table, and that’s really ideal. However, he did come up with several great concepts. One of them was to use the powerful brass section as a symbol for the big rock. And another was to often use the same pitch on the brass instruments to show that the rock isn’t moving. We had many remote collaboration sessions (LA to Malmö, Sweden) where we were able to interact in real-time. That was such a cool experience (pre-Corona), which I will definitely keep in mind for future projects.
DC: You are originally from Germany. Have you found that your approach is different from other Los Angeles based composers because of your geographic background?
PK: I would think so, yes! I grew up with the European classical tradition. Bach, Beethoven, Brahms etc. – the usual suspects, you know. I merged this traditional influence with my interests in European theater and genre-defying, experimental music. I would say that my style is definitely European-influenced but has also become Americanized during my two decades here in the US.
DC: You recently released the film’s score. Do you have a favorite track from the album? Why is it your favorite?
PK: The last track, Ida Unconscious”, has a very special meaning to me. It is the final, peaceful relief after all that tension and angst in the movie. Writing this track coincided with my dad’s passing. So, in spirit, I dedicate this track to him.
DC: Are you personally a fan of horror? If so, what are some of the first films in this genre that impacted you?
PK: I certainly appreciate any good film, as I appreciate any good piece of music. When it comes to horror, I like it best when horror emerges from drama. I don’t respond well to anything stereotypical. So, I do love interesting stories with horror elements. Quentin Tarantino’s films, for example, can get very violent and gory. But the violence often comes out of an absurdity or heightened realism that I find particularly interesting, if not amusing. The same goes for movies like Get Out, which, to me, is more of an absurdly twisted drama or black comedy about racism rather than a stereotypical horror flick.
DC: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your score for the film?
PK: I loved working on the score. This was my first action-packed genre film score. I was given so much freedom to explore the sound of the movie. We ended up recording a big low-brass section (as mentioned earlier), mostly playing extremely loud passages and aggressive effects. I then filtered the brass to make it sound as if they were playing underwater. That was such a fun experience!
Are you excited to check out Breaking Surface? What do you think of our exclusive interview with Patrick Kirst? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
Categorized:Interviews News
