Composer Jongnic Bontemps on Adding Hip-Hop Flavor to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Photo: Theo Wargo (Getty Images)

in a movie like Transformers: Rise of the Beast, Scores don’t always get a lot of attention. Composer Johnnick Bontams wanted the music to feel important even during the giant robot battle scenes. That meant finding out the features behind the notes and making sure it was more than just background noise. Mr Bontan said: its root On adding authenticity to the series and getting that 90s sound just right.

in a movie this big transformers, the music must be in tune. Bontan treated it like any other character in the film, focusing on the story to find the perfect arc for the music.

“One of the first questions I ask filmmakers when starting a collaboration is, if music were a character, what would that role be in the film? Everything is done on purpose,” said Bontin. its root. “Once we’ve established that somewhat, we try to understand what kind of journey the music and story take, and how it supports the arc of the characters and the story we’re sharing with the audience. I had a vague sense of what music needed to be like and the scale and grandeur of the world it needed to exist in. Using these two ideas, music It’s kind of like I started the journey of writing this score by talking to Steven Caple Jr. about the purpose of and considering the footprints, or at least the musical scale of past films. Transformers: Rise of the Beast“

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Rise of the Beast is the seventh film in the series, but that doesn’t mean that the path Bontan took was pre-determined. In fact, he had to create new themes that would have a lasting impact on the series. He was also able to put his own stamp on the atmosphere of the film by making sure to feature the signature sound of 90s hip-hop. In addition to the Bontemps score, the soundtrack also features music from his The Notorious BIG. SWV; explorable planet. Wu-Tang Clan. New song “On My Soul” featuring Nas and Jacob Banks by A Tribe Called Quest and film co-star Toby Nwigwe.

“This movie predates the others, so it gave me a little more freedom to create new things for the movie. started,” he said. “The Maximals have not yet entered the world of this film, so I had to create new themes and new melody ideas for the Maximals. I wanted to bring in new thematic ideas and sounds, so I could leave my mark on the franchise and have my own voice.Because it was set in 90s Brooklyn, I wanted to capture the vibrancy and vibrancy of Brooklyn. I had to put a little bit of hip-hop homage into the score, look, this is not a hip-hop score, and I’m the first to say this is not a hip-hop score, but I’d like to add some flavor to this score. I definitely wanted to add some hip-hop essence to it, so that when you see these characters in these places you can really feel the authenticity of the music, and it’s very much like that particular music of the ’90s. Many are in needle drops.”

Bontin was the first black composer to score a film series, and one of the few composers to work on a project of this scale. He understands his own importance in the film community and how important his success is for others to have similar moments.

“I’m really in awe of the opportunity this is because I started so humble. It’s about finishing chances and getting to the finish line.It also leads to a professional experience for everyone around you,” he said. “On time, within budget, being able to listen and take feedback and turn things around. Not only do I want them to be inspired, but the experience will also lead to opportunities for others like me, because it was not only the finished product, but also the process that led to it. No one will say I closed the door on I am as professional as I can be, and I want to open that door wide so that by giving people a great experience, I can give others the same opportunity. I would like to keep it open.”

Transformers: Rise of the Beast is currently showing in theaters.