Team Deakins NICHOLAS BRITELL - Composer
Feb 11, 2026
Nicholas Britell, acclaimed film and TV composer (Moonlight, Don’t Look Up), discusses his composing process and collaborations. He talks about scoring from script versus picture. He explains creating distinct themes and instruments for characters. He shares approaches to diegetic songs, TV time pressures, recording choices, and concerns about AI in music.
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Humble Start: Scoring a $10K Student Film
- Nicholas Britell began scoring films when a college friend asked him to score a $10,000 feature, which launched his film-composing path.
- He had been writing music for himself and bands, so the collaboration turned casual practice into a career opportunity.
Score As Creative Constraint
- Britell sees scoring as a creative constraint that narrows emotional focus and yields a film's "wavelength."
- He treats music as a way to discover the subtle, underlying mood the movie vibrates at.
Let The Picture Decide
- Always let the cut be the final truth-teller; test music against the picture early and listen to how it responds.
- Be humble: what fits the script may fail against the finished edit, so be prepared to revise.