In horror films, when someone is sent to an isolated location, does anything good happen? I think we all know the answer to this…
In Tubi’s recently released Killer Body Count, Cami is sent to an isolated rehab center after being mistaken for a sex addict by her devout father. But when a killer begins to hunt the teens, Cami realizes that her survival and her independence are intertwined in ways she could never imagine. Adding to the suspense of the film is the score by Spencer Creaghan, who has previously collaborated with director Danishka Esterhazy (Slumber Party Massacre) on the Syfy series SurrealEstate. When discussing mixing church organs with Riot Grrl Punk for Killer Body Count Spencer says, “It’s one of the most stylistically eclectic scores” he has done to date. He talks about this and much more in the interview below.
Wicked Horror: You have scored a lot of horror projects. What is the key to making each one sound original and unique?
Spencer Creaghan: Great question! I love world building and creating character through music. So when doing horror, the track is to discover what makes this particular world unique and then find an “angle” with which the music can apply.
For example, with Killer Body Count, this was in the duality of the film’s central themes “Shame” and “Sensuality.” Director, Danishka Esterhazy knew she wanted the score organ to be the featured instrument, as it has interestingly been a big part of both religious sacred music and 70s and 80s pop/rock sensual music. There’s an irony in there we wanted to play with. Similarly, the film also plays duality in its villain and heroes; the villain is traditional, conservative, so its music is orchestral, choral, what you’d expect from a traditional horror score. Then the teens, their music is modern, youthful, rebellious, taking inspiration from Riot Grrrl Punk, Industrial Rock, R&B and Black Metal. Through this process of trying to find “the angle” for the score, I allow the music to become its own thing and empathize with the world we’re inhabiting. Thus, no two scores end up sounding alike!
Wicked Horror: Composers are often brought on to a film fairly late in the game, but since you and Danishka had worked together before, did you know earlier than normal that you were going to be working on Killer Body Count?
Spencer Creaghan: Man, too often we’re brought in with only a few weeks to go… thankfully Danishka reached out to me a few months before music was needed. I had read the script, so I knew the story going in, and was able to let my subconscious do its thing between then and the actual scoring process. Danishka shared thoughts, music playlists, and we broke down the themes of the film of which the score may have to connect with. When we had our official spotting session, it wasn’t about discovery as much as it was where are we doing X, Y, Z thing we talked about! It was a great process with lots of time to be creative, as, as you said, we often get far less time to explore!
Wicked Horror: Your job is obviously bringing the picture to life with music, but was there a time on Killer Body Count where less was more?
Spencer Creaghan: Hah I’m very much a “more is more” kinda composer, I’m very much in the “maximalist” camp! That said, it’s always a good challenge to be simpler and more poignant. A good moment from Killer Body Count that’s an example of this is after the first big death sequence, Cammie is in her room with Wyatt. Wyatt goes to console Cammie, holding each other to bear whatever horrors the next day brings. I scored this scene with a simple, sparse version of Cammie’s theme, a simple piano and guitar melody with chords, and some light “felt but not heard” ambience – as my mentor used to say! I find much of my process is often overwriting and then pulling back afterwards, but I’m pleased that this scene I think I got the energy right the first time without needed to go through that usual process!
Wicked Horror: You have a big metal and rock background. Did you incorporate these sounds into the Killer Body Count score?
Spencer Creaghan: Ooooh boy did I ever! Metal is, interestingly, what sparked my journey as a film/tv composer, so I often make little nods to it- however subtle- in my music. A lot of Killer Body Count’s score is inspired by the music of Chelsea Wolfe, In This Moment, Myrkur, Blackbraid, Ishahn, and Carpenter Brute (the latter being more Synth Wave, but he himself has claimed his own metal inspiration for his music.) While there isn’t a big traditional metal sound in the music, the dark industrial sound, with washed out tremolo distorted guitars, and big drums brings to mind a metal flavour mixed with a retro John Carpenter style for the teens.
Wicked Horror: Is there a Killer Body Count scene you are particularly proud of, musically?
Spencer Creaghan: Absolutely! One of my favourite moments is when Cammie and Wyatt are sneaking around the premises looking for their phones. I had written the scene earlier when Cammie arrives into the camp and was curious if the theme would do for the film what I needed it to. So I played the theme over this Cammie/Wyatt scene and was inspired by what occurred. Even though the music was dark and mysterious, there was an element confidence and rebellion that appeared. As I worked on the scene, I tried to keep that energy going, a feeling of rebellion, of coming of age, of feminine power. This theme appears throughout the film, but these moments are some of my favourite – when Cammie arrives at the camp, when Cammie/Wyatt sneak around, when Cammie decides to fight off The Father, and at the very end when the Whores of Babylon are official formed. It’s one of my favourite themes, I’m very proud of how it came together!
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Wicked Horror: You have said that you connect strongly to colors when scoring. What colors warrant the strongest reactions for you? Why?
Spencer Creaghan: I do! I don’t think I have synesthesia the way others do, but I may have a form of it. Purples, dark blues, greens, reds, and browns really resonate with me. What key I decide to write in is often inspired by the colors they represent for me. For example, Gm is Purple which coincidentally is the key most of this score is in and is also a big part of the color pallet. Green and Blue are seen a lot in the film too, which I see as a Em and Bm respectively, which are also used throughout. Danishka’s films tend to have a bold color pallet even before the picture gets color graded, which I’m thankful for, because it makes the scoring process far more inspiring.
Wicked Horror: You have another Tubi horror film that was recently released, Clickbait: Unfollowed. That film was directed by Melanie Scrofano and Kat Barrell. How is their working style different from Danishka’s?
Spencer Creaghan: Mel and Kat are INCREDIBLE! It’s not often you get to work with a directing duo. The few times I have, one of the directors ends up taking over the music aspect while the other is focused on color or edit, but not Mel and Kat. These women were part of the entire music process, pitching musical ideas and collaborating about the creative vision. I’d share what I was working on and they’d come in with excitements, suggestions, and inspirations of where we could go from here. One of my favourite aspects of the score is the “siren vocals” that Mel pitched late in the process, and boy did that idea ever give the score an extra depth. That score is wildly different than Killer Body Count, it’s entirely electronic with a little bit of those siren vocals, and there’s an off-kilter oddity to it that I love.
I’d say though, both Mel & Kat and Danishka are similar in how prepared they were for the music process and how involved they were. Not every director is, but having worked with Mel and Danishka on SurrealEstate with Blue Ice Pictures gave all of us a shorthand to work from. I hadn’t worked with Kat before, but that didn’t prove an issue as our creativity aligned perfectly on Clickbait: Unfollowed. I’m really proud of Clickbait, as I am with Killer Body Count, and eagerly away when I can work with these incredible women again on their next film!
Composer Spencer Creaghan
Wicked Horror: What was the last horror film you saw that shocked you?
Spencer Creaghan: Haha, when you work in horror, it takes a lot to shock you as you know how a lot of it is done, so I tend to get more inspired by what horror films are doing rather than shocked! I’m a big behind on my community favourites such as the X series, Longlegs, and Barbarian, so while I’m sure one of those would probably fit the bill for shock value, I’m going to lean in on inspiration value and go with Abigail from earlier this year. I’m a massive fan of Vampire fiction, I just adore it, and Abigail found a way of capturing everything I love about vampire films, whilst bringing out something unique (with soooooooo muuuucchh bloooood.) Just a really fun time at the theatre!
Wicked Horror: Is there a director you would love to work with one day?
Spencer Creaghan: Honestly, since we’re talking about them, I’d love to work on a Radio Silence film one day. I’ve loved everything they’ve done so far, especially Abigail and Ready or Not (which Melanie Scorfano is in actually!) I love their emphasis on fun, gothic atmosphere, and horror through unique filmmaking tricks and playing with the genre whilst still embracing the genre. If ever Brian Tyler is too busy and they’re interested in a young whipper snapper to come play in their fantastic scary sandbox, I’d happily come on board!
