DC's Watchmen is a two-part animated superhero film from director Brandon Vietti featuring an ensemble cast that includes Matthew Rhys, Katee Sackhoff, Titus Welliver, Troy Baker, Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Cerveris. Chapter I was released last August, while Chapter II hit theaters in November. The films were produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Paramount Pictures and DC Entertainment, and are set in an alternate 1985, where a group of outlawed and retired superheroes investigate a conspiracy following the murder of one of their own. Animation for the film was provided by Studio Mir.
Composer Tim Kelly (pictured) created the features' original score and shared details on his workflow and creative process. The soundtrack is now available.
Tim, can you tell us about the synthesizers you used on Watchmen and how you came to select the different instruments?
“Director/producer Brandon Vietti and I share a love for synthesizers and electronic music, and over the years of working together, we’ve tried whenever possible to weave analog synth sounds into the scores for our projects. When I found out he was interested in establishing classic analog synth sounds from the ‘80s at the core of the Watchmen scores, I was thrilled! It was a unique way to honor the fact that this project is essentially a period piece, and I knew I would be able to dig deep into a couple of synthesizers I purchased many years ago that still sound great today.
“The Mini Moog is a classic, of course, and my Oberheim 4 voice synthesizer is fairly rare. These were the first instruments I turned to when creating initial demos for Watchmen. Their rich filters and warm oscillators can inspire lush pads and powerful bass sounds, and they gave me an excellent place to start building a foundation for the scores. I then started experimenting by adding layers with a euro rack modular synth and Korg’s replica of the classic Arp 2600 for edgier, dirty synth sounds to get a ‘gritty NYC streets’ vibe, where most of the story takes place.”
What specific elements of the Watchmen graphic novel influenced your music composition? Were there particular scenes or themes that you focused on musically?
“Besides crafting distorted, dirty synth sounds to generally support the sense of tension and danger in the Watchmen world, I composed themes for the central characters, themes for situations that recurred and developed over time, and themes for some of the evolving relationships. One of the primary themes was for Rorschach, which developed throughout the first movie as his character developed. It features a pulsating, growling synth swell, which complemented Titus Welliver’s gravelly vocal performances very well. The second movie focused more on the relationship between Dan and Laurie, for whom I composed a love theme, which was developed over the course of the two movies.”
Can you talk about the role electronic and analog soundscapes play in the creation of atmosphere for the darker, sci-fi elements of the story?
“As the score began to take shape, Brandon and I realized dark, ambient electronic music was working really well to amplify morally ambiguous themes in the story, as well as supporting the sci-fi elements. For example, I used textures like hollow, distant synth tones mixed with nebulous, sustained washes of sound, which could be perceived as blurring the lines between music and sound design. I was able to blend this genre seamlessly with the more raw, classic ‘80s synth score style we had already established.
“Because of the non-orchestral and sometimes otherworldly musical palette, Brandon shared my WIP cues with Atlas Oceanic as they built their sound design for the films. They put a lot of effort into making sure it didn’t blend with or cancel out any of the sounds in my score.”
Tell us about the software/hardware you used in tandem with your analog synthesizers?
“Before I started working on the project, I had my Oberheim modified by veteran synth guru Ed Miller. He added extra controlled voltage inputs so I could use the computer to trigger gate and pitch for the four modules. I have MIDI to CV converters for all of my outboard synths that allow me to interface them with the computer. So, I had a lot of creative control over crafting and shaping sounds in realtime as I recorded the basic tracks. Then I further shaped those tracks using a variety of signal processors in my digital audio workstation. MOTU’s Digital Performer is my main music software, which I’ve used for a long time and love. Everything is routed to DP, where I can also access libraries of samples and soft synths, and sync the music with video. This is where I arranged, orchestrated and produced all the music for Watchmen.”
The music in Watchmen is integral to the story’s tone. How did you ensure that the music underscored the emotional intensity of key moments while maintaining consistency throughout the series?
“Great question. Conceptually, my intent was always to first honor the sound of ‘80s analog synth scores, like those by composers like Giorgio Moroder and Vangelis. While the overall tone of the score was rooted in synthesizer and electronic ambient music, I often approached scoring/composing for the two movies as if I were writing for live instruments, but with ‘80s analog synth sounds. This approach allowed me to support the character’s emotions and arc of the story in the same way as a more traditional score written for live orchestra.
“In a few places, we integrated actual orchestral sounds within our core analog synthesizer palette, being careful not to ever stray too far from the overriding ‘80s synth score sound that had been established.”
Were there any unexpected discoveries or techniques that you incorporated into the project while working on the score?
“Actually, one of the discoveries I made relates to the technique I was just describing. I’ve had many years of experience working with and recording live orchestras, and I love that sound. I’d also been listening to more so-called ‘hybrid scores’ over the years, though I hadn’t had many opportunities to incorporate that style of writing into a scoring project. The long sequence with Dr. Manhattan’s backstory is filled with so much heartbreak and tragedy. Brandon and I decided we wanted to try supporting some key moments in this sequence with real orchestral sounds, which, because of their familiarity, can provide a heightened sense of emotion. The idea was that I would then mix them with analog synth sounds and textures to maintain sonic continuity in the score. I feel like my particular take on hybrid scoring for this project was unique. After recording the orchestral parts and synthesizer parts, which were composed to work together, I filtered, muted and sometimes mangled the orchestral tracks to make them blend well with the synth sounds. This way we kept the overall sound of the score consistent throughout.”