by Cláudio Alves
In 2008, the music branch of the Academy caused a stir when it announced that The Dark Knight was disqualified from the Best Original Score race. The reason for this had nothing to do with the use of non-original compositions as it's often the case. Instead, AMPAS had deemed that the picture had too many composers. In total, there were five credited artists – Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Alex Gibson, Mel Wesson, and Lorne Balfe. Even though the first two did most of the soundtrack and the remaining three signed affidavits relinquishing their chance at a nod, the Academy didn't budge.
Since then, rules have changed and then changed back again. Still, the presence of collaborative teams on the Academy's lists of nominees remains rare. In the past decade, only The Social Network, Lion, and Her have earned nominations for featuring the credited work of multiple composers. The...
In 2008, the music branch of the Academy caused a stir when it announced that The Dark Knight was disqualified from the Best Original Score race. The reason for this had nothing to do with the use of non-original compositions as it's often the case. Instead, AMPAS had deemed that the picture had too many composers. In total, there were five credited artists – Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Alex Gibson, Mel Wesson, and Lorne Balfe. Even though the first two did most of the soundtrack and the remaining three signed affidavits relinquishing their chance at a nod, the Academy didn't budge.
Since then, rules have changed and then changed back again. Still, the presence of collaborative teams on the Academy's lists of nominees remains rare. In the past decade, only The Social Network, Lion, and Her have earned nominations for featuring the credited work of multiple composers. The...
- 12/28/2020
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
For my soundtrack to The Awakening I used an orchestra and choir – but the creepiest sound we created was with a slide whistle. Here are some other simple but effective soundtracks …
I've just done the music to the feature film The Awakening. Had a massive orchestra, huge choir and a bunch of other things. Sounds fantastic. Cost me a flipping fortune – these things do. Nicholas Dodd – who does the orchestrations for David Arnold's James Bond scores – recently likened the rate you spend money recording a film score to "standing next to a bin with a wad of £20 notes and trying to throw them in one by one as fast as you can". That is a pretty accurate assessment. But despite having some of the best musicians in London and Abbey Road's finest at my disposal, the spookiest sound we created was the one I made in my flat with...
I've just done the music to the feature film The Awakening. Had a massive orchestra, huge choir and a bunch of other things. Sounds fantastic. Cost me a flipping fortune – these things do. Nicholas Dodd – who does the orchestrations for David Arnold's James Bond scores – recently likened the rate you spend money recording a film score to "standing next to a bin with a wad of £20 notes and trying to throw them in one by one as fast as you can". That is a pretty accurate assessment. But despite having some of the best musicians in London and Abbey Road's finest at my disposal, the spookiest sound we created was the one I made in my flat with...
- 11/15/2011
- by Daniel Pemberton
- The Guardian - Film News
Yes, another Dark Knight news posting — but this time it’s not just another crazy third film rumor or “Christopher Nolan is still considering a Dark Knight sequel” update. In November, the Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Pictures music branch ruled that the score for The Dark Knight was disqualified due to a technicality — five names were listed as composers on the music cue sheet for royalty reasons (Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard and three other individuals — music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe). But now the Los Angeles Times is reporting (and Variety has since confirmed) that the Motion Picture [...]...
- 12/9/2008
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard collaborated on the score for The Dark Knight and now both men are being notified their efforts are being disqualified for consideration as Best Score by the executive committee of the Academy music branch. This matches their collaboration and disqualification for Batman Begins in 2005.
Zimmer, Howard, music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson, and composer Lorne Balfe all were listed on the music cue sheet, the document judged by the Academy. They all signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard but that was not good enough for the Academy. A different document provided to the Academy indicated more than 60%, but less than 70% of the score came directly Zimmer and Howard.
According to Variety, the Academy has spent hours and hours on the issue since the use of multiple composers is on the rise throughout...
Zimmer, Howard, music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson, and composer Lorne Balfe all were listed on the music cue sheet, the document judged by the Academy. They all signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard but that was not good enough for the Academy. A different document provided to the Academy indicated more than 60%, but less than 70% of the score came directly Zimmer and Howard.
According to Variety, the Academy has spent hours and hours on the issue since the use of multiple composers is on the rise throughout...
- 11/13/2008
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
A little more Dark Knight news for you, as the biggest movie of the year tries to bolster its chances for Academy Awards. But we now know it won't win an Oscar for Best Original Score, because AMPAS has disqualified it from contention.
The Academy also disqualified the Batman Begins score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard three years ago, and it's very particular about its rules for music. Does anyone remember "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge! winning Best Song? Of course not, because AMPAS ruled that since David Baerwald actually wrote it for Romeo + Juliet, even though it was never recorded for that film, it wasn't "original." To me, that's ludicrous, because it's hard to prove that songs are written for a specific movie.
For all we know, Randy Newman wrote that year's winner, "If I Didn't Have You," a long time before Mosnters, Inc. came around...
The Academy also disqualified the Batman Begins score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard three years ago, and it's very particular about its rules for music. Does anyone remember "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge! winning Best Song? Of course not, because AMPAS ruled that since David Baerwald actually wrote it for Romeo + Juliet, even though it was never recorded for that film, it wasn't "original." To me, that's ludicrous, because it's hard to prove that songs are written for a specific movie.
For all we know, Randy Newman wrote that year's winner, "If I Didn't Have You," a long time before Mosnters, Inc. came around...
- 11/13/2008
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
It's ironic this happened today considering just yesterday I was putting a few of the final touches on the new RopeofSilicon.com that is about to launch very, very soon while I decided to give the ol' Dark Knight score a listen. As it was playing I realized once again, there are a few tracks on that thing that really get your motor running. The opening track, "Why So Serious?", is an excellent starting point but tracks like "I'm Not a Hero" and "Like a Dog Chasing Cars" really catch your ear while listening. Unfortunately, said score has been disqualified by the Academy music branch and won't be in the running for Original Score at the 2009 Oscars. The move mirrors a similar decision disqualifying the score for Batman Begins of which composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, also collaborated on. The catch, as reported by Variety, citing "sources inside...
- 11/13/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Academy Awards won’t be handed out until 22nd February 2009, but already Hollywood’s movie studios are revving up their promotional campaigns for their heavy-hitters. Disney’s going to town for Wall•E and Warner Brothers is expected to follow suit for summer blockbuster The Dark Knight, however the awards ambitions of the caped crusader sequel have been hit by an unexpected and serious snub – the Academy has ruled its music out of the running for the best score category.
The executive committee for the Academy has taken umbrage with the large number of composers listed by the film on its music cue sheet and has subsequently struck its name from the potential nominees. Confirmation of the decision is expected to made via letters to the film’s primary composers celebrated Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard later this week. Zimmer and Howard worked on The Dark Knight...
The executive committee for the Academy has taken umbrage with the large number of composers listed by the film on its music cue sheet and has subsequently struck its name from the potential nominees. Confirmation of the decision is expected to made via letters to the film’s primary composers celebrated Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard later this week. Zimmer and Howard worked on The Dark Knight...
- 11/13/2008
- Boxwish.com
Warner Bros. recently launched a ‘For Your Consideration’ campaign for The Dark Knight, pushing Best Picture, Best Director and Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor, among others. But one Oscar we know the film will not be winning is Best Score as it’s been disqualified by the executive committee of the Academy music branch. According to Variety sources inside the committee said that the big issue was the fact that five names were listed as composers on the music cue sheet, the official studio document that specifies every piece of music (along with its duration and copyright owner) in the film. This was apparently done as a way of financially rewarding parts of the music team who helped make the overall work successful. (Performing-rights societies like Ascap and Bmi use the cue sheet to distribute royalties to composers.) Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard and the other three individuals -- music editor Alex Gibson,...
- 11/13/2008
- by James Cook
- TheMovingPicture.net
The score of "The Dark Knight" has been left out from Academy Awards consideration. In the latest news related to the summer blockbuster movie, Variety reported that the superhero movies's score has been disqualified by the music branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures' executive committee.
Allegedly, the ruling out of the music from its run to be one of the coveted awards' competitors has been taken due to the listing of multiple names on the cue sheet. Inside sources claimed that five names, composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe, were listed as composers on the music cue sheet.
Though earlier Zimmer explained that the listing of the names was used to make sure that the music team is financially rewarded, committee are said to get their hands on documentation claiming that more than 60%, but less...
Allegedly, the ruling out of the music from its run to be one of the coveted awards' competitors has been taken due to the listing of multiple names on the cue sheet. Inside sources claimed that five names, composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe, were listed as composers on the music cue sheet.
Though earlier Zimmer explained that the listing of the names was used to make sure that the music team is financially rewarded, committee are said to get their hands on documentation claiming that more than 60%, but less...
- 11/13/2008
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Well, now this sucks – The Dark Knight’s score, which to Empire’s ears is one of the best, if not the best, of the year, has been disqualified from consideration for next year’s Academy Awards. The executive committee of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science’s music branch made the decision after failing to be suitably satisfied that the score’s composers, James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer, were directly responsible for more than 70% of the music. That’s because – in a show of generosity and solidarity – Zimmer and Howard, who collaborated on the Batman Begins soundtrack, listed three other people as composers on the official cue sheet, the document that specifies every piece of music in the film.The other three were music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe, who were added to the cue sheet primarily, according to Zimmer,...
- 11/13/2008
- EmpireOnline
Not learning their lesson from Batman Begins, the score for The Dark Knight was submitted to the Academy with what they consider too many names on the cue-sheet. In short, with so many names taking credit for a given score it is hard to tell who actually influenced the overall sound of the film.
The Dark Knight Score Disqualified
There is no doubt that Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's score on The Dark Knight was incredible. The only problem is that they deserve slightly less than 70% of the credit. The rest of the credit goes to music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe.
Though Zimmer and Howard tried to cover their asses by having the other three sign an affidavit stating that the score was primarily Zimmer and Howard's work, the Academy music branch still wasn't hearing it.
The Dark Knight Score Disqualified
There is no doubt that Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's score on The Dark Knight was incredible. The only problem is that they deserve slightly less than 70% of the credit. The rest of the credit goes to music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe.
Though Zimmer and Howard tried to cover their asses by having the other three sign an affidavit stating that the score was primarily Zimmer and Howard's work, the Academy music branch still wasn't hearing it.
- 11/13/2008
- www.canmag.com
The Dark Knight's chances to win an Oscar have just been reduced by one award. Variety reports that the movie's score has been disqualified by the Academy. It is now no longer eligible to be nominated. It seems the Academy thinks too many people were involved in making Batman's music. Why that matters is a mystery, but apparently 5 names were listed as composers on the documentation they received from the studio. Those three names are Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Alex Gibson, Mel Wesson, and Lorne Balfe. The last three people in that list have signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard, but the Academy isn't buying it. It's an unfortunate turn of events for The Dark Knight, which almost certainly had a good chance of being nominated in the category. Multiple collaborators are becoming more and more the norm in Hollywood,...
- 11/13/2008
- cinemablend.com
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