Written by Segun AkinolaI’ve always loved period dramas and period drama scores (thank you, John Lunn). Plus, I’ve been watching Columbo since I was about 9 years old (I now own the complete box set), and consider murder mysteries essential family viewing. So when the chance to work on the BritBox adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy came along, and it was being produced by Mammoth Screen (who have made many of my period drama favs), I jumped at it. Add in the fact that the lead character, Luke Fitzwilliam, is Nigerian (I’m British-Nigerian), and it seemed like the perfect fit.The original idea for the score referenced 1950s Hollywood music which influenced the first couple of themes I wrote whilst the series was being shot. Once the director saw some assemblies with music, however, this changed to incorporate more modern elements, and these two steers were my brief, one I had complete freedom to interpret and express. My initial approach was to write themes for Fitzwilliam, his blossoming relationship with Bridget and a death theme. The melody of Fitzwilliam’s theme is used with orchestra a number of times at the start of the series to establish his character and on the flute in a few key mysterious moments, but there’s also a shorter motif that’s used whenever he is investigating the murders or making a discovery. All the while, an internal battle is raging in Fitzwilliam about whether he should be in England or back home in Nigeria. To...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Tuesday, 4 June, 2024