ComingSoon had the opportunity to speak with Terminator Zero composers Michelle Birsky and Kevin Henthorn about their work on the upcoming Netflix series.
Terminator Zero hails from Japanese animation studio Production IG (Ghost in the Shell) and will be eight episodes long when it premieres exclusively on Netflix on Judgment Day, Thursday, August 29, 2024.
ComingSoon: Can you tell us about the creative process behind composing the score for Terminator Zero? How did you approach balancing the legacy of the original Terminator films with bringing something new to the series?
Michelle Birsky & Kevin Henthorn: We wanted to create a new sound for a new generation of Terminator while also paying homage to the original Terminator films, specifically T1 and T2. We were inspired by the arpeggiated synths and metal hits of the original Terminator and leaned into those elements to make the sound fit within the Terminator world. Other than that, we went in a much more modern direction and focused on the emotional drama and existential dread of the series.
What was your inspiration for using electronic filters to disguise the human voice and make it more robotic?
Since we’re both singers, we often use the human voice as an instrument during composition. Because the overarching theme of Terminator is human vs. machine, it just felt so appropriate to take sampled voices and turn them into robotic distortions. Given the material, it was almost an immediate instinct.
How does this technique contribute to the overall theme of machines versus humans in the series?
In the series, Terminators are all about disguising in the human world. They look like humans, act like humans, but are really killing machines. So we wanted to use this technique, of using electronic filters to disguise the human voice, to mirror the underlying themes of the series. We used a similar technique for other acoustic instruments as well. We’d record lines of cello, guitar, or found sounds, and then filter, reverse, and chop them up to create robotized versions of acoustic sounds.
Additionally, there were many times throughout the score that we contributed to this theme by allowing the human voice to come through. We were lucky enough to record the London Contemporary Orchestra choir for these parts. Having these very human voices overlay on top of synths and electronic instruments also helped to create that contrast between humanity vs. machine.
You’ve mentioned focusing on the emotional drama in Terminator Zero. How did you use music to emphasize the emotional arcs of the characters and the story?
When we approach a project, we always try to approach it emotionally first. We both come from a songwriting background, so I think that makes us gravitate towards melody and emotion before anything else. As we were crafting the score, we focused on character themes, asking ourselves, “What would this character sound like?” This allowed us to start building the sonic world from a character-driven place. It got even more fun when we got to develop these character themes throughout the series, often melding character melodies together in different scenes.
What role does existential dread play in your score, and how did you translate that feeling into music?
The score really started from this place of existential dread, to mirror how the main character Malcolm is feeling as he attempts to save the world, and fears the impending doom of Judgement Day. We tapped into that feeling early in the demos we sent to Mattson, in a piece that we called It Will Never Be The Same. There’s a dark, minimalistic melody line in that piece, which we wrote and recorded on a simple, wurli-sounding electric piano (the sound was actually a free plugin), that became the backbone for the series. We used this as a guide post and kept returning to it throughout the score.
As a married composing duo, how do you collaborate in the studio? Do you have specific roles, or is it more of a fluid partnership?
We spend a lot (too much?) time together! Our collaboration is very fluid. When we first come onto a project, we start off jamming together, usually away from the computer, to start to get a feel for the musical world that we’re building. Once we really get into it and start scoring to picture, we typically trade off, working on the same scenes in a writing and editing process that helps the piece evolve into its best form. It’s a great way to work because we push each other to be our best, but it takes a lot of trust and communication. At this stage, it’s impossible to know who composed which pieces because we both had such a hand in creating them all. We both really enjoy this collaborative process of writing, it takes the ego out of it and allows you to focus on a common goal.
How did your experience in the New York indie music scene influence your approach to composing for film and television, particularly for a project like Terminator Zero?
I think it definitely gives us a melodic edge. When it comes to writing themes for different anime characters, we took a songwriting approach, working out each theme on guitar, piano, or vocals first. We found that if you can sing/play it simply first, in more of a songwriter way, this helps create a stronger hook and theme. I think this pairs really well with anime specifically and was something we really wanted to lean into.
You’ve cited influences like Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and Mica Levi. How did these composers shape your work on Terminator Zero, and did you draw from any specific works?
They’re all so amazing in such different ways. Trent and Atticus have such a great minimalistic and melodic approach to things, Johann has these bold, brash soundscapes that can terrify and excite you, and Mica Levi has such a unique experimental, noise-driven approach. All of these methods were guiding lights for us throughout the show.
Another influence, that isn’t a composer but a band: Radiohead’s Kid A is an album that was a huge influence for us. Every time we were stuck on something, we’d put on Everything In It’s Right Place, it immediately throws you into a feeling of existential dread and, emotionally, could help get us back on track.
Can you share any specific moments or scenes in Terminator Zero where you felt the music played a crucial role in enhancing the narrative?
We probably have different ones here, but for Kevin it was the opening cue of Episode 3. It’s a long silent scene of the Terminator on the prowl and it was the first time we really leaned into serial killer vibes. The music puts us there, and we’re forced to be in the Terminator’s rhythm now. We wanted to feel like we were glued to the Terminator in those scenes, so giving us a rhythmic pace with the arp synth was super important.
For Michelle, it was early in episode 7, when the main character Malcolm tells a story that takes us back in time and spans most of his life. This scene resulted in a beefy, five-minute cue that we called “Origins.” It was almost like a medley of the different melodies, character themes, and musical worlds that we built – all in a five-minute, continuous piece. The music had to help move us through time throughout this montage, while not overpowering the words. It was a tough one, but completing it felt amazing!
Considering your previous work on projects like The Lesbian Bar Project and Mother/Android, how did Terminator Zero challenge you creatively, and what new elements did you explore in this score?
This was definitely the most challenging project we’ve scored, but it was also the most freeing writing process we’ve ever had. In the beginning, we were struggling to expand on our demo ideas and felt an inherent sense of imposter syndrome. Then we got one of the best notes back from the producers: “we really want you to just be yourselves”. After that, we threw out any residual instincts of conformity, put our blinders on, and just did what we thought was cool. We took a lot of big swings on this, and ultimately it was incredibly rewarding. We took a lot of what we learned from our past projects and just expanded on them, went bigger, went harder, and really tried to remain true to ourselves throughout the whole process.
What are you hoping audiences take away from the music in Terminator Zero?
We hope it helps give this franchise a new, modern voice. We hope it feels fresh and exciting and gives you another set of melodies to latch onto. We love Brad’s score so much and hope that this only adds to the canon and expands the franchise into new territories.
How do you want the score to impact their viewing experience?
We hope that the score helps viewers to tap into the emotions of the characters. While the show has some epic action scenes, which we hope will have people on the edge of their seats, at its heart, the show is about a family, and the complications of being human. We’re hoping that the score helps take people on this emotional rollercoaster and feel into this dichotomy between existential dread and love.
