Composer Q&A: Harry Manfredini

In 2013, I interviewed Harry Manfredini, the composer behind the iconic music of Friday the 13th. With Halloween right around the corner and my horror movie marathon in full-swing, I thought I’d repost the interview on Medium. Happy Halloween!

Nick Dolan: Let’s start from the beginning, at what point did you decide that you wanted to pursue music as a career? Was music a big part of your life growing up?

Harry Manfredini: I have to say that film music got to me at a very early age. I would say 6 or 7. So the early masters were a big influence. I started studying music at 6. In my family, I was raised listening to Italian Opera, especially Puccini, which I think had a big effect on my dramatic sense, and jazz... Progressive... Stan Kenton, and the like. So that headed me into Jazz. I worked as a musician from the time I was in high school. When I got to college, the world of classical music really opened up to me and I dove in with vigor. And eventually taught music and almost got my doctorate… all but Dissertation… ABD…(laughs) but the film music opportunity opened up for me and off I went.

ND: When you were studying music in college, you went all the way to pursue your Doctorate. What was your plan at that time? Was film always the main goal?

HM: In my heart, Film was always my love. I really had given up that dream and was pursuing the college professor road. But while in New York, that film opportunity opened up… and I took a few steps toward it, and off I went.. It was scary at first, but I guess things worked out.

ND: How did you get started working in film? Was it an ongoing pursuit or was it something that you were introduced to? Specifically before 1978 with Manny’s Orphans.

HM: Well, I was making a living, barely, playing the sax. But a friend saw an ad in the local showbiz paper… reading “film composer needs assistant” and suggested I look into it. I really had little or no experience in film at that time, but I did work in recording studios as a player and a low-level arranger. So I answered the ad. I met Arlon Ober, who is since passed, and he took me under his wing, and we did pretty well together. I eventually worked on my own... doing children’s films.. mostly shorts, which did very well and won awards. One of the directors of those films, Gary Templeton, knew of a filmmaker in Connecticut who needed a composer… oddly his name was Sean Cunningham, and I did two films with Sean... Here Come The Tigers, and Manny’s Orphans, {both} sport-related films for kids. Shortly after that, in Sean’s kitchen he said, I am going to make the scariest film ever, called Friday the 13th, and you are going to score it. I thought great. And off we went.

ND: Touching on Friday the 13th, what was your most memorable experience working on the film?

HM: Well, of course, that is the film that put me on the map so to speak. I could list memorable experiences… funny, sad, horrible, aggravating, wonderful… and most other adjectives, but it would probably clog the internet… so let's say there have been many of various types… I can tell you that every film I have scored I have enjoyed thoroughly and have always found something special about each.

ND: I love how you incorporated the “Ki-ki-ki ma-ma-ma” based on “kill her mommy” to signify the presence of Mrs. Voorhees, which you’ve mentioned was inspired by Jaws. Have you employed similar techniques in films not related to the Friday the 13th series?

HM: I think the idea of that sound is similar to Jaws, in that it evokes the presence of the killer, like the ostinato theme in Jaws. I did not see Jaws and think that was the sound. But I knew from the start that there had to be something to make it clear to the audience that the killer was present, and not just the cameraman…(laughs). This idea of having a theme represent a character or even an element of a film has been around for a long time. Berlioz had his Idee Fixe, and Wagner his Leitmotif, and so film composers use this as well. In Swamp Thing… I had a two-note whole tone phrase that denoted the magic formula. It is a quick way to evoke to the audience an element of the film. In a film titled Dead and Gone, I used a child’s toy from Burger King to represent the evil madness that permeated this particular cabin. So it is very much a part of the scoring bag of tricks all film composers used.

ND: With regards to writing for the horror genre specifically, how has the music changed since the 1980s in your opinion?

HM: Yes, it has. I think back in the day… (laughs) the 80's… or even back to the beginning of sound in films.. and through the 50’s classics the idea of a theme, a melody was very much in vogue, and the background itself was even melodic. Recently these elements have been less of a technique. This is not to say that there are no films that still use these more melodic approaches. Many films today rely on percussive writing and more ostinato based material… as well as strong effect hits. I think this change of approach is somewhat the result of the rise of the ability to create sound effects and sound design for films… and that often the music is considered part of the sound design. The ability to create new and amazing sounds on computers and samplers etc. have been utilized by so many that they have become the expected sound, whereas previously the orchestral sound was the norm.

ND: How has the “film music” industry changed as a whole since you started?

HM: The film music industry has changed considerably from when I started. The ability of composers to create scores without players and the ability to edit, and change music in an instant, and to synchronize within milliseconds to a film have all changed. This alone has allowed composers all over the world who have an electrical outlet, and a nice supply of gear to create scores. These factors tied together with my answer to the above question have really changed scoring. Also, the ability to have someone who is not even near you to add to your score. I have done films where I added a guitar and banjo, the player was in London, and he played for me without any problem. The scoring of films is something that has moved to the entire world, and now even to remote sessions from Europe via phone lines...

Another change is that in the past, there were A films, and A composers, B films and B composers, C films.. etc etc.. you get it. Now I think there are A films, and A composers, and the rest are just about every man form himself. Not exactly, but sometimes it seems that way.

ND: Where do you see the future of film music going, and what skills do you feel are essential for composers who want to build a career as a film composer?

HM: I think the skills are still the same. The best film composers are those who understand the place, and abilities of music in a film. As a film composer, you are not just a composer, you are half dramatist — sometimes more than half. It is your charge to create in a sonic way the wishes and purposes of the director and the writer of the film. Not to show how good you are at harmony, or counterpoint or whatever.. even though you will use these… they have to be in service to those elements of the film that you can enhance and bring to the audience in a musical way. Music says things that cannot be said. Of course, you still have to know plenty of composing skills and techniques, and now added to all that the computer and electronic elements that have also become part of the landscape. Even recording techniques… so there are a lot of issues.

ND: Lastly, you have a pretty long list of upcoming projects, is there anything you’re particularly excited about?

HM: There are some that I find attractive and fun. A drama called FREIGHT, which is very cleverly done requiring a very introspective and yet strong score. About the futility of suicide. The main portion of the film takes place in a freight elevator, which is not connected, basically on its way to who knows where...

Another is HEADLESS, which is a horror, comedy, thriller.. incredible story and full of scare, and fun. Can't wait for this one. WAITING LIST is an out and out thriller/horror film. Not far from the idea of Coma. and MODEL HUNGER…a strange little film from Debbie Rochon of Scream Queen fame. Her first Directing experienceMIRROR WATCHER a script by Patrick Rea, very cool plot and story — Fantasy/Thriller. A huge thank you to Harry Manfredini for a great interview! And again, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!