Composer Robyn Bryant Photo: Supplied / Robyn Bryant
Robyn Bryant took to music as a child, playing a variety of instruments, but it was a movie that galvanised her musical career.
She recalls seeing the 2007 fantasy adventure movie, Stardust. It had a stellar cast: Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter O'Toole, Claire Danes and Ricky Gervais. But for Bryant, the real star was Ilan Eshkeri's soundtrack.
That's what she wanted to do, write music for film.
Bryant has just completed her fifth full film score, for the Kiwi romance The People We Love, directed by Mike Smith.
Bryant spoke to RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump about the score, her approach to composing for film, and the roundabout way she became a film composer.
Initially she had opted for a career in biomedical science, figuring she wasn't good enough to be a professional film composer.
But then she realised the only way to really find out if you're not good enough for something is to try it.
Scene from "The People We Love" - Cupid's been busy. Photo: supplied
Ten movies later (five as a musical collaborator, and five as the composer), Bryant appears to be more than just good enough.
By the way, if you want to know what RNZ's battle-hardened film critic Simon Morris made of this romantic movie, here's the review.
