Composer Interview: Carl Thiel (October 11, 2013)

Carl Thiel is a fantastic composer who has been working with director Robert Rodriguez for many years now. Carl has been part of Rodriguez's musical team on a slew of his films and was the lead composer for Machete Kills, which Carl co-composed with Rodriguez. Carl worked extensively on the first Machete as well as part of Rodriguez's band Chingon. We discuss the collaborative differences between the first film and this one. Including what it's like working with a director like Robert who holds almost every title behind the camera including director, writer, editor and more. Carl talks about the different sounds he created for the many characters while upping the adventure factor for this installment. Even though the movie is crazy over the top, Carl shares how in some scenes he even had to tone the music back and find the right balance. We also talk about the James Bond influences in Machete Kills and how that affected the score. A very enlightening talk with a great composer.

Interview Conducted By:
Kaya Savas

Special Thanks:
Carl Thiel
Jeff Sanderson
Dan Barry
Chasen & Company

Photo Credit: Mathew Sturtevant