UPDATED: Wed, Jul 17, 04:18PM CW3PR and RhapsodyPR are thrilled to present the 11th annual Behind the Music panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, featuring music creators from composers, to music editors, on some of SDCC’s top fan-favorite films and television shows! Television’s top maestros will discuss how their work elevates the strange, action-packed, terrifying and ethereal in today’s most buzzed-about projects. An educational panel for aspiring musicians and fans alike, this event historically features some great ear-pleasing surprises and reveals! Panelists include Sean Callery (Composer-Jessica Jones, The Hot Zone), Jeff Russo (Composer-Star Trek: Discovery, The Umbrella Academy, Legion), David Klotz (Music Editor-Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, American Horror Story), Amie Doherty (Composer-Undone, Here and Now), Kurt Farquhar (Composer-Black Lightning, American Soul), Jim Dooley (Composer-A Series of Unfortunate Events), and Joanne Higginbottom (Composer-Samurai Jack, The Public). Moderated by Danielle Burgess(Killer Kate!; The Sinner) and Gianni Paolo (MA; Power).
Thursday July 18, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 25ABC
Music has always been an important supporting character in movies; it goes to another level in the superhero film genre where the music sets a tone that helps define a character, an impending battle, or a triumphant moment. The annual Musical Anatomy of a Superhero returns with a Justice League/Avenger panel of superhero composers of superhero films. Unreleased music and video clips from upcoming and recently released projects will be featured. Leading Hollywood composers will explain the process and challenges of creating music behind the superhero genre, along with collaborating with the director, producers, and the franchise. Composer panelists include Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel, Krypton), Benjamin Wallfisch (Shazam!, Hellboy), Sherri Chung (Batwoman, Super Girl), Blake Neely (Batwoman, The Flash),Christopher Lennertz (The Boys, Agent Carter), and moderator Michael Giacchino (Spider-Man: Far From Home, Dr. Strange), with introductions by Ray Costa (Costa Communications).
Thursday July 18, 2019 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
Ballroom 20
Jackson Lanzing (Star Trek: Year One, Green Arrow), Katie Schenkel (The Cardboard Kingdom), and Mairghread Scott (Batgirl, Marvel Rising) discuss the importance of music in helping them connect with and write famous characters. They will be playing some of their favorite song clips and explaining how they connect to their favorite characters in a session moderated by Meg Downey (Pop culture writer at Gamespot).
The Plot Against Static Shock: Are some banned Black creators deliberately set up by publishers? Yeah, it's like that, and that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it. I know you were expecting RUN DMC but got KC & The Sunshine Band instead. Well, Don McGregor (writer, Black Panther), Steve Geppi (owns Baltimore—yep, the entire city), and Greg Resse (journalist) love that song and are part of this year's panel. Wayne Brady (everything), Bill Duke (director and runner of red lights), and Lakita Garth-Wright (writer, media consultant) will join them. Also joining the panel will be Darryl McDaniels, better known as DMC. It's like that, and that's the way it is. Look for some big surprises. Any spokesperson who makes a Michael Davis announcement and isn't Michael Davis is lying.
Friday July 19, 2019 10:00am - 11:30am PDT
Room 5AB
UPDATED: Wed, Jul 10, 05:14PM Ever wonder what goes into creating pulse-pounding action music, emotional character themes, or lush adventurous soundscapes? This panel pairs composers with their directors to discuss what creative thinking and conversations happen behind the scenes to develop music for fan favorite projects in film, television. and video games. Composer Tyler Bates and director Michael Schwandt (Cirque du Soleil, The Masked Singer), composer Frederik Wiedmann and co-creator Aaron Ehasz (Netflix's The Dragon Prince), and composer Austin Wintory and director Matt Nava (Journey, Abzu video games) will elaborate on the creative process. BMI's senior director of creative film, TV, and visual media Anne Cecere and president of White Bear PR Chandler Poling moderate. A Q&A with the audience will follow, along with fun giveaways.
Friday July 19, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 32AB
UPDATED: Tue, Jul 09, 04:42PM From the spine-tingling scores for Us, Get Out, and Ma to the gritty and horror-filled themes in Pet Sematary and Hellraiser to the ultra-spooky cues in Critters and The Head Hunter, horror films wouldn't be nearly as terrifying without their musical scores. Composers Christopher Young, Michael Abels, Gregory Tripi, Russ Howard,Carl Thiel, and Nick Soole pull back the curtain to reveal how they created some of the world's most frightening film music. Moderated by Steve Greene from IndieWire.
A noncanonical, in-world Girl Genius adventure, performed in the style of old-time radio. Performers will be recruited from the audience. Featuring Kaja and Phil Foglio.
Come for the fun and sing-along as the California Browncoats screen the fan fave Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, then wow the audience with your own rendition! Karaoke signups for individuals and small groups will be available in the screening room just prior to screening. Space and time is limited-first to come, first to rock out!
Friday July 19, 2019 9:15pm - 10:45pm PDT
Room 6DE
UPDATED: Tue, Jul 16, 04:05PM Celebrate a star who’s both timeless and in tune with the times—and the 40th anniversary of the triple-platinum Mickey Mouse Disco album! Voice actor Bret Iwan (Kingdom Hearts III, Mickey and the Roadster Racers) welcomes Mickey Mouse Disco producer Jymn Magon (DuckTales, Talespin); music and TV producer Bambi Moé (Mousercise, The Little Mermaid) and TV writer/music historian Greg Ehrbar (Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records). Joining these musical maestros will be Alyssa Tryon, who oversees the Mickey Mouse brand for the Walt Disney Company and costume design and development manager Trevor Rush with behind-the-scenes info about Mickey’s disco wardrobe.
Saturday July 20, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 25ABC
From Godzilla's blaring brass to Chucky's spine-tingling toy pianos, screen monsters of all sizes are made even more terrifying with a memorable musical score. Hear from composer Bear McCreary (whose genre credits include Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Child's Play [2019], The Walking Dead, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Colossal, and God of War) in a unique scene study as he breaks apart the elements that make an effective monster score. McCreary will discuss the importance of themes and how he chooses unusual instrumentation, from Buddhist monk choirs to children's toys, in creating a monster's musical voice.
Saturday July 20, 2019 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 25ABC
It's a fun, hands-on, time-warping, intergalactic, magical, middle earth, and sci-fi “superhero-like” ukulele sing- and play-along. Characters are welcome. Interpretive dance and air ukulele are encouraged. There will be a number of ukuleles on hand for use (while they last), and the songs will be projected up on a screen for everyone to follow along. This panel is hosted by KEV, the world's most okayist ukulele player.
Takashi Okazaki (Afro Samruai) and Jumpei Mizusaki (Batman Ninja) team up for the first time with Sturgill Simpson (Grammy Award-winning musician, A Sailor's Guide to Earth) on a new film that merges American rock music with anime in a way never seen before. Moderated by Shun Ochiai (radio DJ and narrator in Avengers Assemble) the team will debut the first 90-second trailer for the film as well as discuss the making of the project.
Saturday July 20, 2019 7:30pm - 8:30pm PDT
Room 5AB
Let's end this show with a bang! The Powers That Be behind Whedonopolis, WhedonCon, and FandomCharities present an interactive screening of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode "Once More with Feeling"! Many say this is the finest, funniest, most ingenious episode ever to come out of the Buffyverse. But remember, the best part of the show is up to you! This episode was made for talkin'-back, that is-and singing and shouting and dancing in the aisles, with or without your dry cleaning! Audience participation: It isn't just for Rocky Horror and mob riots anymore!