Zaalen: Having a life composing music whether I am able to have a successful career from it or just doing it cause I simply love to, gives me one of the greatest pleasures I could ever experience. It can be frustrating at times here in Australia though, especially in Perth where I am from because there aren’t huge amounts of films being made and the genre of films being made tend to be of a similar subject matter which are of course, the issues going on in today’s society. Dramas! A lot of dramas! (smiling)

ScoreNotes: Please tell us about your recent award nominations including the types of scores you created for each nominated film.

Zaalen: In 2008 I was nominated for Best Score for the film ‘Til 3 Knocks’ at The West Australian Screen Awards. The film was written and directed by Noah Norton and it tells the story of a father’s desperate attempt to protect his daughter from time and death. The film looks beautiful and has a dark, fantasy feel to it and has very interesting characters, so I had a great backdrop to work with. I decided to go with a minimalist approach to the score and wanted to create a very beautiful, but foreboding atmosphere within the music and it’s themes for the characters. A solo viola and piano were my key instruments throughout the score, backed up by a female choir in parts, soft synths, string sections and little trinkets and thuds of percussion. The film allowed me to reach into the darker side of my musical ideas and pluck them out.

In 2009 I was nominated for Best Score at The West Australian Screen Awards for the film ‘Rose’s Portrait’ which was directed by Steve Kezic. The story revolves around a lady called Rose who lives in an apparent idyllic world that begins to fall apart around her. Though the subject matter is very deep, it’s portrayed in a very creative, light-hearted way, so I approached the music for the film in a very playful manner. The piano, clarinet, flute, harp, acoustic guitar and strings were my main instruments of choice and a tuba pops in there as well. The film is virtually void of dialogue so I felt it was important to assign an instrument and theme to each character, as it would act as their voice in the film. This was a very fun film to work on.

ScoreNotes: How closely do you keep tabs on the Hollywood scene and is that a venue that you hope to be involved in one day?

Zaalen: I’m a huge fan of many composers and directors, so it’s always exciting to know what projects they are working on. It would be an incredible experience to work on Hollywood films. That has always been my dream and ambition as well as wanting to make my own films.

ScoreNotes: What would you say your strengths are currently as a composer and what areas do you think you can improve in?

Zaalen: I think my strengths are being able create music with a lot of feeling and emotion and that stems from having a good feel for the tone of a film, its characters and its settings. As far as improving, I’d like to constantly improve across all areas. That’s what drives me to keep writing music everyday and learning new things, listening to all styles of music from all over the world and watching as many films as I can. I’ll write a tune, then take ideas from that and expand on it and always strive to create that perfect melody and sound I’ve been searching for my whole life. However, if I managed to write the perfect piece of music, that would mean I had run out of ideas! I hope I never run out of ideas. Staying inspired and always knowing I can improve in all areas of my life, not just with my music, makes everyday challenging and exciting.

ScoreNotes: What types of films do you hope to be writing music for?  Are there particular genres that you are drawn to more?

Zaalen: I am drawn to the action/adventure genre. I’ve always wanted to score epic films of massive proportions! Though I’m very happy to score for any genre of film. Variety is the best way to further one’s ability and it keeps you fresh and helps you explore new ideas. It would be great to write the scores for some video games. Some of the scores coming from video games are incredible and rival many film scores.

ScoreNotes: What is your opinion about team composing (e.g., Hans Zimmer's Remote Control) and does the idea of a collaborative working environment appeal to you?

Zaalen: This is a good question. Personally, I don’t understand why there’s so much debate and conversation about this subject with film score fans, because film scoring is always a collaborative process. Writing a score for a film, or for any kind of project involves a whole crew of people, from the director, producers, musicians, sound engineers etc. Why is it bad to have a composer or musician who might provide a great idea, and then let them work that idea into your score? Hans Zimmer’s background is from being in bands. My background is similar actually. I think it’s great sitting around with other musicians and exchanging ideas, but I do also enjoy locking myself away, just like any creative person does and working on those ideas on my own. If Hans Zimmer offered me the opportunity to work with him and the other composers at Remote Control, I’d be there in a heartbeat! Just imagine if he didn’t give guys like John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams the chance to work with him? Imagine how many more fantastic composers could be unearthed if composers like John Williams, Howard, Horner, Silvestri, Shore, Desplat and Debney did the same thing as Hans Zimmer? It’s an exciting thought! There can never be enough artists on this great big rock we call earth and everyone could do with a helping hand sometime. So Hans… If you’re interested, please get in touch! (laughs)

ScoreNotes: As you first became involved in composing, did you find inspiration from any of the native Australian composers who have scored films there?

Zaalen: No I didn’t. I was born in the early 80s, and I still believe the 80s to be the most creative decade in film, especially with films from America. My Dad had already started a fantastic soundtrack collection amongst his thousands of records, so at my disposal, just to name a few, I had the soundtracks from Star Wars, Alien, The Lion and the Winter, E.T, The Mission… The list goes on and on. I was a very lucky kid to grow up surrounded by so much music.

ScoreNotes: I'm sure it's always a bit daunting to plan the big picture view of one's future, but what are some of the things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?

Zaalen: I have heaps I want to accomplish. I hope to have finished my own full feature animated film that is currently in the early stages of production, and if all goes well with that, I will move onto my second one. I hope to get the opportunity to score music for major motion pictures and video games and have a very successful career as a composer and hopefully film maker as well. Most importantly, I hope to continue living a happy, healthy and creative life surrounded by the people who inspire me and make my life so amazing! Thank you all!

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