Star Wars: Interview With Clone Wars Composer Kevin Kiner

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is again for a remaining season to complete the story of the beforehand canceled animated present for Disney+, and with it comes prolific Star Wars composer, Kevin Kiner. Whereas John Williams is the identify everybody thinks of relating to Star Wars music, Kiner has carved out his personal nook of the universe, racking up extra whole minutes of Star Wars soundtrack than Williams himself.

As Clone Wars season 7 airs on Disney+, Display Rant had a chance to speak to Kiner about his time engaged on Star Wars, his work coming again to complete season 7, and his future with the franchise.

Associated: Clone Wars Repurposes A Monster Sound From The Prequel Films

What’s it like being again on Clone Wars?

It is actually nice, I am completed up, So now I am attempting to recollect what I did.

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I watched the unfinished story reels that got here out some time again and lots of that was reused for at the least these early episodes of season 7, and the story reels already had each vocals and music. The place these temp tracks, or had you executed work on these episodes previous to the present being canceled?

Yeah, we labored via, it’s tough for me to recollect. I went on to work on Rebels proper after that for 4 years, too. I feel it was canceled someday after we have been engaged on season 6 or one thing like that, I can not bear in mind for certain when the present was canceled, and also you have been talking of some issues that you just noticed, I am undecided what…

In 2015, I feel, they launched the animatic story reels for the Dangerous Batch episodes and some others. there was some music in these, however once I in contrast it to season 7 it does not match up precisely, so I did not know if something I heard there was work that you just had executed on the time, or in the event that they used temp tracks for these?

That was work that I did at a time, however we addressed it and the dangerous batch theme is model new to season 7.

Did you’ve got a lot music that you just went again to reuse from what you had written that ended up getting canceled, or is most of what you ended up doing model new for season 7?

All the things’s model new for season 7. I imply, we do not actually reuse issues within the Star Wars Clone Wars world. I want we did.

I knew work had been executed beforehand, so I did not know the way a lot of that was picked up the place you left off versus ranging from scratch.

No, it is all new stuff.

With lots of the music that you just do, I do know you do plenty of totally different types for Clone Wars, however clearly John Williams appears to be type of a template for the best way lots of people approached Star Wars, not only for Clone Wars, however you get that in Rogue One or the Han Solo film additionally type of emulated that. Is there a selected period or film or perhaps a particular track of Williams that you just look to while you suppose of what’s Star Wars music? How do you strategy that when that you must create one thing new that matches in that universe?

Properly, I have been doing this for about 12 years now, and earlier than that – if I do a clinic or a chat at Celebration or Comedian-Cons of one thing I will carry alongside an previous Star Wars rating that I bought someplace within the early 80s and it is all dog-eared and marked up type of like some folks will mark up their textbook once they’re finding out for one thing or their Bibles, , no matter it’s. Issues are underlined, I’ve my very own notations in every single place, so I have been finding out John Williams writing and his methods and analyzing his orchestrations because the 80s. I imagine that is one of many causes I wound up scoring Clone Wars and I used to be employed by George Lucas and Dave Filoni. I feel that was type of, I had that underneath my fingers, or underneath my pencil, nevertheless you wish to discuss it. so there’s nothing particular and I do not actually attempt to imitate John, I take advantage of my very own voice, however I imagine I’ve studied his orchestration and studied him for thus lengthy that it is type of a part of what my writing is, . I attempt to use my very own voice, however I pay homage to him.

I all the time thought that was fascinating as a result of each you and Giacchino and Powell have type of injected into that universe. I can take heed to it and it sounds very Star Wars, like following within the footsteps of Williams, however you’ll be able to nonetheless inform oh that is Kevin that is Michael Giacchino, John Powell, and I all the time thought that was actually fascinating that you just’re being on this universe and part of that musical cloth, however you continue to have your individual voice.

Yeah, I imply, it is like I stated, I have not talked to Michael or John Powell about how they strategy it, however the best way I described it to you is the best way I strategy it.

Since all the things was written model new for season 7, is your strategy a bit of totally different? I do know you’ve got executed rebels within the meantime, so it isn’t such as you precisely cooled down on the Star Wars music. Was it like using a motorbike, or did you type of re-concept something?

I feel there is a fixed transferring ahead for me simply as a composer, I have been doing this for 37 years and with the intention to not get stale I actually attempt to push myself and extra not too long ago and that is one thing that Dave Filoni was actually into, too, was we’re simply type of liking a bit of extra of digital ingredient, so the rating for season 7 – particularly because it strikes on in the direction of the center episodes – begin incorporating type of an digital/orchestra hybrid that is type of occurring today in movie scoring. I do one other present, or a pair different reveals for Marvel Bros., I do Doom Patrol and I do Titans, that are live-action DC Comics reveals and people are completely digital, like no orchestra to talk of, properly, besides some in Titans, in order that was a extremely good expertise to get me getting in that style. I imply, it’s a complete totally different bag. There’s a complete totally different talent to doing digital music then there may be to orchestral music and I acquired fairly deep into it not too long ago. So, you are not going to listen to an digital type of rating, it is nonetheless Star Wars, however these components are extra prevalent in season 7, the digital components do are available in, particularly in later episodes.

Attention-grabbing, that is one factor I used to be attempting to ask, which is likely to be, I do know they really need me to watch out of spoilers in my questions, however based mostly on my understanding of the timeline, the present in season 7, in some unspecified time in the future, goes to overlap considerably with Revenge of the Sith, so I do not know if meaning seeing any scenes are moments from a special angles or not, however did that affect any of the music in any respect?

No, it did not. I am not constructive how a lot timeline overlap there may be, I am fairly really dangerous with that type of factor [laughs]. I give attention to, I imply we all know that Darth Maul is a giant a part of season 7, and that is – I had a Maul theme that began in Clone Wars and acquired type of flushed out and Rebels and it undoubtedly comes again and Clone Wars season 7. He is an superior character and I’ve gotten to know the actor, Sam [Witwer]. He is a extremely cool man and a giant soundtrack fan, and he does an incredible job at Maul, he is actually actually good. I imply, all of the voice actors are simply fabulous in season 7.

Yeah, I am actually excited to see all of them again. Talking of the voice actors, I used to be all the time actually impressed with Dee Bradley Baker that does all of the clones.

I feel he does like 18 totally different voices all through the years.

There’s even an episode within the present the place I feel the credit have been nearly solely him doing the voices as a result of it was principally clones and a pair facet characters, which was loopy. I do know lots of the characters have their very own themes and because the clones are all they portrayed as an unbiased folks, however clearly they’re all similar additionally, does that affect any of the music that you just needed to write, did you need to write a clones theme, or theme for any of this particular clones or discover any differentiation there? How do you strategy that?

Yeah, we undoubtedly have a clones theme and that began most likely an early season 1 or 2 of Clone Wars and I did not use that I do not suppose in any respect and Rebels, and it is one in all my favourite themes as a result of it is it is actually type of a classy melody and harmonization and stuff and it is rather less accessible than one thing like say the Drive theme or Ahsoka’s theme or one thing, such as you don’t hum it fairly as simply and but I feel it is fairly identifiable, so I am actually completely happy to make use of my clones theme every time I can.

Yeah, that is actually cool. Because the universe expands and so they’re moving into extra stuff, I knew Giacchino and Powell type of got here in and did their very own factor as properly, I used to be actually fascinated in The Mandalorian how Ludwig Göransson got here in and did a brand new, we have been speaking about everybody makes use of that very same language, or the Williams homages have been very prevalent, however then Ludwig type of took a special course with that extra type of stripped-down western strategy to it. Do you, as somebody who’s executed a lot Star Wars type of see a proper time and place to embrace that Williams language versus breaking into one thing that sounds in contrast to something heard in Star Wars earlier than?

I feel it is a case-by-case foundation. You understand, I do know Ludwig, I imply that was a part of the gig I feel was, , he is so cool, he has this sort of our personal factor, and I feel they needed not to take action a lot of what John Powell or myself have executed, and so they needed to only get it and lean into the Western type of facet additionally. So far as Clone Wars, it is all the time going to have, as a result of it is Clone Wars, it is all the time going to have that Star Wars John Williams palette as a part of it, however I’d say we get away from that extra usually than ever in season 7. And simply type of our personal course and the electronics actually assist that. I imply, I do not know what number of hours, I feel I added it up one time, we did approach over 100 episodes of Clone Wars and I feel near 100 episodes of Rebels, I imply I do know I’ve written extra Star Wars music than anybody ever alive, so I win for those who receives a commission by the pound I suppose.

I believed that one thing very attention-grabbing concerning the present, basically, is everybody type of is aware of the film actors and John Williams and all the things, however for those who take a look at Clone Wars you’ve got James Arnold Taylor, who did Obi-Wan, for instance, has executed extra Obi-Wan Kenobi than some other actor, or the identical for nearly anybody in there, so I feel that is one thing actually cool about Clone Wars, at the least for me as a fan, is it defines a lot extra of my Star Wars expertise than even the films do at this level.

Yeah, and in addition, Dave Filoni and I have been working with George quite a bit in the course of the first few seasons of Clone Wars. I used to be flying as much as San Francisco like each couple of weeks. I acquired to have lots of face time with George. It is simply so cool to have executed that, , Dave and I are two of the folks which have been taught by the grasp, , and labored with the grasp and it is, I imply, that’ll all the time be one thing I am actually pleased with.

That is one of many issues it has been thrilling for me concerning the season arising. The brand new Star Wars stuff is all been thrilling, particularly the brand new stuff that Dave has executed, however so far as I do know, I feel that is the final stuff that was type of developed initially, story-wise, whereas George nonetheless owned the corporate and now we’re seeing it lastly absolutely realized just a few years later, nevertheless it actually seems like a bit of little bit of a throwback or a Parting Reward nearly.

It undoubtedly is that. It’s for certain is that and I feel you’ll be able to actually in season 7- I imply, I actually really feel George. So, I do not know if anybody else will, however I do not know precisely why that’s, however there’s one thing particular. And that man, he is a singular particular person on this Earth and there is not any extra George Lucas’s left.

You have to, via the Clone Wars, work with a bunch of various characters and write themes like for Darth Maul. As a very long time pupil of Williams, are there any characters in Star Wars that you have not been in a position to write for that you just wish to?

Properly, I feel Kylo Ren can be enjoyable. And, yeah, I imply, I have not, these have not come up in any of the reveals that I’ve executed.

They usually’re additionally, the way forward for the franchise looks like they’re doing much more TV. There’s plenty of confirmed and rumored initiatives and each live-action and animation. Is there something that you have heard about or seen rumored or reveals like Obi-Wan or the Cassian Andor present that looks like one thing you would be eager about tackling?

Uh, so, I’ve not heard something about both of these two issues that you have talked about. And even when I had or if I might heard anything about anything, I can not discuss it [laughs].

Oh, in fact, you would not have the ability to expose, but when there have been one other, like a subsequent Star Wars challenge, now that Rebels is wrapped and also you’re doing this remaining season of Clone Wars, is there any specific… I suppose you stated you hadn’t heard of any of those I discussed, however is there any type of period or subsequent factor within the Star Wars Universe you would be excited to sort out?

I am simply so proud of what I’ve executed and the place I have been. So, , I type of describe myself as somebody who… any individual in an interview stated I had a storied profession, which I believed was a very nice praise, and I by no means actually considered it that approach. I type of simply all the time type of put my head down and composed for what’s in entrance of me and so by way of transferring ahead with the subsequent no matter that is likely to be in Star Wars, I simply love doing it. I do not suppose guys like Dave Filoni and Kathleen Kennedy and people who find themselves operating the ship, they have not made a incorrect name so far as I can see, so I am completely happy to do no matter comes subsequent and all I can say is I hope I get to compose for Star Wars so long as John Williams has, so in my 80s and nonetheless cranking I will be actually completely happy about that.

Properly, so long as there’s nonetheless content material popping out I feel everybody can be actually completely happy to listen to you do it, too.

Properly, I all the time love to maneuver it ahead. I feel John has within the movies and in his personal approach oh, , I do not suppose he is gotten stale. I feel that is the most important problem is to not get stale and up to now I am actually proud that I do not suppose that is occurred. I really like music, I imply I used to be simply practising piano earlier than you known as and that is simply what I do all day lengthy.

I do know you stated your introduction, you all the time been a pupil of Williams and also you had a dog-eared rating again within the 80s, since you’ve got been began doing Star Wars, you probably did all Clone Wars and you probably did Rebels and I do know you’ve got executed some work on video games and whatnot, however then since then, Williams has come again to do the sequels and such as you stated you type of push issues ahead from what he did up to now, did that, since your research of him have been all performed from his older work, did his newer stuff affect the best way that you just do Star Wars in any respect?

No, it hasn’t. I feel that… I will offer you one other analogy. So I am a guitar participant and, , musicians, what they do as they’re rising up and as they’re studying is that they’ll copy, say, like an Eric Clapton solo or a Jimi Hendrix solo or one thing like that. They’re going to copy it note-for-note and to allow them to play that solo and type of, I feel theoretically, what occurs is then while you go and do your individual guitar solos after a few years perhaps that Jimi Hendrix lick will come out, however in your individual approach, in order that’s the most effective of all attainable circumstances. And jazz sax gamers, they’re going to copy Coltrane or one thing and the very best world is just not that they’re regurgitating Coltrane, however that type of that fashion or a few of these licks come out and their very own solos and in order that was type of my Basis was John Williams and, like I stated, the most effective circumstance for me is now to make use of my very own voice and hopefully there may be in my very own voice there’s that taste of John Williams and so I have not actually gone in an analyzed and studied the brand new work. I respect them tremendously, and I really like the melodies – one other one is Rey’s theme is improbable – so I’d like to work with these melodies if I started working with these characters. However, I feel it was earlier on in my improvement as a composer the place I used to be actually within the nuts and bolts finding out half and I really feel like I’ve my very own factor happening and generally I may sound identical to John if I needed to, however more often than not I wish to do one thing a bit of totally different that may have a taste of him in it and I feel that is the most effective I might be.

I do not wish to preserve you too lengthy, however I actually respect all of your solutions and taking the time to speak to me.

Yeah man, and I’m all the time actually appreciative of followers and individuals who love the music and love the reveals and I am all the time completely happy to speak to folks for those who ever wish to discuss one thing else or one thing new I am doing or no matter, I might be completely happy to speak about it. If you wish to see what else I am doing, my web site is KevinKiner.com, and that has probably the most up-to-date stuff I am engaged on.

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About The Writer

Display Rant options editor and social media maven, Stephen has been writing for the positioning since 2016 and enjoys all method of flicks and TV, particularly when it provides motive to obsess over minor irrelevant continuity trivia.

Stephen has been infatuated with film magic on display )and in addition peeking behind the scenes to demystify them) since sporting out his VHS copy of The Making of Star Wars when he was 7 years previous and loopy concerning the deep lore of fictional universes ever since studying the Silmarillion when he was 9.

When he isn’t deep within the weeds of Star Wars canon or breaking down the mechanics of fictional worlds like John Wick or Brilliant or proving the existence of the Snyder Reduce, he is most likely chasing after his two tiny hobbit kids or getting himself into hassle on Twitter @smcolbert.

Sure, that is his actual identify.

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