slayer Score
Audio, Video Scoring, Commercial Art
05.17.2024
Slayer, directed by Katie Kocan, is a Y2K-inspired slasher film that plays with classic tropes of the genre to create an unserious, comedic tone. The film was produced by 1901 Productions, Millikin’s student-run film company, where I served as assistant boom operator and score composer during production and post-production, respectively. The film was first screened at the world premiere of 1901 Productions’ Wake anthology—one of the company’s largest and most successful events to date.
The process of writing and producing the score for Slayer was challenging. As an artist who often works with dark, gritty themes, the campy, unserious tone of the film was far out of my comfort zone. The director of the film asked that the score encapsulate the vibe of the early 2000s, primarily using synthesizers and drum beats inspired by pop and club music, and integrating them with more dark and distorted sounds during the tense moments in the film. With production going over schedule and the premiere just around the corner, I was tasked with scoring the 30-minute film in just 3 days.
Despite the incredibly tight deadline, I succeeded in my work and completely satisfied the director and creative team for the film. Each scene was fully scored with original music that ebbed and flowed with everything that happened on the screen. Each character had a unique musical theme that related to the film stereotype they embodied, and each motif shifted and evolved as they interacted with other characters.
Slayer is currently unavailable for streaming, but I’ve included 5 of my favorite scenes to contextualize my scoring work. Spoilers ahead.
1: Film Intro
This introductory scene establishes the setting of the film. I opted for an upbeat tone to capture the film’s identity early on, using Y2K-era synthesizers to lay out the main theme.
2: Drug Trip and First Kill
Topher (played by JT Minnick) and Tyler (played by Joe Jacobson) are on a late-night drug trip. High and incapacitated, Derrick (played by Marcus Pallan) stumbles into his room. This scene features the first version of Topher’s theme, a quirky and laid-back stoner rock song, which I slowly detuned and filtered to capture Derrick’s inebriated state. As the killer enters the room, the tone shifts to a dark and moody drone that crescendos into a climax as the struggle begins.
3: Tyler’s Death
Topher and Tyler start a scheme to steal Milan’s (played by Morgan Beutler) cherished stuffed dog. As Tyler sneaks into the bathroom to create an auditory distraction, he meets the killer face-to-face. The scene start with an iteration of Topher’s theme that then shifts into light pizzicato strings—a motif for Tyler’s character—as Tyler sneaks away. As he tries to go unnoticed, the soft strings reflect his attempts at being delicate and depict his silly and self-assured nature. The scene reiterates the motifs of the masked killer, using more dark, droning synths that build in intensity with the beats of the scene.
4. The Killer is Revealed
Sam (played by Taylor Hammer) attempts to comfort Milan after her stuffed dog is stolen in the night. When Milan leaves in anger, Sam begins making connections about Milan’s true identity. The scene uses a building collection of off-putting synth arpeggios to create apprehension and intrigue in the audience. In the next scene, we follow Milan, depicted with pop-inspired drums that are darkened to complement her mood. As she reveals herself to be the killer, the musical themes of the killer seamlessly combine with her own musical motifs. Bright, poppy synths reprise the film’s theme from the intro while the tone remains dark and heavy. The entire identity of the soulless, masked killer is reimagined with Milan’s Y2K consumerist glam mixing with a newly discovered murderous intent.
5: The Final Confrontation
Milan corners Sam and Topher, filled with murderous rage, while Topher unknowingly antagonizes her. In the final moments of the film, the slasher and the final girl face off in a battle of strength and wits. This was one of the most important scenes for me to get right, and it was quite challenging to pull off. I combined various motifs from throughout the film, finding a balance between the dark, distorted sounds of Milan’s unbridled rage and the poppy synth club beats depicting her glamor and entitlement. This is meant to be a fun, energetic scene that doesn’t take itself seriously, and I molded the score around this idea to match the film’s tone.
