The 2025 ASCAP Screen Music Awards transformed Beverly Hills' London Hotel into a symphony of celebration on May 30, honoring the sonic architects behind this year's most talked-about projects. From Disney's oceanic adventures to interstellar gaming sagas, composers gathered not just to accept trophies but to peel back the curtain on their creative alchemy. ASCAP—guardian of fair compensation for musicians—spotlighted innovators like David Fleming, Emily Bear, and Wilbert Roget II, whose scores for Mr & Mrs Smith, Moana 2, and Star Wars Outlaws became cultural touchstones. Amid champagne toasts and red-carpet reflections, they revealed cut songs, lore-deep dives, and the raw humanity fueling their art. 🎶
David Fleming, clutching his Documentary Score of the Year award for Jim Henson Idea Man, chuckled about the jazz-infused risk that defined the project. "I knew authentic jazz could backfire," he confessed, tracing inspiration to Moondog—a helmet-wearing NYC street musician whose genre-blurring ethos mirrored Henson's creativity. Fleming's minimalistic approach wove brass instruments into a tapestry of nostalgia, a far cry from his tense The Last of Us strings. Yet fans eagerly pivoted to Mr & Mrs Smith Season 2 updates. "Filming hasn’t started," Fleming admitted, "but the scripts? Magic. It’s a logistical labyrinth, but I’ll be scoring it."
Over at the Disney corner, Moana 2 songwriter Emily Bear’s eyes misted discussing "Two Pieces"—a ballad axed when the film’s narrative shifted from series to feature. "Three years of work... gone," she sighed. The song depicted Moana’s internal conflict, rendered obsolete when her motivations crystallized. Bear’s grief, though, paled beside her euphoria collaborating with Dwayne Johnson on "Can I Get A Chee Hoo?" The Rock, she revealed, tweaked lyrics to match Maui’s swagger: "He’d say, ‘Nah, deliver it like this’—and we listened. He’s Maui." For Bear, Moana’s expanding Polynesian tapestry means sonic frontiers: "New cultures, new instruments... it’s a universe begging for more music."
Gaming’s lore-obsessed maestros Wilbert Roget II and Cody Matthew Johnson unpacked Star Wars Outlaws’ nomination-worthy score. Johnson dove into Kijimi’s doomed planet, embedding Dai Bendu numerology—multiples of nine—into melodies and instruments. "Culture persists until explosion," he mused, while Roget resurrected Hondo Ohnaka and Lando Calrissian through musical archaeology. Lando’s theme surprised even Roget: "Not the gambler—a remorseful man seeking redemption." He spliced film motifs with Jon Everist’s somber Rebel themes, viewing Star Wars as "a statue we’re showing from new angles." Roget beamed about Helldivers 2’s viral reception too: "Gamers reuniting after decades? That’s why we compose."
Survivor’s David Vanacore, 48 seasons deep, laughed about his hunt for "soul over skill." While prepping for Sydney recordings, he recounted recruiting a Brazilian car-washer mid-yelling-fit: "That scream? Chills." Fiji’s well-mined talent pool pushed him toward Australia’s multicultural voices, where Pacific Island chants collide in polyglot harmony. "Four languages in one cue? That’s the magic," he grinned. Nearby, Bad Monkey composers Jamie Jackson and WAZ teased Season 2’s progress: "They’re writing... and recasting corpses." Their theme emerged from Florida’s pandemic-delayed chaos, balancing "drama, comedy, and pure quirk."
Michael Paraskevas (Agatha All Along) smirked about musical easter eggs—Wanda’s theme lurking beneath dialogue, Billy’s lineage hinted in minor keys. "Fans spotted everything," he said, recalling his clarinet solo for Rio’s theme. The finale’s twist? A melodic mic-drop: "We screamed ‘YOU WERE RIGHT!’ through brass and strings." ASCAP President Paul Williams closed ceremonies championing music’s unsung labor. "After global pain," he reflected, "community heals. But remember—this art feeds families." 💫
❓ Behind the Scores: Your Questions Answered
- Q: What’s ASCAP’s role beyond awards?
A: It ensures composers get paid when their music airs on radio, TV, or games—vital in streaming’s Wild West.
- Q: Will Only Murders in the Building Season 5 feature musicals?
A: Composer Siddhartha Khosla teased “maybe” after Season 3’s Broadway-style spectacle, hinting at more Martin-Sharman collaborations.
- Q: How did Jim Henson Idea Man’s jazz risk pay off?
A: Fleming’s Moondog-inspired minimalism won Documentary Score of the Year—proving jazz instruments can whisper Henson’s legacy.
- Q: What’s Star Wars Outlaws’ deepest lore integration?
A: Kijimi’s music used number nine patterns from Dai Bendu monks, reflecting Jedi progenitors’ numerology.
- Q: Why cut Moana 2’s “Two Pieces”?
A: Story changes made Moana’s emotional conflict obsolete—though Emily Bear still mourns it.
- Q: Is Bad Monkey Season 2 confirmed?
A: Writing is underway, but expect recasts after Season 1’s body count! 🐒