This series explores a world shaped by inner conflict, obsession, and psychological tension, unfolding through a contemporary thriller lens. The narrative pulls the viewer into an environment where control and unease coexist, and where momentum is driven as much by internal pressure as external events. The tone is cerebral and unsettling, inviting close attention and emotional investment.
We’re seeking an original composition that feels like a modern Bernard Herrmann’s classic thriller score, refracted through a contemporary Hitchcockian lens.
The piece should live firmly in the world of a contemporary psychological thriller, defined by a modern, cerebral sense of tension. The core of the music should be orchestral, but approached in an original, contemporary way that feels lean, angular. The piece should include percussion as a driving element that creates unease and propulsion. Electronic elements may be present, but only as an accent or extension of the orchestral palette.
The result should feel tense, intelligent, and modern that is rooted in orchestral writing, yet unmistakably contemporary and individual with a memorable melodic thru line.
Key elements to consider:
Contrast: The music should reflect an internal push and pull with a controlled urgency versus simmering unease. Shifts between denser, propulsive passages and more minimal, exposed moments should heighten psychological tension. These contrasts should feel deliberate and structural, allowing moments of restraint or near-stasis to amplify unease before motion resumes.Memorable melodic through-line: While the piece should be textural and modern, it must contain a clear, memorable melodic idea that anchors the composition. The motif should feel obsessive and recurring, subtly evolving rather than resolving, giving the audience something to latch onto across the duration of the piece.
Instrumentation: The core palette should be orchestral, treated in a lean, angular, and contemporary manner. Avenues to explore include:
- Percussion as a driving force, creating propulsion, anxiety, and forward motion
- Strings and low orchestral textures used rhythmically or texturally rather than lyrically
- Subtle electronic elements, used sparingly as extensions of the orchestral sound, never dominating it
The overall sound should feel modern, cerebral, and cinematic without leaning into traditional orchestral tropes.
Overall Tone
- Psychological
- Urgent but controlled
- Intellectually charged
- Cinematic without being traditionally “orchestral”
This should sound like a thriller score driven by inner conflict, obsession, and momentum, expressed through bold, original sonic choices.
Overall Tone
The finished main theme should be 2–3 minutes in length and capable of standing alone as a concert-style piece. Subtle tempo shifts, rhythmic layering, or pulse-based structures are encouraged to enhance tension and psychological momentum.We need the following variations / cutdowns:
- 1x 1-minute cutdown (for opening theme)
- 1x 20 second variation (for interviews)
- 1x 20 second variation (for montages)
- 1x 5 second cutdown (moment of negative surprise)
- 1x 5 second cutdown (moment of positive surprise)
Format: WAV 48kHz 24bit