Mark Snow

Composer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his over three-hour interview, Mark Snow discusses studying composition and oboe at Juilliard before moving to California to pursue composing for television. He describes his first big break, composing for the Spelling-Goldberg show The Rookies, and being nominated for an Emmy for his work on the Spelling produced made-for-TV movie Something About Amelia. Snow details his use of synthesizers in composing and the effect of technology on the music industry. He then discusses his work on The X-Files, including composing the theme song (telling the story behind the tune’s trademark whistle) and score, his work on The X-Files movies, the 2016 reboot of the show, and its spin-offs. He also touches on specific episodes of the show. He discusses his mentor, composer Earle Hagen, and describes his other film and television work, including Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, and Blue Bloods. He concludes with advice to aspiring television composers, career highlights and regrets, and how he would like to be remembered. Adrienne Faillace conducted the interview on March 24, 2016 in Santa Monica, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

“Chris Carter would show up on the mixing stage [for ‘The X-Files’] and he would tell the mixers, ‘You know, the dialogue’s good, but I want to hear that music raised.’…I’ve never been on any other show where the music was that prominent. And I think that’s one of the reasons why people noticed it, because they could hear it.”

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Highlights

Mark Snow on composing the theme song to The X-Files

06:13

Mark Snow on composing for Smallville

02:19

Mark Snow on studying with composer Earle Hagen

02:25

Mark Snow on composing for Hart to Hart

05:12

Mark Snow on advice to aspiring television composers

05:28

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on playing the oboe and attending Juilliard

On how he began composing music; on how he learned to score for television

On composing for Dynasty; on composing for The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

On writing the theme songs for the third season of Starsky and Hutch and for Hart to Hart; on his relationship with other composers

On composing for Hart to Hart; on composing for Something About Amelia; on the difference between composing for TV movies and episodic television

On composing for Falcon Crest and the popularity of synthesizers at the time; on how technology has changed the process of music composition for television

Chapter 2

On being hired to work on The X-Files and composing the show's theme song

On The X-Files theme song being released as a single; on studying with composer Earle Hagen

On composing for The X-Files; on the importance of music to The X-Files

On a typical work week on The X-Files; on themes he wrote for characters on The X-Files

On specific The X-Files episodes; on working with directors on The X-Files, including Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny

Chapter 3

On composing for The X-Files movies and the 2016 reboot of the show

On the legacy of the music of The X-Files; on composing for Millennium and The Lone Gunmen

On composing for Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, and Blue Bloods

On the kind of music he enjoys composing and his style; on the purpose of music in television shows

On advice to aspiring television composers; on his mentors and composers that inspired him; on his proudest career achievements and career regrets

Shows

Boy in the Plastic Bubble, The

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

04:04

Dynasty

Mark Snow on composing for Dynasty and being fired because Douglas S. Cramer didn't like his work

01:28

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie Something About Amelia, being invited to the set, and the fact that he was nominated for an Emmy for it

04:08

Falcon Crest

Mark Snow on composing for Falcon Crest

05:43

Hart to Hart

Mark Snow on writing the theme song for Hart to Hart

02:56

Mark Snow on composing for Hart to Hart

05:12

I Love Lucy

Mark Snow on how his interest in music started because his parents said they would let him watch I Love Lucy if he took piano lessons

01:41

Lone Gunmen, The

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files spin-offs Millennium and The Lone Gunmen

04:30

Rookies, The

Mark Snow on The Rookies being the first show he worked on and getting the job through his then-brother-in-law, Georg Stanford Brown

01:12

Something About Amelia

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie Something About Amelia, being invited to the set, and the fact that he was nominated for an Emmy for it

04:08

Starsky and Hutch

Mark Snow on writing the theme song for the third season of Starsky and Hutch

03:35

X-Files, The

Mark Snow on being hired to work on The X-Files and composing the show's theme song

14:24

Mark Snow on The X-Files theme song being released as a single

02:57

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files

06:12

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files and the importance of the music to the show

03:40

Mark Snow on using music to build emotion and suspense on The X-Files

03:08

Mark Snow on a typical work week on The X-Files

03:06

Mark Snow on the times he used an orchestra while scoring The X-Files and themes he wrote for characters

03:52

Mark Snow on The X-Files episode, "Humbug"

04:23

Mark Snow on The X-Files episode, "Home"

01:57

Mark Snow on The X-Files episode, "Per Manum," on which he appeared in a cameo

03:25

Mark Snow on The X-Files episode, "Post Modern Prometheus"

01:35

Mark Snow on The X-Files episode, "Closure" and the use of music other than Snow's in the show

01:54

Mark Snow on composing for the finale of the original series of The X-Files

01:12

Mark Snow on working with directors on The X-Files

07:49

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files movies and the 2016 reboot of the show

15:51

Topics

Advice

Mark Snow on advice to aspiring television composers

05:28

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Mark Snow on studying with composer Earle Hagen and the fact that The X-Files theme song was an homage to him

03:58

Mark Snow on his mentors and composers that inspired him

04:57

Emmy Awards

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie Something About Amelia, being invited to the set, and the fact that he was nominated for an Emmy for it

04:08

Fame and Celebrity

Mark Snow on dealing with fame and success, especially as he experienced it during the height of The X-Files

03:20

First Big Break

Mark Snow on The Rookies being the first show he worked on and getting the job through his then-brother-in-law, Georg Stanford Brown

01:12

Pivotal Career Moments

Mark Snow on The Rookies being the first show he worked on and getting the job through his then-brother-in-law, Georg Stanford Brown

01:12

Mark Snow on his mentors and composers that inspired him

04:57

Pop Culture

Mark Snow on composing the theme song to The X-Files

06:13

Mark Snow on the influence of The X-Files theme and score on television and commercials that have come since

01:39

Mark Snow on composing the theme song to The Lone Gunmen

00:38

TV Theme Songs

Mark Snow on composing the theme song to The X-Files

06:13

Mark Snow on composing the theme song to The Lone Gunmen

00:38

Television Industry

Mark Snow on dealing with fame and success, especially as he experienced it during the height of The X-Files

03:20

Mark Snow on how the television industry has changed during his time in the business

02:07

Mark Snow on advice to aspiring television composers

05:28

Professions

Composer

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Mark Snow on how he learned to score for television and mistakes he made when he was first starting out

04:26

Mark Snow on the process of composing for TV movies versus episodic television

00:43

Mark Snow on how synthesizers affected his writing process and the business of music composition

05:45

Mark Snow on the rhythm of The X-Files theme

01:11

Mark Snow on who owns the rights to The X-Files theme song

01:10

Mark Snow on underscoring dialogue on TV shows

01:46

Mark Snow on using music to build mood on TV shows, particularly The X-Files

04:22

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files spin-offs Millennium and The Lone Gunmen

04:30

Mark Snow on the "Mark Snow style" of music

00:47

Mark Snow on advice to aspiring television composers

05:28

Music Professionals

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Mark Snow on how he learned to score for television and mistakes he made when he was first starting out

04:26

Mark Snow on the process of composing for TV movies versus episodic television

00:43

Mark Snow on how synthesizers affected his writing process and the business of music composition

05:45

Mark Snow on the rhythm of The X-Files theme

01:11

Mark Snow on who owns the rights to The X-Files theme song

01:10

Mark Snow on underscoring dialogue on TV shows

01:46

Mark Snow on using music to build mood on TV shows, particularly The X-Files

04:22

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files spin-offs Millennium and The Lone Gunmen

04:30

Mark Snow on the "Mark Snow style" of music

00:47

Mark Snow on advice to aspiring television composers

05:28

Genres

Comedy Series

Mark Snow on how his interest in music started because his parents said they would let him watch I Love Lucy if he took piano lessons

01:41

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Mark Snow on The Rookies being the first show he worked on and getting the job through his then-brother-in-law, Georg Stanford Brown

01:12

Mark Snow on writing the theme song for the third season of Starsky and Hutch

03:35

Mark Snow on writing the theme song for Hart to Hart

02:56

Mark Snow on composing for Hart to Hart

05:12

Mark Snow on composing for Blue Bloods

05:06

Drama Series

Mark Snow on composing for Dynasty and being fired because Douglas S. Cramer didn't like his work

01:27

Mark Snow on composing for Falcon Crest

05:43

Mark Snow on composing for Smallville

02:19

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

Mark Snow on being hired to work on The X-Files and composing the show's theme song

14:24

Mark Snow on The X-Files theme song being released as a single

02:57

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files

06:12

Mark Snow on using music to build emotion and suspense on The X-Files

03:09

Mark Snow on a typical work week on The X-Files

03:06

Mark Snow on the times he used an orchestra while scoring The X-Files and themes he wrote for characters

03:42

Mark Snow on specific The X-Files episodes

15:42

Mark Snow on working with directors on The X-Files, including Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny

07:49

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files movies and the 2016 reboot of the show

15:51

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files spin-offs Millennium and The Lone Gunmen

04:30

Mark Snow on composing for Ghost Whisperer

03:16

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

04:04

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie Something About Amelia

04:08

People

Aaron Spelling

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Mark Snow on his first jobs composing music for Spelling-Goldberg produced shows, including The Rookies and Dynasty

03:04

Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, produced by Aaron Spelling

04:04

Bernard Herrmann

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Mark Snow on meeting composer Bernard Hermann

02:32

Chris Carter

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Mark Snow on being hired to work on The X-Files, composing the show's theme song, and working with show creator Chris Carter

09:15

Mark Snow on composing for The X-Files and the importance of the music to the show, which show creator Chris Carter emphasized

03:40

Mark Snow on the success of the first X-Files movie and how busy Chris Carter was at that time

02:28

David Duchovny

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Mark Snow on working with David Duchovny when he wrote and directed episodes of The X-Files

03:28

Douglas S. Cramer

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Mark Snow on composing for Dynasty and being fired because Douglas S. Cramer didn't like his work

01:28

Earle Hagen

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Mark Snow on studying with composer Earle Hagen and the fact that The X-Files theme song was an homage to him

03:58

Georg Stanford Brown

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Mark Snow on The Rookies being the first show he worked on and getting the job through his then-brother-in-law, Georg Stanford Brown, who was married to Snow's sister-in-law, Tyne Daly

01:12

Gillian Anderson

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Mark Snow on working with Gillian Anderson when she directed an episode of The X-Files

02:06

Glenn Close

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Mark Snow on composing for the TV movie Something About Amelia and being invited to visit the set, and observing Glenn Close as she remained in character during the shooting of the movie

01:45

Lalo Schifrin

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Mark Snow on his relationship with other composers, including Lalo Schifrin

02:11

Leonard Goldberg

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Mark Snow on his first jobs composing music for Spelling-Goldberg produced shows, including The Rookies and Dynasty

03:04

Mark Snow on composing for Blue Bloods, produced by Leonard Goldberg

05:06

Tyne Daly

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Mark Snow on The Rookies being the first show he worked on and getting the job through his then-brother-in-law, Georg Stanford Brown, who was married to Snow's sister-in-law, Tyne Daly

01:12