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French film composer Alexandre Desplat is highly focused, jotting down notes on a score before heading into Studio 1 at London’s Abbey Road Studios.
There, 100 members of the film orchestra await him. Moments later, unleashed by a sweeping gesture from Desplat, dramatic music fills the air.
Recording is in full swing for the soundtrack of Jurassic World Rebirth, which hits cinemas on July 2.
After the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010/11), Desplat has again taken on the challenge of creating music for a film series with an original score composed by the legendary John Williams, famed for the Star Wars and Jaws theme tunes, among many others.
“There’s a moment of panic because you know that you’re taking over,” says Desplat, himself a fervent admirer of Williams, who he calls “a b****y genius”. “It’s hard to come after him.”
Williams’ famous theme also features in the seventh part of the series that began in 1993 with Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park.


But two-time best original score Oscar winner Desplat – for The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Shape of Water – has created his own soundscape for the film directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, The Creator).
“Sometimes I try to subliminally remind the audience of things that might not be exactly what we know from John Williams’ score, but that might be a reminiscence,” Desplat says.
“There will be moments in the film where we will pay homage to John Williams’ score, a couple of moments. But it’s more the weight of his heritage, which is difficult when you start here.”
During the recording sessions, the musicians see some unfinished scenes from the film, with a glimpse of a green screen here or a dinosaur silhouette there.
Jonathan Bailey, who is one of the film’s leading actors and has a clarinet solo in the score, listens from Studio 1’s balcony.
Desplat turns to the wind section and asks them to play staccato. They repeat the phrase, earning a thumbs up from the composer and conductor.
Now and again, Desplat sings to the orchestra so they can hear exactly what he is looking for. At one moment, he smiles over to the piccolo player and says not to rush.

His interactions with the musicians are friendly, humorous and constructive, as Desplat welcomes any suggestions. He occasionally asks the musicians whether they are happy with a passage. He also snaps a selfie with the orchestra.
Desplat also has some support from his wife, musician Dominique Lemonnier, better known by her stage name, Solrey.
“She adds musical sensitivity and technique that I can’t even hear when I’m conducting,” says Desplat. “I have a headphone covering one ear. I hear things, but I don’t hear everything.”
She stands in for him at times at the mixing desk and otherwise provides feedback from the control room. One time, she says, “Alexandre, that wasn’t very nice.”
The recordings take around a week at Abbey Road, the legendary studio where some of the world’s best-loved soundtracks have been recorded, alongside classic albums such as The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon.
In the same studio, Desplat’s predecessor Williams recorded the music for the Star Wars and Harry Potter films, and many others.
Every moment of music sounds like a work of art in its own right at Abbey Road. Sometimes, the musicians work in smaller groups, with sections of the orchestra recording passages separately.


That adds up to a lot of waiting time for the musicians, so many bring a book along and read until it is time for them to play again.
In the control room, director Edwards watches the proceedings and feels pretty good about the progress so far, even though the film sees him following in the footsteps of his idol Steven Spielberg, just as Desplat is picking up the mantle of John Williams – legends that are hard acts to follow.
“We both had this very big shadow hanging over us for this movie and felt the pressure to even come close to their amazing achievements before,” says Edwards.
But the music is working well, he says. “It’s just really elevating the movie. You sort of dream to be in this situation at the end of a film where everyone’s worked really hard to do the best they can.”
Then you hand it over, he says. “It’s in the hands of the composer now. To put the special sauce and the icing on the cake. Alexander’s really delivering.”
Even just by looking, he can tell how well work is proceeding, he says.
“Everyone’s got a big massive grin on their faces downstairs.”


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Music

Alexandre Desplat talks about recording at London’s Abbey Road Studios where his idol Williams recorded the Star Wars and Harry Potter music


Alexandre Desplat talks about recording at London’s Abbey Road Studios where his idol Williams recorded the Star Wars and Harry Potter music.


Hollywood

Cinema

Gareth Edwards