Composer Interview: Justin Hurwitz (January 1, 2017)

When you talk about young talent in the industry, it's impossible not to mention Justin Hurwitz who has already demonstrated his amazing abilities as a storyteller so early in his career. In this interview, Justin talks about his background and how he set himself on the path to becoming a film composer. Hear his fascinating insight including how he met director Damien Chazelle in college, how he paid the bills by writing scripts for sitcoms like The League and The Simpsons, and how he learned from all the mistakes he made on his first feature. We discuss how he learned through making mistakes on Damien Chazelle's first feature, Guy And Madeline On A Park Bench which was also a musical. Then learning more on Whiplash before tackling the modern musical once again with La La Land. Justin dissects his process including how he wrote both the score and the music to the songs in the film, as well as working with lyricists Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. The whole music process on La La Land took 2 years and we talk about Justin's workflow through it all. Justin Hurwitz is such an incredible storyteller and personality, and it was immensely inspiring to hear his story and approach to one of 2016's most critically-acclaimed films.

Interview Produced & Presented By:
Kaya Savas

Special Thanks:
Justin Hurwitz
Albert Tello
LTLA Communications