The Daily Orange

Media Credit: Morgen Whiteman

Patrick Doyle made his way to the front of the auditorium, saying hello to a few people along the way, including old friends from Syracuse who he called "his groupies."

Doyle may not be a rock star, but his musical career still carries a strong following. As a music composer for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," his soundtrack for the popular film won him fans from all around the world, including many on campus.

"It's incredible how people get gaga over 'Harry Potter.' As much as I appreciate it, in many ways, it was just another film," he said.

At Grant Auditorium on Tuesday, Doyle sat down in a chair, center stage, and began fielding questions from the audience after the screening of the movie. The event was hosted by the Bandier Program for Music and the Entertainment Industries and the Syracuse International Film Festival.

Doyle told of the magic of cinema when he was a child, and his inspiration for the film's score.

He answered questions about the movie, his career, the music industry and the world of film composing.

Working on "Harry Potter" was unusual, he said, because he worked closely with the director as well as the sound designer, editor and conductor to integrate the music and make it an essential part of the film.

Doyle has also written original scores for films such as "Gosford Park," "Bridget Jones's Diary," "Sense and Sensibility" and "Indochine." He shared that his favorite film to write the music for was "Henry V" because it was his first gig. He had even written part of the score while on the toilet.

But Doyle couldn't foresee what writing the score for "Harry Potter" would unleash for his career. Becoming a part of a worldwide sensation was something he didn't see coming.

"I had already done nearly 14 movies so from my perspective, I was doing rather well," he said.

The native Scotsman hoped to bring those who attended the screening near his composing process without revealing too much of the magic.

David Rezak, the Bandier professor who organized the event, felt he was a perfect example of how music intersects with media.

"We're delighted to share such a significant composer with our class and the SU community, but even more importantly, this particular event is being shared with the entire Syracuse community," Rezak said.

Doyle was chosen by Mike Newell, the director of the fourth film, for three reasons: His sense of drama, his sense of magic, and his sense of humor. Doyle had previously worked with Newell on the movies "Into the West" and "Donnie Brasco." Newell wanted him to work on the film over a period of a year, taking part in the process from the beginning stages.

Newell also influenced Doyle's score.

"The director's vision definitely helps," Doyle said. "You're inspired by the script, costumes, enthusiasm of the director and the characters."

Doyle advised students to try new things, keep playing music, and never give up. He mentioned how he had many jobs before finding a career in film composition. "I could hear my inner ear 20 years ago, but it took me a long time to have the confidence to write it down," he said.

He also suggested getting on top of the business side of your career early on.

Trevor Kiviat, a junior in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, said he was impressed with Doyle.

"He was able to take the creative and artistic elements of composition and weave them into the business and career ideas that emerging artists want to think about," Kiviat said.



amdavi04@syr.edu

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