Supe Troop’s Laura Katz interviews composer Joe LoDuca about composing music for television, Leverage: Redemption (which they both worked on), and soup!
Supe Troop (ST): How did you get into scoring film and television?
Joe LoDuca (JL): When I was in college, a friendly filmmaker introduced me to Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell. They were making a low budget movie titled Evil Dead. It was the start of a beautiful friendship. I had never scored a film. The lesson to our young composers out there is to just say yes.
ST: How do you start on the score for a new project?
JL: I try not to read scripts. When I read them, it’s the movie in my head. It’s never my movie. I score the movie that got made. Most of the directors I have worked with don’t consider music much in pre-production other than with a very general conversation. I’ll play around with themes. I listen closely to what the filmmaker thinks. He’s lived with this project way longer than me. I am good at presenting ideas verbally. A film composer is nothing if not a translator between the worlds of words, sounds, and feelings. Then my job is to somehow entice a true emotional response from people, while adding surprises and easter eggs along the way.
ST: What was your favorite scene to score in Leverage: Redemption season 3?
JL: I can’t think of a particular scene, but “The Grand Complication Job” was my favorite episode. It’s a heist / kidnapping, with high stakes for the women in our show, set against the backdrop of a Marie Antoinette-themed ball. Powdered wigs, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Bach via The Swingle Singers (Dean Devlin’s idea), add an EDM drop and — voila — the perfect Leverage confection. Let ‘em eat cake.
ST: You work in a lot of different genres and there’s a lot of variety between each episode of this show. Is it challenging to keep it all in the same sonic world? Is that variety exciting?
JL: Every series I work on has its own palette of sounds and grooves. Leverage can go anywhere at the drop of a hat. That’s the fun for me. The show has an upbeat, contemporary vibe. Laura and the Supe Troop team add to the fun by finding the right songs to, say, accentuate a story beat… In contrast, The Librarians: The Next Chapter leans into the full use of the orchestra, which suits a show that mixes fantasy, history, and magic.
ST: What would be your dream project to score?
JL: I love to play on my scores. I get excited mining new sounds, writing for voice and orchestra, drawing upon everything I have learned from music all over the world. Any commission that requires multiple arrows in the quiver is a dream. I have been lucky; I have had many that fit the description.
ST: When scenes give you trouble, what are some of the things you do to make them work?
JL: I take a nap. Seriously. You cannot overestimate the power of the subconscious mind. I used to think it was procrastination. These days I trust the muse.
ST: What is an example of where you think another composer nailed a project or particular scene?
JL: I am watching season 3 of White Lotus, and Cristobal has done it again. He has consistently nailed the primal and ironic tone in fresh and delightful ways. His music runs parallel to the narrative. It doesn’t just mimic. The show would not be the same without his music, and Michael White gives the soundtrack a wide berth. Bien Joué, mon ami!
ST: What’s your favorite instrument?
JL: Anything with strings. Lately I’ve been playing and studying the Arabic oud.
ST: What non-score music are you listening to right now?
JL: I never stopped digging deeply into jazz. There’s a young alto player named Patrick Bartley who is amazing and plays with all the joy and spirit of Cannonball Adderly. As far as contemporary stuff, I’m a fan of the songwriters who play tasty baritone guitar like MK Gee, Madison Cunningham, Ariel Posen, and Joey Landreth.
ST: What projects do you have coming up that you are excited about?
JL: The Librarians: The Next Chapter has been renewed and every week promises a new adventure. Spartacus: House of Ashur has me using a lot of my arrows. At the moment, the studio basically looks like a pawn shop. Not a lot of room to move around. My friend, Bruce Campbell, is finishing editing a movie that is unlike any he has made. Stay tuned. I also understand there is a new Chucky movie in the pipeline.
ST: What is your favorite kind of soup?
JL: Just like music, I have too many faves: hot and sour soup, lentil, matzo ball, and my wife makes a gazpacho recipe from Fred’s that’s heaven. Thanks for asking. And thanks for inviting me to your blog.
Thanks, Joe! You can watch Leverage: Redemption season 3 on Amazon Prime starting April 17, 2025!
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