Composer Stefan Wesolowski’s work for Nathalie Biancheri’s Wolf is a stunning score, “inspired by the beauty and complexity of nature itself and the desire of staying true to oneself,” which winds itself all the way through the film itself. We spoke with Wesolowski about his score for Wolf, in which Jacob (George MacKay), “believing he is a wolf trapped in a human body, eats, sleeps, and lives like a wolf – much to the shock of his family. When he’s sent to a clinic, Jacob and his animal-bound peers are forced to undergo increasingly extreme forms of ‘curative’ therapies. However, once he meets the mysterious Wildcat (Lily-Rose Depp), and as their friendship blossoms into an undeniable infatuation, Jacob is faced with a challenge: will he renounce his true self for love?”
STARBURST: Where in the production process did you come in and start working on the score?
Stefan Wesolowski: Well, it was at the very beginning, even before shooting. It took quite a long time to actually start composing the score. First, we talked a lot on the ideas for the sound, sharing playlists, etc. and just before the shooting was scheduled, COVID restrictions destroyed all plans. We had to wait and wait until it was possible to continue working on the film. But when the crew finally started shooting in Ireland, I started working on the score. It was simultaneous work. I received new scenes every day, plunging deeper and deeper into the story and the whole aesthetic of the picture, trying a lot of different things to find a perfect way to illustrate with music.
For a film that relies so much on visuals rather than a lot of dialogue, what are the challenges for you as a composer?
I think the challenges are always the same. The score should help the story grow, and I believe every story has its own needs. For a film like Wolf, which is very ambiguous, it was clear for me that I should find a musical language dedicated only to this story. Something that would pulsate together with the blood in the character’s veins and sway with the branches.
Wolf walks this interesting line between drama and nature film in terms of its visuals. Were there any particular genre-specific boxes you were trying to tick?
No, definitely not. My goal was the opposite – I was trying to escape from the genre-specific boxes and find my own way to illustrate this story, as I believed that is exactly what this story needed.
Did your experience in scoring documentaries lend any help to working on Wolf?
I think every experience in scoring is helpful, but every film I work on, no matter if it’s a documentary or feature film, finds me naked and unarmed. Every film is a whole new journey for me. My craftsmanship as a composer is growing, my skills are growing, and it is definitely helpful. But I never know what to expect, how my brain and my spirit will handle with every new story. I’m always excited and always a bit scared.
How does one balance the musical mix of synths and traditional acoustic instruments?
Of course, there are some facts about the instruments which are good to know when you try to mix them. One of the major facts is that you should be careful with crossing the frequencies. You want everything to be heard, the mix should sound clear. But at the end one of the things that gives you a possibility to find your sound is breaking the rules. It’s always worth experimenting and trying new things.
What are you working on next?
There is a Netflix original animated series called “Kayko and Kokosh” which is a lot of fun and something completely different. It has just been released worldwide. There are also some feature titles coming soon, but it’s too early to talk about it.
Wolf is out now from Focus Features.
