This summer, Disney released a brand new original movie called "Young Woman And The Sea", which tells the extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel.
Trudy was a remarkable swimmer born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905, defied societal norms and overcame numerous challenges to become a beacon of inspiration. With the unwavering support of her older sister and dedicated trainers, she not only conquered the ranks of the Olympic swimming team but also achieved the unimaginable–a 21-mile swim from France to England, a feat that remains a testament to human endurance and determination.
Recently, I got to speak with the composer of the film, Amelia Warner and talk to her about her experience working on her first film for Disney.
Thanks for watching what's on Disney Plus and I'm here with Amelia Warner who is behind the music of the new Disney movie Young Women and the Sea. A big thank you for taking your time out to speak to me today. I just wanted to ask first off, how did you get involved in creating music for films and shows? I started working as a composer, as favours really, to friends who, I had a couple of friends who were directors and it felt like people always ran out of money for the music for things. So they would know that I would play the piano and so the first couple of jobs that I did was just, you know, a friend who was doing a short film was like, we've got no money, please can you just write something on the piano? And I did that and then I did the same for a couple of commercials and then it just kind of went from there and I just really enjoyed the process and found it really fulfilling and so that's how I started. That's cool. That's a nice way of kind of going into it slowly rather than having the pressure I'd imagine as well. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I changed my mind. Sometimes I really wish I'd have had the clarity to know that I wanted to do this much, much earlier and to have studied it and to come to music college and kind of hit the ground running. But, you know, it was a slower process for me and I think because I didn't have a classical training and I didn't go to music school, it felt like something that wasn't going to be available to me. But over time, I kind of learnt the craft and have, I guess, built up the knowledge and the confidence, but it was definitely a slower way of going. But to your point, it's quite nice in some ways because I've got to kind of learn in my own way and had time, I suppose. That's cool. And how did you come up with the overall sound for the film? Um, hi. You know what, the sound of the film just kind of grew and grew as the film went on, to be honest. I think initially, you know, the initial conversations were very much about how the film should feel really somatic and have proper themes and feel quite old-fashioned and classic in that way of, you know, having a really strong main theme. So I suppose the main, where I started was just trying to find that theme. And then once I had that theme, I remember everybody kind of thinking, "Great, you know, we're done." But actually because of the character and because she's got these so many different facets, it was also really important to have a kind of sports film theme as well. So that was a really key part of it. And probably the hardest, I would say, to come up with that theme that just made the swimming feel really exciting and made the film feel propulsive and kind of gave it this forward motion the whole time. So yeah, so those were the two, I guess, biggest aspects was the sports aspect and then the emotion of her. And then the sound that we, you know, the sound that it ended up having was, you know, mainly orchestral, but then definitely with some more contemporary elements, you know. And again, as the process went on, I feel like I pushed more and more out of that period time, you know, and those restrictions kind of lifted because it felt like everybody was really enjoying the more contemporary elements. Yeah, it definitely has that kind of old-fashioned feel in just general how this whole film is. On your social media, you do say that you often found swimming in freezing cold water. Did that help with the kind of coming up with some of the music elements? Like a couple of people that asked me this and when I got the job, I remember thinking, "Oh my God, this is so great because I'm a swimmer and I swim in the sea all year round and this is going to be great." But I have to be totally honest and I'm not sure that it really informed anything or translated into a choice that I made for the score. If I'm totally honest, I mean, it probably gave me a little bit of empathy and understanding of what Daisy went through and her kind of experience. But no, in practical terms, I don't think it really had any impact to be honest. I mean, swimming off the British coast is not a lot of, sometimes not the most relaxing things are the ways of crushing everyone. I'm sorry I figured stuff. What's been your biggest highlight working on the film? Oh, I think working with Jerry Brokheimer for sure. I mean, it was just like I just learnt so much and I felt so privileged to be able to watch him and hear him talk and I'd often be on the edit calls with everybody and just listening, you know, and the way that he thinks and he's always thinking about the audience the whole time, you know, what are they feeling, what are they experiencing and that was just so interesting and I took so much from that. So definitely that and also being involved in a Disney production I think was just such a dream come true. Yeah. Jerry Brokheimer, I mean, the movies that he's created many of my favourite films, so yeah, definitely could see how that was. Also, he was a big influence on Disney actually putting this one out in cinemas rather than just straight on to Disney Plus. How did that make you feel when you found out that that was going to happen to the film? It was so great and I think we'd heard rumblings or rumours and I think so I think once you've heard that that is possible I suppose, your mind almost goes to that. So I was so glad that it did happen but I think, you know, Jerry, it was his highest testing film that he's ever been involved in, so I think when it got that score in the test screenings it was kind of, it felt like, yeah, this has to be experienced in the cinema and it's such a cinematic film, you know, I think Jocken is visually, it's so beautiful and the sound design is amazing and hopefully the score is, you know, good and I feel like their whole, it's a real kind of cinema experience so I'm really glad that, you know, that some people will get to have experienced it in that way. Let's go. And what was your biggest challenge working on the film? Oh, what was the biggest challenge? I think it was, oh, I don't, well, one of the challenges I would say that's just a really technical thing is when you're working with water and sound, it's quite hard because water is like white noise, you know, it's very, very noisy so you've got the kind of waves, then you've got the kicking, the splashing, there's just so many different types of noise happening that that can be quite challenging to like pitch the music in a way that isn't in the same frequency, that isn't getting in the way, so that was that hard. And then I'd say it was more just a, I think it was my first studio film and I think that just the level, the level leveling up, you know, involved was tough at times and I think the expectation and the kind of rate of delivery, what you're doing to the schedule, the constant kind of conforming, editing, the changes, you know, it's like a very fast moving train with like a, with moving targets, everything is constant, you know, every day it's a different challenge, which was also really fun and exhilarating and I loved it, but it, you know, it was definitely a step up. Yeah, cool. And my final question is, obviously with your work at the Disney, they have a lot of big franchises and stuff. Is there any other franchises that you'd like to work with them on? Oh, gosh, I don't know. I can't think of anything particular to be honest, but I mean, I'd love to obviously stay within the Disney family and, you know, and be part of, I love everything they do pretty much. No, it's cool. It's always that thing you're like, music is, especially soundtracks are such a major part of like Disney, not just obviously movies, but then if you're at the theme parks and so on. I mean, I personally just love listening to soundtracks while I'm working. It just concentrates and I've been listening to the album for the last one. So it's been great. I'm just kind of like, and it's just like, this is for me, I just, I like to kind of just get in on it and just kind of. So I've been really enjoyed, really enjoying listening to the album and obviously young women and the C is going to, it's out in selected cinemas now. I'm going to be coming to Disney Plus at some point soon. [Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]
