How Tom Schraeder Brings Humanity to Horror with Thrill

I think a common misconception is that horror music has to be terrifying at all times. Maybe this works for some films, but my music tends to focus more on the moment when life itself becomes horrible, which might include receiving life-changing news, falling into anxiety, or dealing with grief.

Real life doesn’t come with a Halloween theme or Psychology stabbings (although it would be pretty cool if that were the case – I love those scores). In reality, these moments feel more like heightened dramatic tension leading to grief. I found it much more powerful to treat horror as intense drama or suspense, and build to those terrifying crescendos rather than constantly living in it. The thrill makes this balance possible. It offers as much beauty as fear, and it is in this contrast that I fell in love with it.

Marking horror, or any genre, comes down to respect. Respect for the visuals, the performances, the audience and above all, the authenticity of the story. I’m paraphrasing here, but the legendary Bonnie Hunt once told me, “Composition is more than music. It’s the final rewrite.” Since then, it has remained engraved in me.