episode info
In Episode 4, director Olly Blackburn discusses creative process, collaboration, and the fusion of music and film with composer Stephanie Economou.
Stephanie Economou is a Grammy-winning composer and violinist based in Los Angeles, CA. She has achieved early success by exploring various musical styles, including classical, experimental, folk, and rock. Stephanie’s expertise in film scoring extends across different genres, such as drama, action, and comedy, where she blends electronic and acoustic elements to create a unique and valuable compositional voice. Her talent has made her a sought-after composer for visual media.
Stephanie’s notable works include composing the music for the Netflix TV series Jupiter’s Legacy, which is based on Mark Millar’s comic series. She has also written music for television shows like the Lionsgate/Starz series Step Up: High Water, the second season of Manhunt: Deadly Games, and the Netflix series The Chair, created by Amanda Peet and starring Sandra Oh. Stephanie has contributed her musical talents to documentary series like Disney+’s Marvel’s 616, directed by Gillian Jacobs and Alison Brie, as well as the LucasFilm/Disney+ documentary feature More Than Robots. In the world of video games, she composed the scores for the Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla DLCs The Siege of Paris and Dawn of Ragnarök, earning her the first-ever Grammy award in the “Best Score for Video Games and Other Interactive Media” category in 2023.
Stephanie has been a longtime collaborator of Golden Globe-nominated composer Harry Gregson-Williams. She has provided additional music for films like Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan, directed by Niki Caro, Jon Turtletaub’s The Meg, Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer 2, Disneynature’s Penguins, and Ridley Scott’s Oscar-nominated film The Martian. Her music can also be heard in Niki Caro’s The Zookeeper’s Wife, Ben Affleck’s Live By Night, and Simon Baker’s Breath. Stephanie has also contributed to the scores of Hulu’s mini-series Catch-22, directed by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, as well as the ABC/Warner Bros. TV series Whiskey Cavalier.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Stephanie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Composition from the New England Conservatory of Music and her Master’s in Composition for Visual Media from the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2015, she was selected as one of the fellows for the Sundance Institute Composers Lab at Skywalker Ranch. Stephanie was also chosen for the 2018 NBC/Universal Composers Initiative and recognized as a 2021 BAFTA Breakthrough Artist. Her exceptional work on Jupiter’s Legacy earned her the 2022 Society for Composers and Lyricists David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent. As a resident board member for The Alliance for Women Film Composers, Stephanie actively supports the empowerment of women in the film industry, ensuring their voices are heard and represented.
Olly Blackburn is an award-winning film director and screenwriter. He trained as an historian and after spending time as a journalist and copywriter found himself working in feature films, television and commercials. His films have played at major festivals including Telluride, Sundance, Edinburgh, Austin and London. In TV drama Olly’s work ranges from tough contemporary thrillers like Amazon’s The Widow and StartUp, to the human drama of Jack Thorne’s Glue and period pieces like Victoria and Andrew Davies’ adapatation of Jane Austen’s Sanditon.
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