“Is God Is” Composer Reveals the Creative Way He Made the Film’s Music With No Money
Ahead of its official release, the new film “Is God Is” is already generating major buzz – and not just because of its star-studded cast.
Between its striking visuals, genre-bending storytelling, and an original piece of work fans have been yearning for, the film adaptation of the stage play is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about releases among film lovers online.
But in a recent interview with “The Hollywood Reporter,” singer-songwriter-actor Moses Sumney revealed an interesting detail about the making of the film’s score.
During the conversation, Sumney opened up about working alongside composer Joe Shirley and told the outlet that budget limitations ultimately forced them to push their creativity to the limit.
“This was an intimately made film, which is to say it had an intimate budget,” he said. “We couldn’t do the classic film thing of scoring and bringing in a chamber group or an orchestra.”
Instead, the team turned inward, literally.
“I think the limitations of it really made me look within,” he continued. “We are looking to our bodies to make the sounds. Scratching the ground, hitting the ground, hitting my body.”
Summey further explained that director Aleshea Harris pulled inspiration from classic Western films as well as “Tarantino revenge flicks,” something he kept in mind while he was creating.
“What was interesting about this Western was that every character is Black, and it traverses through the American South,” Sumney shared. “I was really interested in synthesizing the sounds of the American South with the concept of heading west.”
Now, anticipation is only growing stronger as the film’s soundtrack, which is available for pre-order now, is officially set to drop on Friday, May 22.
“The more i learn about the behind the scenes and the process of is god is, i love the film even more,” wrote someone on X.
“Is God Is” stars Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox, Janelle Monáe and Erika Alexander. The story follows twin sisters Racine and Anaia, who were left permanently scarred after a devastating fire set by their father during their childhood.
After receiving a mysterious letter, the sisters travel through the American South to reunite with their dying mother, who reveals the truth behind the tragedy and sends them on a violent revenge mission to track down their father and his new family out west.
