Bill Brown is the Californian composer behind the memorable score for the astonishingly successful 2001 game Return to Castle Wolfenstein, as well as numerous other games (such as Undying and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction) and movies (including Any Given Sunday and Ali). He’s now returned to the world of supernatural Nazi-busting with a game simply entitled Wolfenstein. He chats to Total Sci-Fi about crafting the sound of terror.

How would you describe the score for Wolfenstein?

Big, dark, angular, intense, dense orchestral music that feels sonically like it could have been imagined and created in the 1940s. You might feel a connection to the music from Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but it has all been taken to the next level. Just like the game.

In what ways does it differ from the score to Return to Castle Wolfenstein?

There is a dark, sci-fi edge to Return to Castle Wolfenstein that definitely exists in the new score for Wolfenstein. Where the music for Return to Castle Wolfenstein was more atmospheric, you'll hear more themes and a big 1940s 'modern' orchestral influence in the score for Wolfenstein. I was originally listening to scores like Raiders of the Lost Ark for inspiration, but I found that Wolfenstein just naturally fell into more of a Bernard Herrmann-esque, 20th Century, dark angular-orchestral vocabulary.

How long did the score take you to compose?

About a year, on and off.

How closely did you need to work with the programmers, writers, sound effects team and other personnel?

We all stayed in very close touch throughout the process. I was sending everyone cues as I worked, to make sure it was lining up with everyone’s vision of the game. We also discussed mix levels in the game, and adjusted some of the cues at the end of the project after the team had a chance to live with the music for a few months. To make sure the score was firing on all cylinders, as it were.

At what stage do you start working on composing the score for a game? Do you get early story outlines, concept art, etc?

We did talk about the story and look at the first levels in progress in the beginning. It still took months for us to really get off the ground. I wrote 20 minutes of music initially – just to explore what Wolfenstein might feel like musically, which was helpful. By the time they were able to make QuickTime movies for every cue needed in the scope of work, we had already found the direction of the score, which really helped.

Do you see any big differences between composing the score for movies, TV shows and computer games?

Not in the quality of the music and how it has to serve the story. That challenge remains the same. The big difference is in how the music is created either for a linear, or non-linear experience - film and TV being linear, and games being non-linear. Writing for games can be much more complex in how the music is sequenced, layered and mixed reactively or interactively and is triggered within the gaming experience.

Do you have any preference between creating horror-themed scores like Wolfenstein or straight dramas like Finding Forrester?

It’s actually wonderful to be able to do both and other genres as well. It’s exciting to explore new territory.

You’ve worked on some big film & game projects and for some major film directors over the years. Has there been a particular highlight for you?

Becoming the composer for CSI:NY was a big milestone in my career – my life changed when that happened. Recently working with Jason Connery (on The Devil’s Tomb) was also really amazing. I’m so grateful for all the opportunities. It’s a good life.

How closely did you work with Oliver Stone on the score for Any Given Sunday or Michael Mann on Ali?

On Any Given Sunday, I worked with several of the editors – bringing them a slew of song ideas over a period of months. On Ali, I got to sit down with Michael Mann several times to go over the score for the last reel and string arrangements for the end of the film. That was an amazing experience. It was so much fun, and such an honour for me to be able to collaborate with Michael.

Finally, which composers or artists have been particular inspirations for you?

So many, too many to actually list here, but I will say that as a young composer I was inspired to do what I do by great legendary composers like Williams, Goldsmith, Barry, and Herrmann for starters. I must have seen Star Wars 25 times in the theatre and couldn’t stop listening to the LPs, and then the CDs - when they were invented!

Anyway, I will be forever grateful to those composers, and so many others for the joy they have brought me over the years. I only hope I can do the same for someone in my lifetime, to return the favour.

Wolfenstein is released on 18 August 2009.

Visit Bill Brown’s website at: www.billbrownmusic.com