Christopher Lennertz scores Marmaduke

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Dan Goldwasser



Earlier this spring, composer Christopher Lennertz recorded his score to the new family comedy, Marmaduke. Directed by Tom Dey, and based on the classic comic strip by Brad Anderson, the film stars Owen Wilson as the voice of the Great Dane who makes the lives of the Wilson family a frequent series of misadventures.


Christopher Lennertz conducts Marmaduke

Lennertz’s score combines an orchestral underscore with contemporary band elements, realized through two different types of scoring sessions. The first took place at The Village, utilizing a small team of musicians to provide the rocking qualities that would later be supplemented with the orchestra.


The band session at The Village Studios

Guitarist George Doering

Dean Parks plays guitar on Marmaduke

After recording orchestral underscore at the Newman Stage at 20th Century Fox, the music team headed up to the Eastwood Stage at Warner Brothers to record with the full A-orchestra. With Lennertz on the stage conducting the large orchestra, the music came to life.


Christopher Lennertz conducts the Hollywood Studio Symphony

The woodwinds perform on Marmaduke

The strings perform…

…as well as the French horns

In the booth, scoring engineer Jeff Vaughn ensured that the pre-recorded band elements blended smoothly with the symphonic elements, as orchestrators Dana Niu and Andrew Kinney lent assistance to Lennertz out on the stand. Director Tom Dey also gave feedback, as well as producer John Davis and music editor Dan DiPrima.


Music executive Danielle Diego, music editor Dan DiPrima, director Tom Dey, and composer Christopher Lennertz discuss a cue

Orchestrators Dana Niu and Andrew Kinney

ProTools recordist Kevin Globerman and music editor Dan DiPrima

Marmaduke was released by 20th Century Fox on June 4, 2010.

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