Behind the Blockbuster — How Score Composer Guy-Roger Duvert leads a Film to Achieve Award-Winning Success
From the twists and turns of the narrative to the chemistry of the actors on screen to the diligent efforts of the crew behind the scenes, there’s no question that a myriad of factors come into play in order to lead a film to award-winning success. One of the most important though, the thing that can draw an audience in and incite emotions within them, is the music.
Capable of tying viewers to the story on a sentient level and expressing things that are often beyond the scope of words, music can represent the underlying tone of a film in an instant, so it’s no wonder that it continues to play such a prominent role in the film and entertainment industry.
A man of remarkable talent, Parisian born composer Guy-Roger Duvert has spent over 20 years composing the kind of original scores that lead films to achieve international success. In fact, Duvert has earned more than 40 awards and 21 nominations for his work, but it’s more than the awards that have given him such a strong reputation as a composer, it is the quality and emotive capacity of his work that has really set him apart.
Whether he’s fuelling the sophistication of a stylish menswear brand or detailing the intimate struggles of a Moroccan prostitute, his original scores allow the audience to form a connection with the characters on screen, oftentimes living vicariously through them.
In 2003 Duvert made his debut as the score composer behind Narjiss Nejjar’s (“L’Amante du rif,” “Wake Up Morocco”) multi-award winning dramatic film “Les Yeux Secs,” which earned the Best Screenplay Award from the Marrakech International Film Festival, the Francophonia Award from the Paris International Film Festival, and numerous other nominations.
“Les Yeux Secs” a.k.a. “Cry No More,” is an intimate and eye-opening film that explores the treatment of women in rural Morocco through the story of a group of Moroccon prostitutes who are exiled sent to live in the countryside.
Drawing upon a variety of influences to bring multi-award winning director Narjiss Nejjar’s vision to life, Duvert composed a touching score that boasted a diverse mix of percussion, strings and piano.
“The director wanted the movie to be universal. So, while the story is deeply anchored in Morocco, she wanted the music to be more international, not attached to a specific culture,” he shares.
“So I worked on very simple tracks, mostly based on strings. The main theme is just played with a sort of harp, for instance. There aren’t that many tracks in the score, but this scarcity makes them strongly noticed when they appear.”
Duvert and the film earned extensive industry praise with Variety magazine calling the work “a visually ravishing tale…the core story is so powerful and boldy conveyed, with the score being a thoughtful match.”
A truly gifted artist, Duvert understands that the foundation of successful storytelling lies within the groundwork. From the very start he worked closely with Nejjar to develop an exquisite melody that would bring justice to the film’s emotional narrative, and he delivered.
“By definition, for each project, I need to respect the director’s vision. For that I need to understand it. When it’s done, I usually work by myself, and we discuss the tracks once they’re done,” explains Duvert.
“When it’s needed, I then work on a second version. The director is my main, and often only contact, in most fiction and documentary projects.”
The score of the film was an undeniable masterpiece and a landmark moment in Duvert’s early career.
He says, “I’m really proud of it. I have to say that the moment when it was screened at Cannes Festival, at the Directors Fortnight, was a very emotional one.”
Throughout his impressive career, which spans film, television, radio and commercials, Duvert has become known for his versatility.
In 2013 Duvert composed the music for a riveting black and white commercial for the luxury Italian menswear label Ermenegildo Zegna, which promoted their Zegna Uomo Eau de Toilette and body range in a way that oozed style and elegance.
Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who’s responsible for Madonna’s Grammy-award winning music video “Ray of Light,” the production for the commercial called in some of the industry’s most prolific artists.
The tone of the commercial emanated from Duvert’s score with seamless accuracy and appeal, delivering a vibe that few other composers could have achieved with the same amount of charm.
“The first element was to always stay classy, elegant, and at the same time, I wanted to create emotions. This is why I started just with some strings and piano,” he adds.
“I developed a crescendo in the track, which is something I love to do. Then, for the last part, I went full orchestra and voice, in order to create that spark of emotion.”
HIs unwavering ambition to meet the client’s demands was the ultimate driving force, which resulted in an overall gratifying score.
He adds, “When you work for companies, you often wait for days or weeks for feedback, and then you’re given just a day or two to make the modifications. So it’s important to stay very flexible.”
The sensual commercial heightened the profile of the stylish brand, whose annual revenue is close to 1.2 billion Euros.
A masterful composer, Guy-Roger Duvert’s musical intellect has been key to leading countless films and commercials to earn international recognition.
His humble ability to work within a team, while pioneering his melodic brilliance not only supports the director’s vision, but formulates the groundwork for monumental success, and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
