Masterclass Cliff Martinez

In a wide-ranging conversation, leading film composer Cliff Martinez (VS, 1954) talks about his approach and sources of inspiration. Martinez, widely praised for his idiosyncratic and now iconic music for Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive, repeatedly put himself in the spotlight thanks to his lengthy cooperation with director Steven Soderbergh – from the film debut for them both Sex, Lies and Videotape and for instance Traffic and Solaris to the TV series The Knick.

Martinez was born in the Bronx and grew up in Ohio before moving in his early twenties to California – just in time for the punk explosion. He was the drummer in various bands, including the last formation of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He exchanged the rock ‘n’ roll life for film music when he became fascinated by the new opportunities provided by electronic music. His work is still coloured by the contrast between sounds never heard before and reworkings, often created by instruments he made himself, and classic film music.

The composer is coming to IFFR for an intimate and broad-ranging conversation, organised in cooperation with Buma Music in Motion and moderated by DJ and organiser Juha van 't Zelfde, who is linked to the Sandberg Instituut. The composer will look at how he found his characteristic sound, where his inspiration comes from and how he has continued to develop within avant-garde film music. In collaboration with Buma Music in Motion.