Wikipedia / Geoff Zanelli
Wikipedia / Geoff Zanelli
Geoffrey Zanelli (born September 28, 1974) is an American composer working primarily in the medium of film, television, and video game scores. His early career was notable for scoring additional music on roughly 30 film scores written by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Ramin Djawadi, Danny Elfman, and Steve Jablonsky including several blockbuster films. He has since moved on to more solo work, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special for his score to the miniseries Into the West.
Aside from film and television scores, Zanelli also works with recording artists, writing arrangements for Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Robbie Williams, The Webb Sisters, Mest and Story of the Year. He is credited as a guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist on the song "I'm Not Dead" from recording artist Pink.
Early life and education
Zanelli was born on September 28, 1974, in Westminster, California. He graduated in 1996 from Berklee College of Music.
Career
In 1994, at 19 years old, Zanelli met Hans Zimmer, believing him to be a promising young talent, Zimmer invited him to Los Angeles to join his group of film composers. Zanelli worked as an engineer on the debut album from Goldfinger as well as Zimmer's score for The Preacher's Wife.
Zanelli's experience and desire to collaborate led him to work with British composer John Powell on his first Hollywood feature, Face/Off. Throughout the following years he built the foundation for his scoring career, composing with Powell, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, and Steve Jablonsky on many feature films, including: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Rango and the Golden Globe-nominated scores for The Last Samurai and Pearl Harbor.
One of his earliest solo works, Steven Spielberg's miniseries Into the West, earned him an Emmy. In approximately one year, Zanelli scored the films Disturbia, Hitman, Outlander, Delgo, Ghost Town and Gamer.
In early 2013, film blog Ain't It Cool News called his score for The Odd Life of Timothy Green the best score of 2012. In 2017, he composed the score to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, picking up the mantle from long-time series composer Hans Zimmer. In June 2018, he composed the score for Disney's Christopher Robin with Jon Brion.
Filmography
Film
As primary score composer
Year | Title | Director | Studio / Publisher | Notes |
2004 | ||||
Composed with Philip Glass | ||||
2007 | ||||
DreamWorks PicturesThe Montecito Picture CompanyParamount Pictures | ||||
2008 | Marc F. AdlerJason Maurer | Fathom StudiosFreestyle Releasing | First score for an animated film | |
Howard McCain | ||||
David Koepp | Spyglass EntertainmentDreamWorks PicturesParamount Pictures | |||
2009 | Mark NeveldineBrian Taylor | Lakeshore EntertainmentLionsgate Films | Composed with Robert Williamson | |
2011 | Showcase EntertainmentFreestyle Releasing | |||
Martin Guigui | Sunset PicturesImage Entertainment | |||
2012 | ||||
2013 | David Rodriguez | Grindstone EntertainmentLionsgate Films | ||
Identity FilmsARC Entertainment | ||||
2014 | N'Credible EntertainmentLionsgate Films | |||
2015 | ||||
David Koepp | Odd Lot EntertainmentInfinitum NihilLionsgate Films | Composed with Mark Ronson | ||
Nick Wernham | Innis Lake EntertainmentOrion PicturesMomentum Pictures | |||
2016 | Kyung Ho LeeWonjae Lee | Digiart ProductionsDigital IdeaMomentum Pictures | ||
Michaels-GoldwynRelativity Media | ||||
2017 | Eastern Sunrise FilmsPaladin | |||
Jerry Bruckheimer FilmsWalt Disney Pictures | Themes by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer | |||
2018 | ||||
2DUX²Walt Disney Pictures | Replaced Jóhann Jóhannsson; composed with Jon Brion | |||
2019 | Deon Taylor | Screen GemsPrimary Wave EntertainmentSony Pictures Releasing | ||
Sung-ho HongMoo-Hyun JangYoung Sik Uhm | Locus Creative StudiosNext Entertainment World | |||
Deon Taylor | Hidden Empire Film GroupScreen Gems | |||
Joachim Rønning | Roth FilmsWalt Disney Pictures | Replaced James Newton Howard | ||
2020 | David Koepp | Blumhouse ProductionsUniversal Pictures | ||
Deon Taylor | Hidden Empire Film GroupSummit Entertainment | |||
2021 | Hidden Empire Film Group | |||
2023 | ||||
Rainmaker FilmsBriarcliff Entertainment | ||||
AGC StudiosEndurance MediaRelativity Media | Themes only; score by Elliot Leung | |||
Robert MarianettiRobert SmigelDavid Wachtenheim | Original songs by Robert Smigel | |||
2024 | GFM AnimationAlignCaramel FilmsL'Atelier Animation | Composed with Tom Howe | ||
2025 | Bad Haircut | Kyle Misak | Throwback PicturesInnovative Media Group | |
Briarcliff Entertainment3 Arts EntertainmentBlind Wink ProductionsConstantin FilmRobert Kulzer ProductionsWAM Films |
As composer of additional music
Year | Title | Director | Composer | Notes |
1997 | ||||
1998 | John PowellHarry Gregson-Williams | Also orchestrator | ||
1999 | John Powell | |||
Hans ZimmerJohn Powell | ||||
2000 | Don PaulBibo BergeronJeffrey Katzenberg | Also technical advisor | ||
John PowellHarry Gregson-Williams | ||||
Hans Zimmer | ||||
2001 | John Powell | |||
Hans Zimmer | ||||
2002 | John Powell | |||
Harry Gregson-Williams | ||||
Klaus Badelt | ||||
2003 | Klaus BadeltBernard Fanning | |||
Klaus Badelt | ||||
Harry Gregson-Williams | Uncredited | |||
Ridley Scott | Hans Zimmer | |||
2004 | Klaus Badelt | |||
Vicky JensonBibo BergesonRob Letterman | Hans Zimmer | |||
2006 | Gore Verbinski | |||
2007 | ||||
2008 | Eric DarnellTom McGrath | Will.i.amHans Zimmer | ||
2009 | Hans Zimmer | |||
2010 | ||||
2011 | Gore Verbinski | Hans Zimmer | ||
2013 | Gore Verbinski | |||
2017 |
Television
Year | Title | Network(s) | Notes |
2000 | Die Motorrad-Cops | Episode: "Am Abgrund" | |
3 episodes | |||
2000-03 | 8 episodes | ||
2002 | Episode: "Lost Subs: Disaster at Sea"Composer of additional musicComposed by Steve Jablonsky | ||
Television filmComposer of additional musicComposed by Steve Jablonsky | |||
2003 | Episode: "Pilot"Composer of additional musicComposed by Steve Jablonsky | ||
2005 | Miniseries; 6 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) | ||
2010 | HBO | Miniseries; 10 episodesComposed with Blake NeelyTheme music by Hans ZimmerNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) | |
2013 | National Geographic | Television film | |
ABC | |||
2022 |
Video games
Year | Title | Publisher | Notes |
2004 | Composer of additional musicComposed by Inon Zur | ||
2007 | Composer of additional musicComposed by Winifred Phillips | ||
2009 | |||
2010 | Nintendo DS version | ||
2011 | |||
TBA | Cloud Imperium Games |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
2006 | Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) | Into the West | ||
Best Original Score for a Television Series | Into the West | |||
2008 | Top Box Office Films | Disturbia | ||
2010 | Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) | The Pacific: Part 10 (shared with Blake Neely and Hans Zimmer) | ||
2019 | Best Original Score for a Comedy Film | Christopher Robin | ||
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil |
References
External links