A majority of award-winning films are praised not only for their talented cast, cinematography, and directing, but also their ability to move an audience through music. Music composition in films are the cherry topping to an ice cream sundae. The composers behind the beautiful

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instrumentals are often times hidden behind the curtain until award shows like the Oscars swing by to credit these talented artists.

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The Oscar-winning film composer, Hans Zimmer, has impacted the world of cinema with his music in iconic films like “The Dark Knight,” “Gladiator,” and, “The Lion King.” However, Zimmer sees other music composers in film trapped behind the curtain, specifically women composers.

 

Zimmer told London West Hollywood in Los Angeles in an interview that the filmmakers who hire him are taking a “huge gamble,” despite all the credit to his name. “I am going to try and come up with some crazy ideas a lot of the time,” Zimmer said. “It might not work out.” During the interview, Zimmer posed a daring demand to filmmakers: hire more women.

 

“A lot of female composers I know are better than me,” the German musician said, referring to Oscar winners, Anne Dudley (“The Full Monty,” “Elle,” “American History X,”) and Rachel Portman (“Emma Chocolat,” “The Joy Luck Club). “Shirley Walker could write a kick-ass action cue better than I ever could, so take that risk,” Zimmer admitted.

 

According to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women made up about three percent of composers working on the top 250 highest-grossing films last year. Mica Levi was the only woman out of five nominees up for Best Original Score for “Jackie,” at the Oscars in February. However, there were only six women among the 169 composers with eligible feature-length entries from 2016. “They are not given a chance,” Zimmer stated towards the “sheer bloody sexism,” and “lack of equality,” towards women in this industry.  

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Zimmer has had first-hand experiences working with young musicians out of his LA-based Remote Control Productions studio for 27 years, urging them to make their way into his “weirdly conservative” world. This topic has been discussed between Zimmer and Pharrell Williams when they worked together for the first time to provide music supervision for the 2012 Oscars ceremony. “The people that apply for my jobs at music studio are mostly white and mostly male,” Zimmer explained. “Why is that?” Williams explained to Zimmer how racial barriers have caused black film composers to remain underrepresented, or hidden behind the “curtain.” “I broke down your door,” Williams told Zimmer. “Do you have any idea how many doors and walls I had to break down to enter, just to get to your door?”  

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The same barrier has limited women from breaking down the doors to representation. Zimmer suggested that the problem may be that women have been beaten down and socialized by a system that denies them access, therefore, they have just given up on trying.  

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Zimmer considers Mica Levi an instigator of change in the film music world. Being one of the rare women to have won an Academy Award nomination, Zimmer tips his hat off, complimenting her on her brilliance and originality in a world of such strict conformity. “If something as conservative and established as the Oscars can actually nominate eclectic music, then perhaps gender won’t be a consideration in the future,” Zimmer said.  

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Zimmer isn’t the only artist to recognize women behind the curtain. Prince, helped to change the game by including women like Shelia E. and Wendy and Lisa, in his ensemble. ​“This is everybody’s job in entertainment. We’re supposed to do something new. And not just new, but it needs to register. It needs to communicate. So if you’re leaving out 50 percent of the great communicators by leaving out women, then you’re only talking to half your audience,” Zimmer concluded.  

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Zimmer gave a lasting ounce of advice to women making their way through the film-composing industry today: “Don’t think of yourself as anything other than an equal. Break down the doors. It’s only doors.”