Comic-Con 2019: “Sounds of Horror: Inside Hollywood’s Most Terrifying Film Scores” Panel Announced

What you see on screen can be scary, but the right music can make an unsettling scene ten times more terrifying. In this golden age of horror, viewers have been treated to eclectically spooky scores from a wide range of talented composers, and at the 50th annual San Diego Comic-Con, some of the most mesmerizing composers will gather for a panel to discuss the making of their memorably haunting music.

Hosted by IndieWire's Steve Greene and featuring Christopher Young, Michael Abels, Carl Thiel, Gregory Tripi, Russ Howard, and Nick Soole, the "Sounds of Horror: Inside Hollywood's Most Terrifying Film Scores" panel will take place in Room 9 from 8:00pm–9:00pm on Friday, July 19th.

Read on for additional details, and check our Comic-Con online hub to keep up to date on all of our coverage of the 50th annual Comic-Con!

"From the spine-tingling scores for “Us”, “Get Out”, and “Ma” to the gritty and horror-filled themes in “Pet Sematary” and “Hellraiser”, to the ultra-spooky cues in "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series", “The Cleanse” and “The Head Hunter”, horror films wouldn’t be nearly as terrifying without their musical scores. Join composers Christopher Young, Michael Abels, Carl Thiel, Gregory Tripi, Russ Howard, and Nick Soole as they pull back the curtain to reveal how they created some of the world’s most frightening film music. Room: 9

Christopher Young, Composer - "Pet Sematary", "Hellraiser"
Golden Globe-nominated composer Christopher Young is a master of horror music. He has been lauded for his scores for iconic horror films including "Hellraiser", "Drag Me to Hell", "The Grudge", "Pet Sematary" (2019) and the supernatural horror feature "The Empty Man."

Michael Abels, Composer - "Us", "Get Out"
Michael Abels is an award-winning composer and arranger who specializes in concert orchestral music, and who has scored some of the most critically acclaimed and top-grossing films of all time including "Us" and "Get Out."

Carl Thiel, Composer - "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series", "Grindhouse: Planet Terror"
Award-winning composer and producer Carl Thiel has scored nearly 50 film and TV projects and is known for his scores on numerous beloved horror films and TV series such as "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series", “Grindhouse: Planet Terror", “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For", and more.

Gregory Tripi, Composer - "Ma"
Gregory Tripi is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and synthesist. He recently composed the score for "Ma", starring Octavia Spencer, and has scored numerous film and TV projects including "Dark Places", "Manhunt: Unabomber", "The Knick", "The Neon Demon", and "Only God Forgives" (with Cliff Martinez).

Russ Howard, Composer - "The Cleanse", "Tragedy Girls"
Russ Howard has scored and written music for 60 feature films and TV series including "The Cleanse" and festival hit "Tragedy Girls", two of the most critically acclaimed indie horror films in recent years. He also scored the 2019 "Critters" re-boot "Critters Attack", and horror comedy "Hobo with a Shotgun", among many others.

Nick Soole, Composer - "The Head Hunter", "The Crooked Man"
Nick Soole has scored over a dozen movies for TV, as well as numerous indie features and documentaries. His horror credits include SyFy channel’s "The Crooked Man", and the medieval-horror cult hit "The Head Hunter."

Moderated by Steve Greene, Writer - IndieWire
Steve Greene is a member of the IndieWire TV team. In addition to covering film festivals for IndieWire across North America, working with organizations like the International Documentary Association, he frequently hosts post-screening discussions and panel talks around Los Angeles."