“Being a film composer is about how good your instincts are,” says music composer Elliot Leung on the Crazy Smart Asia podcast. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, the Hong Kong native discusses the process of composing big orchestral scores for blockbusters, why the ultimate compliment is the audience humming the main theme song in the bathroom after watching a film and why the voice memos app is his secret weapon in composition.

00:34 Meet Elliot Leung: award-winning composer

01:29 Quick fire questions 

03:20 Elliot's musical journey

06:06 Mentors and musical influences

08:15 Transition from cellist to composer

09:05 Breaking into the film industry

13:40 Role and responsibilities of a film composer

16:38 Designing memorable film scores

17:38 The creative process behind Operation Red Sea

19:48 The Importance of musical pacing

20:50 Mapping out the score

21:34 The reality of creating film music

25:29 Cultural differences in film scoring

27:18 Experiencing the world through music

31:07 Balancing creativity with deadlines

34:17 Reflecting on the composer's role

37:10 The unexpected side of composing

38:17 Conclusion and credits

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