Cory Stillman
Composer Matt Novack is one of the funniest composers in Hollywood. You have probably laughed alongside one of Novack’s scores without even realizing it. He has composed music for some of the most hilarious and subversive comedy series of the last decade, including Murderville on Netflix, Harley Quinn on Max, and Childrens Hospital on Adult Swim.
A longtime collaborator of comedy legend David Wain, Novack most recently worked with Wain on Miracle Workers: End Times, the incredible fourth season of the hit TBS series.
“The show used all library music in the previous seasons and the co-showrunners, Dan Mirk and Robert Padnick, wanted to hire a composer for the latest,” says Novack. “Having not worked with a composer before either, they asked David for some advice and he gave them my name.”
Novack referenced everything from 90s sitcoms to 80s synths in putting together his Miracle Workers score, and not everything made the final cut.
“Even though the 90s sitcom didn’t work, some sitcom style cues ultimately made it into the score, but more how they function rather than compositionally,” says Novack.
A classically trained percussionist, Novack is partial towards his “Sid at Work” theme, which relies on junked instruments and a synth bass to create one of the quirkiest compositions in the show. Novack’s body of work may be defined by musical parodies, but “Sid at Work” is a genuine testament to Sid (Daniel Radcliffe) and his everyday life at the junkyard. The upbeat tune stands out as one of the most unique songs in Miracle Workers: End Times, but it remains consistent with the show’s clever tone.
“Since everything’s in the same palette, it all sounds of a piece so we can be light and comedic, but also more serious when we need to without it being too jarring or feel like we made a shift to a different setting,” says Novack.
Check out our full converstion with Novack below.
How did you get involved with scoring Miracle Workers: End Times?
I was recommended to the production by my friend and frequent boss, David Wain who directed the first two episodes of the season. The show used all library music in the previous seasons and the co-showrunners, Dan Mirk and Robert Padnick, wanted to hire a composer for the latest. Having not worked with a composer before either, they asked David for some advice and he gave them my name. I had a great interview over Zoom due to Covid, plus because they were still filming, and they hired me barely five minutes after the call ended. Practically on the spot!
Can you talk about the “junked” aesthetic of the world in “End Times” and how you reflected that in the music?
I took that aesthetic as inspiration, so my team member Greg Martin and I found some junky percussion like some springs, a cheap drum head, a set of old rusty keys I found in my backyard, plus some really interesting sample libraries from Soundpaint of “junky” pitched instruments. It ended up being a really cool balance to the synth sounds of the rest of the score.
Were there any particular scenes or moments that you found especially challenging or rewarding to score?
There were many rewarding moments in this score, but my favorite has to be the Gigacron Theme in the second episode “H.O.A.” I had this idea that it should be ethereal choir with delay and other effects, which sounds simple at first, but ended being a decent amount of work finding the right effects, and making sure it all works well and balanced. I’m really happy how it turned out not only as its first short introduction, but also longer and fuller later on in the episode as the story is building up to a climax.
How did you ensure the music complemented the show’s dark comedy and post-apocalyptic setting?
Finding ways to use our palette of 80s synths and junky instruments in a lighthearted way helped tremendously. We had a rule of “no quirky pizzicato strings!” haha, but there still were moments where we still wanted that kind of energy so it was a fun challenge to figure out. Since everything’s in the same palette, it all sounds of a piece so we can be light and comedic, but also more serious when we need to without it being too jarring or feel like we made a shift to a different setting, though that does happen in some episodes.
Can you share any interesting anecdotes from the scoring process?
In the early stages of working, we spent a lot of time honing the sound of the score. My first pass was in the ballpark, but not quite right, and for the second pass we thought “hey, maybe let’s try some 90s sitcom style comedy score?” So Greg and I did that for a couple scenes, played them for Dan and Robert and received an immediate “nope!” from everyone. Even though the 90s sitcom didn’t work, some sitcom style cues ultimately made it into the score, but more how they function rather than compositionally.
How did you collaborate with the showrunners and other members of the production team on the score?
Most of our spotting and music review sessions were done in person, which was fantastic. Especially during this era of everything being on Zoom! Dan and Robert are just so wonderfully collaborative and open to experimentation. When we started working out the sound of the score, I knew they wanted an “80s VHS synth” kind of sound, and it took a handful of experiments until we found the right kind of synths. They were very patient and collaborative through this process, Robert even brought up some reference tracks “hey, I like this sound. How about something like that?” Everyone on the production team was wonderful to work with too.
Were there any specific musical motifs or themes you developed for the main characters or key plot points?
There are some key character themes, like Freya has these pounding drums, Sid has his “Sid at Work” theme which is more upbeat and quirky with junked instruments (since he works in a junkyard, naturally.) There’s a “domestic” theme that’s light and bouncy, and Tai’s theme when he’s introduced in episode one later becomes part of the theme of the robot uprising in the final episode. The whole season ends with a sweet theme as Sid and Freya finally embrace their grown-up, domestic lives which was introduced at the end of the first episode as they talk about being there for each other. That theme accents their season long character journeys as a couple.
What was your favorite piece of music that you composed for this season?
That’s a tough question! I’m proud of the Gigacron Theme, and there are some fun parodies sprinkled throughout, like my “Dr Crazybrains” theme which was based on the Surgeon General in Escape from LA, and while I’ve built a career out of score parodies, my favorite piece that I’m most proud of has to be the “Sid at Work” theme. It’s mostly junked instruments, plus a synth bass, and it’s just light and quirky enough. I’m a percussionist at heart too, having started my studies in that before pivoting fully to composition, so I kind of have to pick it for that reason too!
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