Interview: ‘The Map That Leads To You’ Composer Sarah Trevino on Her Path From Action Spectacles to Romantic Dramas

She may be nominated for the David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent at this year’s SCL Awards, composer Sarah Trevino has already worked across several iconic corners of the cinematic landscape. Having worked under prolific composer Brian Tyler for nearly seven years, Trevino has arranged and coordinated Tyler’s scores for such films as Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021), Scream (2022), and The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), not to mention multiple entries in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Trevino’s SCL nomination is in recognition of her work on an altogether different type of film, however. After cutting her teeth on action and animation blockbusters, Trevino has composed a gentle and emotional score to accompany the romantic tale at the center of Lasse Hallström’s The Map That Leads to You. Anyone familiar with Hallström’s work knows that the Swedish director has a knack for deep emotionality, and Trevino’s experience with sweeping epics of a different variety translated quite naturally to that particular sensibility.

“While working on those big bombastic tentpole movies was a lot of fun, my romantic ’emo’ artist soul was nourished through writing the music for Map,” says Trevino.

Sometimes, however, less is more when trying to amplify the emotional intensity of a given scene. In fact, Trevino’s process often involves pulling back on her initial tendencies as a songwriter and composer.

“I often write something and then go back through it and end up taking out a lot of major and minor thirds to dial back the emotion so it’s more neutral,” says Trevino. “Then I’ll add them back as needed.”

Trevino also is not afraid of silence, which can be a controversial thing amongst composers. It can be the natural inclination of many to inject more music into a film, but the moving romance in The Map That Leads to You benefits just as much from the stretches without music as it does the stretches with it.

While Trevino acknowledges that “there’s more than one way to skin a cat,” she also has a general philosophy about this sort of thing that bears out quite nicely in The Map That Leads to You.

“Usually when it’s a ‘hold your breath’ moment, I let the music also hold its breath, with a pause or minimal sustain,” she says. “When the characters are discussing a big or grand idea, I let the music do its sweeping emotional thing because now we’re in ‘imagination’ territory.”

Check out my full conversation with composer Sarah Trevino below!

Can you walk us through how you first became involved with The Map That Leads to You and how the project came together creatively?

It really is about who you know, but that’s only the beginning. Randy Spendlove (head of film music at Paramount at the time) introduced me to the producer Marty Bowen at Temple Hill. Marty sent me the script to The Map That Leads to You and asked that I write some themes on spec to present to director Lasse Hallström. I probably wrote around 12 minutes of music to get that job, and even invested my own money into recording live strings. But it paid off and I was hired. So I say that who you know is “only the beginning” because while the opportunity was there, I still had to seize it.

You’ve worked across a range of formats and collaborations in your career. How did your process on The Map That Leads to You compare to some of your previous projects?

I worked on Brian Tyler’s team for almost 7 years prior to doing Map. As you can imagine, the music I wrote for franchises like The Fast and the Furious, The Super Mario Brothers, and Scream was very different from the music I wrote for this romantic drama. While working on those big bombastic tentpole movies was a lot of fun, my romantic “emo” artist soul was nourished through writing the music for Map.

The film is rooted in themes of romance, self-discovery, and emotional journey. How did those elements shape your musical approach to the score?

As mentioned previously, the music from Map flowed naturally from my soft little artist heart. Because I have experienced my own intoxicating loves and devastating heartbreaks, the writing was born from a truly authentic place. And for me, there is nothing more emotional and romantic than sweeping string sections and piano.

How did you think about fitting your musical voice into the film’s overall tone and storytelling style?

Once I have all the musical parameters in place and agreed upon by all the filmmakers, I just write what I like. That’s my musical voice.

Were there any particular instruments, textures, or techniques that became central to the sound of The Map That Leads to You?

Very simply… strings, piano, and guitar. I love string writing so I enjoyed spending time writing moving lines that weave in and around each other.

There’s a balance in the score between tenderness and emotional tension. How did you navigate that contrast throughout the film?

This is not the academic answer but a lot of that is so instinctual. I will say, I often write something and then go back through it and end up taking out a lot of major and minor thirds to dial back the emotion so it’s more neutral, then I’ll add them back as needed.

Receiving an SCL Award nomination is a significant recognition from your peers. What does that acknowledgment mean to you at this point in your career?

I am extremely grateful. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be able to do something like this as a career, let alone be honored by my peers that I respect and admire so much. My posture is just… Thank you.

When scoring a story about connection and personal transformation, how do you decide when music should lead the emotion versus when it should step back and let silence speak?

Usually when it’s a “hold your breath” moment I let the music also hold its breath so to speak, with a pause or minimal sustain. When the characters are discussing a big or grand idea, I let the music do its sweeping emotional thing because now we’re in “imagination” territory. It also has much to do with what’s taking place onscreen; is it a wide shot? Are they just talking in the bedroom? Does the scene show them planting a tree in a large field? Is it a montage of their memories together or is it current? Maybe we’re just in a living room but it’s a moment where they’re falling in love. It can also be a taste thing. I might think a certain scene benefits from no music, making it more poignant, while someone else thinks it needs music to help it along. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Find more of Sarah’s work at her official website.