The Power of the Theme: Why Charlene Soo is Championing Melodic Film Music

Whether she is capturing the intimate emotional tension of a rom-com or the vast, high-stakes wonder of a space documentary, composer Charlene Soo is quickly becoming a vital voice in the world of film scoring.

While many modern scores lean toward atmospheric textures, Soo is an unabashed champion of melody.

And that's something that sets her apart from the crowd.

Fresh off her work on the lesbian rom-com Meeting Marsha and the documentary Aftershock , Soo sat down with us to discuss her transition from singer-songwriter to screen composer, her love for 65-piece orchestras, and why she still keeps the iPhone Voice Memos app ready for whenever inspiration strikes.

Let's dive into the interview.

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NFS: You originally trained as a singer-songwriter. What pulled you into film composing, and what made you stay?

Charlene Soo : I’ve always dreamed of a life where I could tell stories through music. Even before I was familiar with what film music was, I remember how hearing the theme from Jurassic Park at a theme park could immediately transport me into another world.

Writing to picture opened up an entirely new dimension for me as a composer. It introduced me not only to a vast orchestral repertoire, but also to the possibilities of instrumental colour, thematic development, and the fusion of acoustic and electronic elements to shape a narrative. I fell in love quickly with its variety - the diversity of styles, textures, and approaches that each project demands.

What made me stay is that sense of potential and possibility. Film scoring allows me to move between worlds, both musically and emotionally, in a way that feels endlessly inspiring. Quite honestly, it reminds me of the sense of wonder I felt when I first discovered music as a child.

NFS: Your work reflects influences from your time engaging with music communities across Australia, Liverpool, and Los Angeles - how have these environments shaped your musical voice?

CS : Having had the opportunity to engage with music communities and meet people from all walks of life across different continents has shaped not only who I am, but also how I think about music - and it’s something I’m grateful for every day. Each environment has exposed me to different musical perspectives.

With every experience, I’m constantly learning - whether it’s discovering new instruments, compositional approaches, or ways of collaborating. Over time, those influences have naturally become part of my musical language. They’re not always conscious, but they inform how I think about music.

NFS: You describe your style as melodic and theme-driven, almost in the vein of classic Hollywood scores. What draws you to that approach today?

CS : Melodies, themes, and motifs are at the essence of who I am as a composer. I’ve always been drawn to the beautiful melodies in John Williams and Ennio Morricone’s masterful work, and, of all things compositionally, writing a melody has always been what comes the most easily and instinctually to me, which naturally leads me to write in that way.

NFS: Was there a specific film scoring moment or project where you thought, "This is what I’m meant to be doing?”

CS : When I recorded and conducted my music at Warner Brothers with a 65-piece orchestra, hearing the amazing musicians bring the melody I wrote to life in such a historic scoring stage - where so many of my favourite scores were recorded - was surreal. But it really was the entire process that made me feel that way: when I finally figured out what the melody was supposed to be during the writing process, the camaraderie shown by my team, who fully had my back during the session, printing the scores, and then hearing the music come alive. The whole experience I went through - the good and the bad - is what makes me feel alive.

NFS: Meeting Marshais a lesbian rom-com. How did you approach scoring for that genre and tone?

CS : The director wanted the genre and tone of the score to be based on tension. We brought in a violinist and started recording a lot of unconventional and unique sounds to build a distinctive soundscape for the film, and then used that soundscape as the basis and foundation of the score. From there, we built on it!

NFS: You’re also the lead composer on the space-focused documentary (Aftershock). How does your approach differ when scoring something grounded in real-world science versus narrative fiction?

CS : Even though Aftershock is grounded in real-world science, it’s still very much a human story - it centres on a group of individuals hoping to achieve their wildest dreams (and they even broke a world record!). I think that’s a theme that runs through both real stories and narrative fiction, and scoring that emotion is what really connects the two for me. Whether it’s real people or fictional characters, I try to understand what they’re going through emotionally and communicate that through music.

NFS: What does your typical composing setup look like right now?

CS : Right now, I have my laptop, my keyboard, and my condenser microphone, and that’s all I really need! On some days, it’s even simpler: just the Voice Memos app on my iPhone when inspiration comes out of the blue.

NFS: If someone listened to your music without context, what do you hope they feel?

CS : I always turn to music when I’m sad or lonely, so I hope the music I write offers that same sense of comfort and company to others.

NFS: Looking ahead, what kinds of projects are you hoping to score next?

CS : Honestly, I’d love to continue doing a diverse range of projects like I am now, so I’d be grateful for any opportunity. That said, it’s always been a dream of mine to score an epic fantasy trilogy like The Lord of the Rings or How to Train Your Dragon!