Nathan Johnson says he’s always ready to jump.

As a film composer, rather than, say, a stuntman, that’s a metaphorical leap and not an actual one, but the posture required is one of courage and resolve. For Nathan, that means a consistent willingness to try new things, take new angles, and shoot for new results.

If you’ve heard his work in films such as Knives Out, Looper, Kill The Messenger, or Brick, you’ve already heard the thrilling results of such a mindset. The only guiding principle sounds simple, “Let’s make cool stuff,” and then you realize it means recording the sounds of televisions pushed from warehouse roofs or taking field recordings of everyday noises and turning them into actual instruments.

When he’s not busy scoring films, he’s directing music videos for Son Lux and Lucius, writing and performing in his band Faux Fix, or working as an art director for L.A.’s The Made Shop.

As a lover of any creative challenge, Nathan says the key to being able to make that leap is a willingness to say yes to what you don’t know how to do. It’s that sort of “anything goes” approach that’s allowed Johnson to craft such inspired and innovative compositions that bolster his cinematic projects in such rare, beautiful ways.

We hope you enjoy our conversation with Nathan Johnson.

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Photo Credit: Steve Yedlin