Imagine creating a stunning musical score for a film without even glancing at the script—sounds like a recipe for chaos, right? But for composer Jerskin Fendrix, this bold experiment with director Yorgos Lanthimos on 'Bugonia' turned into a groundbreaking collaboration that redefined how he approached his craft. And this is the part most people miss: by staying in the dark, Fendrix unlocked a deeper, more intuitive connection to the film's wild themes. Intrigued? Let's dive in and unpack how this unconventional method led to music that perfectly captures the movie's bizarre twists, including its mind-blowing ending. But here's where it gets controversial—could such ignorance actually make art better, or is it just a risky gamble that might flop spectacularly?
SPOILER ALERT: This piece delves into major plot points and reveals the ending for 'Bugonia,' currently showing in theaters, so proceed with caution if you haven't seen it yet.
Back in 2023, Yorgos Lanthimos and his trusted composer, Jerskin Fendrix, started brainstorming 'Bugonia.' But Lanthimos threw a curveball: he asked Fendrix to skip reading the script entirely and avoid learning anything about the story. On top of that, Lanthimos instructed him not to view the original film it's adapted from, the 2003 South Korean thriller 'Save the Green Planet!' by Jang Joon-hwan. This was a fresh twist in their partnership. For previous projects like 'Poor Things,' Fendrix had full access to the script and plenty of concept art, and for 'Kinds of Kindness,' he at least got the script. This time, though, Lanthimos kept it ultra-minimal, sharing just three cryptic words: bees, basement, and spaceship.
If you've watched the film, it all clicks into place—these elements tie directly into the plot. But without that context, Fendrix found it pretty tricky to spot the links between them. 'If anything, it was unconventional,' he admits with a chuckle, though he embraced the challenge as an exciting creative exercise. It's like solving a puzzle with only fragments; for beginners in filmmaking, think of it as composing music based on abstract clues rather than a detailed roadmap.
'Bugonia' features Emma Stone as Michelle, the powerful CEO of a pharmaceutical giant. She's abducted by Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), who hold her captive in a basement, demanding she admit she's an extraterrestrial being. Teddy also resides on a secluded ranch where he tends to beehives. Fendrix dedicated months to investigating those three words and the ideas they evoke. 'I explored their various meanings and practical uses, then tried to weave connections between them before composing the music,' he explains. For instance, he delved into bee behavior, architectural patterns in basements, and even spaceship designs, drawing inspiration from real-world examples like honeycomb structures in nature and technology.
When it came to scoring the bee sequences, Fendrix notes that bees produce a distinctive, recognizable buzz that's heavily featured in the movie. 'That familiar hum really stands out,' he says. He also drew fascination from systems and patterns. 'Honeycomb imagery is huge with bees—it's a perfect example of how orderly and complex their social structures can be, like a well-organized community where every member has a role.' This geometric theme extended to basements and spaceships; for example, many spacecraft incorporate hexagonal patterns because they fit together efficiently, much like tiles in a mosaic, making them stronger and more aerodynamic. Fendrix saw these designs popping up everywhere, forming a 'connective tissue' across the concepts.
Looking back, Fendrix reflects that knowing the film's plot would have led him to compose entirely differently—a clear nod to Lanthimos' savvy guidance. For the basement scenes, he describes them as depicting a conspiracy theorist who's spiraled too deep into online rabbit holes. 'It's a tragic tale of him and his cousin,' he says, 'but in his mind, he's battling to save the planet, turning it into an apocalyptic showdown.' To illustrate, the music subtly amplifies the tension, whispering that the stakes couldn't be higher, like a quiet alarm signaling global peril.
That's because the film's climax flips everything: Teddy's wild theories are spot-on, and Michelle is revealed as an alien from the ancient Andromeda species, who've been silently overseeing humanity since prehistoric times. 'The spaceship music I crafted was purely orchestral, the basement tunes were all synthesizer-based, and the bee motifs blended both styles,' Fendrix shares. Yet, Lanthimos surprised him by not using the score as expected. 'The synth elements are the only ones that made the cut for the final spaceship scene,' he reveals. 'It's not some triumphant orchestral blast; instead, it's ambient and serene, yet with an otherworldly vibe that feels distinctly alien.'
This approach raises some eyebrows—does blind composing lead to truer artistic expression, or does it risk missing the mark? What if this method becomes the norm in cinema? Do you think knowing the script is overrated, or is it essential for meaningful collaboration? Share your thoughts in the comments—I'm curious to hear if you agree that ignorance can spark brilliance or if it's just a fun gimmick!
