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David Fleming (composer)

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David Fleming
OriginNew York, United States
GenresFilm score, electronic, ambient, Piano
OccupationFilm composer
Years active2012–present
Websitewww.davidflemingmusic.com

David Fleming is an American composer. He works in the production of music for films, television, and interactive media. He has worked with composers Atli Örvarsson and Hans Zimmer. He won the ASCAP Screen Music Award for Television Score of the Year in 2024 for his work on The Last of Us. Some of his credits include Blue Planet II, Hillbilly Elegy, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Career

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Early career

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David Fleming studied musical composition at State University of New York at Purchase. From there he started his career in New York advertising companies, creating music for ringtones and liquor commercials. He won the BMI Foundation's Pete Carpenter Fellowship and moved to Los Angeles where he began writing music for major films.[1]

2017–present

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In 2017, Fleming co-composed the BBC series Blue Planet II (2017) alongside Hans Zimmer, starting a collaborative relationship that saw Fleming contribute to films like The Lion King (2019), Dune (2021), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022), and co-compose films together such as Hillbilly Elegy, The Unforgivable, and The Night Logan Woke Up.[2] Their work on Blue Planet II earned the score award nominations with the Jerry Goldsmith Awards and the International Film Music Critics Awards.[3][4]

Fleming co-composed the original score for the television series The Last of Us (2023–present) with Gustavo Santaolalla. Fleming's work was inspired by real-world sounds within a decayed civilization.[5] He largely worked on action-heavy music for the series, such as a large action sequence in the fifth episode. Like Santaolalla, he wanted to keep his score minimalistic and exercised restraint to match series co-creator Craig Mazin's goal of "having the viewer feel that they're part of the scene rather than be observing the scene".[6] He selected specific instruments that paired appropriately with Santaolalla's work; rather than using a generic drum, he wanted one with "personality, whether it be a rusty barrel or like cracking wood or bowing, rusty metal".[6]

In 2024, Fleming scored projects including Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Jim Henson Idea Man, for which he was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series and Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special, respectively.[7] On June 7, 2024, Fleming performed his work to Mr. & Mrs. Smith at the Deadline Sound & Screen TV Event at Royce Hall at UCLA. Lead actor Donald Glover guided Fleming's score to focus on trust and the relationship between the characters.[8] For Jim Henson Idea Man, Fleming wanted to carry the spirit of Jim Henson through the score.[9] He also composed music for the film Damsel (2024).[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director(s) Notes Ref.
2012 Revenge for Jolly! Chadd Harbold
2015 The Perfect Guy David M. Rosenthal Composed with Atli Orvarsson
2020 Hillbilly Elegy Ron Howard Composed with Hans Zimmer [11]
2021 South of Heaven Aharon Keshales
The Unforgivable Nora Fingscheidt Composed with Hans Zimmer [12]
2023 Americana Tony Tost [13]
2024 Damsel Juan Carlos Fresnadillo [10]
Jim Henson Idea Man Ron Howard [14]
Bando Stone and the New World Donald Glover [15]
2025 Alto Knights Barry Levinson [16]

Television

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Year Title Notes Ref.
2017 Blue Planet II 7 episodes
2022 The Night Logan Woke Up 5 episodes; with Hans Zimmer [17]
2023 The Last of Us 9 episodes; with Gustavo Santaolalla [5]
2024 Mr and Mrs Smith 8 episodes [18]

Other Credits

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Year Title Role Composer(s)
2012–2023 Chicago Fire additional music Atli Orvarsson
2013 Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters additional music Atli Orvarsson
A Single Shot additional music Atli Orvarsson
Evidence additional music Atli Orvarsson
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones additional music Atli Orvarsson
2014–2015 Chicago P.D. additional music Atli Orvarsson
2014 Son of God additional music Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe
Divergent additional music Tom Holkenborg
Transformers: Age of Extinction additional music Steve Jablonsky
2015 Last Knights additional music Satnam Ramgotra and Martin Tillman
2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows additional music Steve Jablonsky
2017 Transformers: The Last Knight additional music Steve Jablonsky
What Happened to Monday additional music Christian Wibe
2018 Believer additional music Hans Zimmer
2019 X-Men: Dark Phoenix additional music Hans Zimmer
The Lion King Arranger "Never Too Late", Producer "Be Prepared" Hans Zimmer
2020 Wonder Woman 1984 additional music Hans Zimmer
2021 Dune: Part One additional music Hans Zimmer
2022 Top Gun: Maverick additional music Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, and Hans Zimmer
The Son additional music Hans Zimmer
2023 Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret additional music Hans Zimmer
2024 Dune: Part Two additional music Hans Zimmer

Awards and nominations

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Accolades
Award Year Category Nominated Work Result Ref.
IFMCA Awards 2017 Best Original Score for a Documentary Film Blue Planet II Nominated [3]
Jerry Goldsmith Awards 2018 Best Documentary Score Nominated [4]
ASCAP Screen Music Awards 2024 Composers' Choice: Television Score of the Year The Last of Us Won [19]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2024 Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) Mr. & Mrs. Smith (for "First Date") Nominated [20]
Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Jim Henson Idea Man Won
Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2024 Best Original Score in a Documentary Nominated [21]

References

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  1. ^ Palrowitz, Darren (February 2, 2024). "Composer David Fleming On "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Hans Zimmer & More — "Paltrocast" Exclusive". Medium.com.
  2. ^ "Sundance 2023 Composer Spotlight: David Fleming". ASCAP.com. January 1, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "2017 IFMCA Awards".
  4. ^ a b "XIII Jerry Goldsmith Awards – Winners".
  5. ^ a b Minsker, Evan (February 27, 2023). "HBO's New The Last of Us Season 1 Soundtrack Released: Listen". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Shachat, Sarah (March 14, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Score Finds Meaning in Silence". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  7. ^ Burlingame, Jon (July 17, 2024). "Creative Arts Emmys Music Nominations: Hans Zimmer Lands Three Nods, Pasek & Paul Inch Closer to EGOT". Variety. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  8. ^ Jackson, Destiny (June 10, 2024). "'Mr. & Mrs. Smith's David Fleming Says Just One Word Became Foundation For Series' Musical Theme – Sound & Screen TV". Deadline.com.
  9. ^ Richlin, Harrison (May 29, 2024). "Watch Ron Howard and Team Behind 'Jim Henson Idea Man' Discuss the 'Genius' Behind 'The Muppets' and 'Sesame Street'". Indiewire.com.
  10. ^ a b Danoff, Owen (March 21, 2024). "Damsel Composer David Fleming On Medieval Horns, Dragons & Dune Memes". Screen Rant. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  11. ^ Roxborough, Scott (December 11, 2020). "Hans Zimmer and David Fleming on Scoring 'Hillbilly Elegy' Under Lockdown (and After Zimmer Caught COVID-19)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  12. ^ "Hans Zimmer & David Fleming Scoring Nora Fingscheidt's 'The Unforgivable'". Film Music Reporter. October 26, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  13. ^ "David Fleming Scoring Tony Tost's 'Americana'". Film Music Reporter. March 15, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  14. ^ "David Fleming Scoring Ron Howard's Disney+ Documentary 'Jim Henson Idea Man'". Film Music Reporter. April 11, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  15. ^ Magat, Katrina (July 14, 2024). "7 Things Things You Need To Know About Childish Gambino's Mysterious IMAX Movie, 'Bando Stone and the New World'". Collider. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "David Fleming to Score Barry Levinson's 'Alto Knights'". Film Music Reporter. February 6, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "'The Night Logan Woke Up' Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. March 16, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  18. ^ Jackson, Destiny (June 10, 2024). "'Mr. & Mrs. Smith's David Fleming Says Just One Word Became Foundation For Series' Musical Theme – Sound & Screen TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  19. ^ Burlingame, Jon (May 9, 2024). "Scores for 'Spider-Man,' 'Last of Us,' 'Only Murders' Win the Composers' Choice Vote at ASCAP Screen Music Awards". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  20. ^ "David Fleming". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  21. ^ "2024 HMMA Nominations". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
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