Susie Benchasil Seiter is not just a name behind the credits; she’s the orchestrator of emotions, the conductor of cinematic experiences, and a composer who deeply understands the art of Serving Movie narratives through music. Her recent work on the Netflix limited series THAI CAVE RESCUE, alongside Austin Wintory, showcases her unique ability to blend cultural authenticity with powerful storytelling through sound. But what exactly does it mean to “serve a movie” with music? It’s about crafting an auditory landscape that elevates every scene, whispers unspoken feelings to the audience, and ultimately becomes the invisible force multiplier of a film’s impact.
From Disney Dreams to Thai Authenticity: Seiter’s Journey into Film Scoring
Seiter’s fascination with film music began, as it often does, with a childhood immersed in movies. Growing up with a father who was a cinephile, her home was a constant cinema, playing beta and VHS tapes from an extensive collection. Music entered her life separately, with piano lessons and dance classes, common threads in many artistic journeys.
The magic happened when these two passions converged during piano lessons. Learning Disney musical themes and superhero scores sparked a realization: music wasn’t just an accompaniment to movies, it was integral to their soul. Among these early cinematic awakenings, Disney’s The Little Mermaid stands out. Like many, Seiter and her friends were captivated by both the songs and the instrumental score, a testament to the power of film music to resonate deeply.
Years later, a serendipitous encounter brought her face-to-face with one of her idols. While working as a music teacher, Seiter found herself teaching Alan Menken’s daughter. Mustering her courage, she introduced herself to Menken, a composer whose work had defined her childhood musical landscape. This bold move led to an unexpected mentorship, offering Seiter invaluable insights into the world of film music directly from a master. This story perfectly encapsulates the blend of youthful curiosity and dream-chasing that fueled her early aspirations.
It wasn’t until Thai Cave Rescue that Seiter felt the compelling urge to step beyond orchestration and conducting and fully embrace film scoring. Her established career as an orchestrator and conductor involved bringing other composers’ visions to life, a role she cherished for its collaborative nature and the opportunity to work with orchestras worldwide. However, Thai Cave Rescue presented a unique confluence of factors that ignited her own creative fire.
The story itself, the real-life drama of the trapped Thai youth soccer team, resonated deeply with Seiter. Furthermore, the production team’s commitment to authenticity was paramount. This emphasis on genuine representation, particularly the incorporation of Thai musical elements, became the pivotal point for Seiter. Her unique background, as an American-Thai woman raised in a home steeped in Thai culture and music, made her exceptionally qualified to serve this particular movie’s needs. Her mother, a Thai dance teacher operating from their home, filled Seiter’s childhood with the sounds of Thai music and cultural events, fostering a deep connection to her heritage. Coupled with her two decades of experience in orchestral film music, Seiter felt a profound confidence that she could authentically translate this powerful story into a score.
The Art of Serving the Story: Seiter’s Approach to Film Music
Seiter’s philosophy when approaching film music centers around creating something “beautifully unique.” This uniqueness isn’t just about novelty for its own sake; it’s about finding the perfect sonic palette – the right colors, dynamics, and overall approach – that will best serve the specific narrative and emotional contours of the film. She also emphasizes the often-overlooked power of silence, recognizing that musical breaths and pauses are as crucial as the notes themselves, allowing the music to breathe and resonate more deeply.
Her classical training provides a solid foundation, a deep understanding of musical rules, and, importantly, how to skillfully break them for artistic effect. Her experience as an alto singer in choirs, accustomed to both blending and standing out, informs her approach to musical texture and balance. Drawing from her background as a dancer, Seiter views music as inherently collaborative, a constant dialogue between sound and image, movement and emotion.
The Unseen Power: Why Soundtracks are Essential in Serving the Movie Experience
Seiter eloquently describes soundtracks as the “unsung hero of film.” She points out the paradox: most viewers are unaware of the soundtrack’s existence as a separate entity, yet it subtly dictates their emotional responses throughout the movie. Music acts as an invisible hand, “whispering in their ear how they should feel or react,” shaping their perception of every scene.
Conversely, a poorly conceived soundtrack can become a glaring distraction, actively detracting from the movie’s impact. It can shatter immersion and undermine the intended emotional journey. This underscores the immense responsibility composers bear in serving the film effectively – their work can either elevate or derail the entire cinematic experience.
Serving the Narrative from the Start: The “Thai Cave Rescue” Example
The scoring process for Thai Cave Rescue offered a unique example of how music can serve the narrative even before filming commenced. Seiter and her co-composer, Austin Wintory, were brought on board very early in the production, before principal photography and even a finalized script. Based on their understanding of the real-life events from news reports, they created a ten-minute demo suite in four sections, outlining thematic ideas they felt crucial to the story.
This demo suite, in various edited forms, became the temp track for much of the series. Their vision for the score was a blend of Thai classical music deeply rooted in orchestral traditions. Because such a specific sound palette was relatively rare in existing temp tracks, their own music organically became the guiding sonic template for the production. Remarkably, the final scene of Thai Cave Rescue still features their original demo music, written a year prior, demonstrating the power of their initial musical vision in serving the story’s emotional climax.
Seiter further illustrates this point with a specific scene from episode 4 of Thai Cave Rescue. The scene depicts the agonizing decision faced by rice farmers who are asked to flood their fields to aid the rescue effort, effectively sacrificing their livelihoods. In a poignant moment, an elder farmer, a woman of influence, makes the selfless choice to sacrifice her farm. To underscore the cultural significance of this sacrifice and honor the Thai people’s contribution to the rescue, Seiter incorporated a well-known Thai folk melody verbatim as the farmer makes her decision. As other farmers follow suit, the orchestra swells, amplifying the emotional weight of this collective act of generosity and national pride. This musical choice serves not only to heighten the scene’s emotional impact but also to pay respectful homage to Thai culture and resilience.
Technical Mastery Serving Creative Vision: Seiter’s Toolkit
Transitioning from orchestrator and conductor to composer required Seiter to navigate a significant technological learning curve. While she possessed decades of musical experience, scoring directly to picture demanded a new set of technical skills. Fortunately, a six-month lead time before needing to score specific scenes allowed her to immerse herself in a “crash course in tech” while simultaneously developing suites and themes to be used as temp tracks.
Her background as a conductor proved invaluable in one key aspect: understanding tempo and pacing. Seiter found she could instinctively grasp the rhythmic and emotional flow of a scene, immediately knowing where musical cues could land for maximum impact and continuity.
Technologically, Seiter’s toolkit includes Digital Performer and Protools as sequencers, Sibelius for notation and orchestration, and a microphone for vocal sketching. Her voice, she emphasizes, remains her primary instrument, and she incorporates her own vocals and chants throughout the Thai Cave Rescue score. Beyond standard orchestral libraries, she utilized specialized Thai instrument libraries, including custom-made samples created specifically for the project, further ensuring the score’s cultural authenticity and serving the film’s unique needs.
Ideal Collaboration: Serving the Director’s and the Story’s Needs
For Seiter, the ideal composer-director collaboration begins at the script development stage. She believes that a strong story is paramount and desires in-depth conversations about the narrative’s core elements: the characters, their emotions, their triumphs, and their losses. She envisions a back-and-forth exchange of ideas, exploring the “how, when, where, and why” of the story. This level of deep engagement reflects her commitment to investing fully in projects and seeking a reciprocal dedication to collaborative storytelling – a partnership where the composer is fully integrated into serving the director’s vision and the story’s emotional truth.
Balancing Act: Music Serving Alongside Sound Effects and Visuals
Seiter is acutely aware of the delicate balance between music and other elements of the sound design, including foley and sound effects. Her approach is one of mindful coexistence, ensuring that the music doesn’t overshadow or compete with other crucial sonic components. She describes it as a “delicate dance” where each element has its moment to shine, contributing to a cohesive and immersive soundscape.
Her goal is for her music to be mixed as intended, not manipulated to accommodate other sound elements. This requires careful consideration of the entire sonic tapestry, ensuring that the music serves as a complementary, rather than competing, force within the overall sound design.
Beyond the Credits: The Value of Film Scores Serving as Standalone Art
Seiter reflects on the value of a film score once the movie is completed, considering its life beyond its original context. She believes a successful score acts as a powerful reminder of the film’s key scenes and emotional moments. Certain musical cues, particularly those with strong melodic or dramatic content, can powerfully evoke specific scenes and resonate even without the visuals.
However, she also acknowledges that some subtle musical cues, designed to function primarily as background support for dialogue or atmosphere, may not translate effectively into standalone listening experiences. Ultimately, the value of a film score, even outside the movie, lies in its ability to transport the listener back to the film’s world and emotional core – serving as an auditory echo of the cinematic journey.
No “Wrong” Notes: Music Serving the Story’s Truth
Addressing the idea that different composers might score the same scene in vastly different ways, Seiter firmly believes there is no single “right” or “wrong” approach. For her, the crucial criterion is whether the music effectively serves the story. As long as the music enhances the narrative and resonates with the artist’s interpretation of the story’s emotional core, she considers it a valid artistic choice. The subjective nature of art means that “definitive” film music is less about objective correctness and more about the power of the music to authentically and effectively serve the unique needs of each film.
In conclusion, Susie Benchasil Seiter embodies the dedication and artistry required to excel in film music. Her journey, from childhood movie enthusiast to accomplished composer, highlights a career devoted to serving movie narratives with passion, cultural sensitivity, and profound musical understanding. Her work on THAI CAVE RESCUE is a testament to her unique ability to craft scores that not only enhance the cinematic experience but also stand as compelling works of art in their own right.
