As part of my final project for my undergraduate degree, I took select scenes from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and wrote new soundtrack cues for them using compositional and production techniques associated with modern science fiction cinema.

During the Battle of Yavin, I used instruments and sound sources to emphasise the dissonance between the Rebellion and the Empire. Whilst the rebels were accompanied by a heroic orchestra with organ arpeggios and violin runs, the Empire were represented by a variety of harsh, metallic timbres. Synthesised sounds were modified using filtering and distortion to create complex, inharmonic digital noise that illustrated the Empire’s unwavering hostility and malice.

For this scene in Tatooine, my aim was to create a sonic palette that encapsulated the eclectic and sinister environment of Mos Eisley, whilst still evoking a sense of exoticism. I sampled a variety of instruments that were used within the original Cantina Band cues, such as saxophones and steel drums, and processed them using spatial and modulation effects.