James grew up by the beach in Los Angeles, but you won’t mistake his orchestrations for breezy summertime fare.
He writes prolifically, bringing a new depth, perspective, and incisive character to the silver-screen tales of fantasy, action, and romance gone wrong. With a unique ability to orchestrate anything from non-traditional textures to thunderous classical overtures, James combines a vintage sound with modern material to thrilling effect.
Film Works as a Composer
From large-scale orchestral movements to minimalist concepts, James’ career has consistently demonstrated an artist at the top of his industry.
“The Sixth Sense”
James provided music for such enduring 90’s films as “Space Jam,” M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense,” “Pretty Woman,” “The Fugitive,” and many more.
“The Dark Knight”
One of James’ most notable collaborations was with director Christopher Nolan and old friend Hans Zimmer on “The Dark Knight,” as well as “Batman Begins.” James soundscapes contributed significantly to Nolan’s legendarily dark reimagining of Gotham’s caped crusader.
“The Hunger Games” Series
James composed the music for such modern action franchises as the “Hunger Games,” as well as J.K. Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts” series.
“Composing is a natural fit… Something different happened to me when I started to write music to images. It was a feeling of excitement and connection and a sense of being in the right place that I never had before.”
- James Newton Howard